Helen Ballard
Helen Ballard | |
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Born | Grace Helen Ranken 11 January 1908 Peter Cecil Wilson , Philip Ernest Ballard |
Grace Helen Ballard, also known as Grace Helen Wilson and born Grace Helen Ranken (11 January 1908 – 28 May 1995), was a British horticulturist known for her hellebore hybrids.
Early life
Ballard was born in Waldron in 1908. Her parents were Sarah Kate (born Phillips) and Arthur William Ranken. Her father was an electrical engineer.[1]
Whilst she was in
She went on to marry Philip Ernest Ballard the same year. Her new father-in-law Ernest Ballard is credited with giving her four hellebore roots and she then became interested in horticulture and hellebores in particular.
Career
She bred new hybrids and went abroad to find new varieties. She discovered new colours and new forms.[1] She was called the "Queen of the Breeders".[3] Wilson died in Paris in 1984. He had risen to lead the auction house of Sotheby's and had become a difficult character. Despite this and the divorce they had kept in contact.[2] Her second husband died in 1987.[1]
Helen Ballard worked near Malvern and Elizabeth Strangman had similar interests in Kent. These two "hellibore horticulturalists" became so important that some felt that hellibores would go into decline when they were no longer around;[4] both shared the skills.[4] Ballard arranged for her stock to be given to Gisela Schmiemann in Cologne who established a mail order business based on these varieties.[5]
Death
Ballard died in Worcester in 1995. A book written by Gisela Schmiemann and titled Helen Ballard - The Hellebore Queen was published in 1997.[6][7]
References
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- ^ "Helleborus x hybridus 'Helen Ballards Strain'". Gardenista. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Hellebores: a heavenly flower for filling in early-spring gaps". www.ft.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-77151-126-1.
- ^ Schmiemann, Gisela (1997). Helen Ballard - The Hellebore Queen (in German). Ed. Art and Nature.
- ^ "Helen Ballard, The Hellebore Queen - Gisela Schmiemann". Graham Rice. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
External links
- Media related to Helen Ballard at Wikimedia Commons