A Plant
Introduction Program
for the Mid-Atlantic and beyond......
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A Plant
Introduction Program ® |
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WHO IS WHO IN THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENSTM FAMILYFred Duis, Duis Nursery, Past Chair
As a Chairman of the Plant Introduction Committee for the VNLA Fred was instrumental in developing a broad partnership which is the back-bone of the today’s consortium. In early 2000’s he coordinated project activities with Virginia Tech, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and Norfolk Botanical Garden. During his presidency the program built the infrastructure, a net of collaborators, and hired a program director to manage the day-to-day needs of the project, and monitor the activities on the research sites. The most recent collective idea of Fred, Jerzy Nowak and Rumen Conev at the Department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech is for developing a curriculum on the Basics of Plant Breeding and further delivery of series of seminars and hands-on training sessions to VA Master Gardeners, plant hobbyists and back yard breeders. The elevation of current home-garden breeding from its status of "playing with plants" to a scientifically sound procedure will tremendously increase the base of our program support and flow of new germplasm into plant introduction system. Fred’s enthusiasm to preserve and create in achieving a better tomorrow applies not only to his work on Beautiful GardensTM program, but to numerous other social engagements as well. He is founder and president of Wharton Memorial Foundation – a non-profit organization that is establishing a significant public garden in Bedford and purchasing and renovating historic properties within the garden area. Fred is VNLA Board member, Past President of Virginia Horticulture Council, Board, Member of Bedford Agricultural Council, Bedford County Extension Leadership Council, American Nursery and Landscape Association. He is also a Past Board Member and Member of Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, Past President and Member of Bedford Lions Club, Elder and Member of Bedford Presbyterian Church and Past Supervisor, Bedford County, 1989. Fred is a true Hokie – he holds B.S. in Horticulture since 1969, and first 12 years after graduation he ran his own landscaping business serving Bedford/Lynchburg area. In 1981 he assumed the operation of Duis Nursery - a wholesale nursery specializing in the production of quality container-grown ornamental plants. He grows a selection of annuals, perennials, woody shrubs and trees for landscapers and garden centers from Tidewater Virginia to Central West Virginia. His typical customers are relatively small contractors and businesses who need to be able to purchase a wide range of plant material at one location. A small percentage of his sales is generated through the stocking of "rewholesale" material, i.e. plants that are finished by other growers, but most of Fred’s inventory is either propagated and grown at his nursery or bought at the "liner" stage and grown to completion. I am certain that one of Fred’s secrets for successful multitasking between the work, family and social responsibilities is that he is blessed with a loving and understanding wife of 36 years Charlotte, a bunch of children and grandchildren, and …his Fork’s restaurant lunch buddies who on daily basis over a dish of a some home-style specialty enjoys debating on everything: from international affairs, to history, to physics, to trigonometry, to art and ….well, you got the point.. We – the Beautiful Gardens family, in turn are blessed to have among us the energetic, forward thinking, diplomatic, and persistent friend and colleague Fred Duis. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING FRED! By Rumen Conev |
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I
am certain that anyone who knows Fred Duis will agree that he is the most
logical choice of a BG Task Force Member to be featured first in this new column
of the VNLA Newsletter. Fred is not only one of the architects of
still-to-be-born Plant Introduction Program in 80ies and 90es, but he is among
program’s founders, its first president (from 2002-2007), member of both the
BG’s Board and its Administration and Finance Committee, and among the most
energetic promoter of the program. He deserves credit for too many achievements
to be listed here which step by step brought our program to its current
position; however Fred earned my admiration largely because of his rare passion
and personal devotion to everything he believes in and work on. During the
presentation at the 2007 VNLA Field Day, I made a statement that if only a
fraction of our society get infected by Fred’s dedication and sense of
volunteerism; we would live in a much better world. I still believe it is true.
