Central Texas Hemerocallis Society
Established 1958 in Waco, Texas
Disbanded 1984 due to advanced age of members

Central Texas Hemerocallis Society Celebrates 20th Anniversary
By F. D. Coppin, Historian - Waco
(Reprinted from Region 6 Newsletter, Spring 1979)

The Central Texas Hemerocallis Society was organized in 1958 with 20 members. Charter members were Edna Lankart, Mrs. W. L. Johnson, and Mrs. F. A. Waldrop.

In 1978, the roster listed 43 persons from Bryan, Coolidge, Donie, Fairfield, Mexia, Riesel, and Waco. These congenial members have one thing in common, an interest in daylilies.

Edna Lankart, the remaining Charter Member, was the honoree at the January meeting. Being the last surviving charter member, Edna remarked that it made her feel about 90. We are happy to have Edna as a member because she has made significant contributions to our Society, Region 6, and the American Hemerocallis Society. Not only has Edna served Region 6 as Regional Vice President and Regional Publicity Director, but she has shared her time and her daylilies, as well. I wonder if she knows how many Daylily programs she has presented or how many articles she has written for Region 6 Newsletters, The Hemerocallis Journal, or gardening magazines. She served on the American Hemerocallis Society's Board of Directors for six years as First Vice-President.

At our anniversary meeting members strolled down memory lane, recalling many happy hours. Mrs. Charles Murphy recalled highlights and changes made during this time. Having been historian these years, the writer read many accomplishments and interesting items from the historian's book. To continue the stroll down memory lane, Edna showed slides of daylilies popular at the time of our organization, and the writer showed slides of newer daylilies from the American Hemerocallis Society Slide Library.

Two things were noticeable; namely, hybridizers had come a long way in the twenty years since organization, and some members who are more interested in a pretty garden liked many of the older daylilies.

Continuing to promote public interest in daylilies, the members share plants with one another, have auctions, plant drawings, and plant showers for our new members. The Central Texas Hemerocallis Society has its own popularity poll each year. Garden tours, picnics, and covered dish luncheons provide the social activities. The Society is fortunate in having members who will suggest interesting topics for discussion and will present most of the programs for the year.

To further promote public interest in the daylily the Society sponsors four display gardens. The first project was supplying plants for two beds at the entrance to the Veterans Administration Hospital. Mrs. John I. Cowell, Mrs. Ruby Martin, and F. D. Coppin with the assistance of hospital residents under the supervision of hospital personnel planted these beds. The beds are maintained by hospital residents.

Since about a third of our members live in the Coolidge area they help to maintain the Coolidge Garden Center where our Society designed a daylily bed.

When charter member Mrs. W. L. Johnson died, many of her own hybrids and registered cultivars were planted in a memorial bed at the Nell Pape Garden Center where our Society meets regularly. A few of our members maintain this garden.

The fourth project was furnishing plants last year for a bed at the Central Texas Zoo. Their employees maintain this planting.

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