As one of the world's foreÂmost plant physiÂoloÂgists, HarÂold WilÂkins dediÂcatÂed his life to studyÂing and tinÂkerÂing with the sciÂence of flowÂers. But for WilÂkins, that sciÂence was alÂways the means to beauÂty, not the end in and of itÂself. He was a man who recÂogÂnized beauÂty and creÂatÂed beauÂty and then shared that beauÂty.
"We're alÂways tryÂing to imÂprove that sciÂence, but at the end we want to share all this beauÂty with othÂers," said SuÂsan Bachman West, presÂiÂdent of BachÂman's and the third genÂerÂaÂtion of her famÂiÂly to conÂsider WilÂkins a menÂtor and friend. "We see the beauÂty in flowÂers, but givÂing it to someÂone? That's where the true joy comes. And HarÂold knew that."
Flowers, WilÂkins beÂlieved, were like life: a beauÂty that takes treÂmenÂdous efÂfort to creÂate but was nevÂer meant to last forÂevÂer.
WilÂkins died earliÂer this month at 87 in BaldÂwin, Wis., where he and his partÂner had opÂerÂatÂed Gold Finch Farm since 2004. The finÂest blooms from that 9-acre flowÂer farm beÂcame a staple at Mill City FarÂmers Market in downÂtown Minneapolis, where cusÂtomÂers would line up for his flowÂer arÂrangeÂments that were more like sculpÂtures.
"He thought of huÂmanÂiÂty and flowÂers as very interÂtwined," said Emily Dusek, who worked at his farm. "He saw the conÂnecÂtion. At the marÂket he'd just give out flowÂers to peoÂple. He just did it for the fun."
His proÂfesÂsionÂal acÂcomÂplishÂments are nuÂmerÂous. He's known as the father of the alstroemeria industry. He met PresÂiÂdent Jimmy Carter when he won a floÂriÂculÂture aÂward. He's inÂductÂed in the FloÂriÂculÂture Hall of Fame. He was an exÂtenÂsion floÂriÂculÂture proÂfesÂsor at the University of Minnesota from 1966 unÂtil 1989. Ten of his Ph.D. stuÂdents now lead floÂral edÂuÂcaÂtion and reÂsearch at maÂjor uniÂverÂsiÂties and busiÂnesÂses in the UnitÂed States and Canada.
WilÂkins beÂcame inÂterÂnaÂtionÂalÂly known for his work on the alstroemeria. He saw it growÂing in EngÂland and in CaliÂforÂnia and was takÂen by the flowÂer, which is naÂtive to Peru.
So WilÂkins teamed with a local floÂrist to figÂure how to grow it year-round. It was durÂing the 1970s oil criÂsis, and WilÂkins was lookÂing for crops that could flourÂish unÂder coolÂer temÂperaÂtures so less enÂerÂgy was inÂvolved. They came up with the iÂdeÂa of pumpÂing waÂter through tubes around the roots of the plant in ordÂer to lowÂer the temÂperÂaÂture of the soil. That esÂsenÂtialÂly doÂmestiÂcatÂed the alstroemeria in the UnitÂed States, turnÂing it from a wildÂflowÂer that bloomed once a year into a year-round flowÂer. It's now a flower with strong stems and good longevity that's become one of the top-sellÂing cut flowÂers in the counÂtry.
He was a pubÂlished auÂthor (of "FloÂriÂculÂture: PrinÂciÂples and SpeÂcies") and poet ("The magÂic is in the mornÂing/The valÂley floor is floodÂed each dawn with a lake of pink mist"). He was a lecÂturÂer and storyteller.
He reÂmemÂbered birthÂdays and anniÂverÂsaÂries, whethÂer it was with a bouÂquet of flowÂers for someÂone loÂcalÂly or a card shipped to a horÂtiÂculÂture colleague in ThaiÂland or IsÂraÂel or JaÂpan. For him, flowÂers were a way to conÂnect the beauÂty of naÂture with the beauÂty of huÂmanÂiÂty.
WilÂkins learnÂed he had testÂed posÂiÂtive for COVID-19 on Dec. 21. For the next week, he phoned old friends for a nice chat, not reÂvealÂing he was sick. He knew he didn't have much time left, and those were his goodbyes. He died on Jan. 7.
A meÂmoÂriÂal servÂice will be held at a later date, likeÂly in sumÂmer. His partÂner of more than three deÂcades, Bryan Gjevre, hopes to have seasÂonÂal flowÂers there: PeonÂies and lilÂies, delÂphinÂiums and liatris.
ThroughÂout his life, WilÂkins doÂnatÂed to nuÂmerÂous orÂganÂiÂzaÂtions, from the University of Minnesota to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. But Gjevre has a difÂferÂent iÂdeÂa for how people could honor WilÂkins in his death: SupÂport local florÂists and garÂden centers by buying flowers — including alstroemeria.
Reid Forgrave • 612-673-4647