For the Love of Rhododendron

Episode 11 - We named the trees

In this episode we hear the story of Leslie Hancock, a pioneer in Canadian Rhododendron breeding and horticulture and founder of the Hancock Woodlands in Mississauga, Ontario Canada. Woodlands Horticulturalist, Staci Sylvestri, tells how the next generation is carrying on Hancock's botanical legacy and commitment to community outreach. We also meet Hancock's grand-daughter Carol, who shares memories of her childhood growing up in a plant nursery, where towering oaks and pines, and multi-colored Rhododendrons provided plenty of material for a child's imagination.

The garden developed such a personality of its own that they even named the trees, including four iconic pine trees that still stand today as the hallmark of Hancock Woodlands, embodying the words of John Muir, "Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world."

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