REMEMBERING KIT KNOTTS AT IWGS SYMPOSIUM

It was completely by accident that I met Kit Knotts. I was not supposed to be at the nursery that day. I had forgotten my camera, and I stopped by to pick it up. Before I could escape, a staff member said there was a woman outside asking all kinds of questions. Could I please go talk to her?

And so I met Kit at our display pond, where she said she was visiting New Orleans from Cocoa Beach, Florida. When I asked how she found us, she said it was our boastful ad in the Yellow Pages. (Our ad said, “We have what you want!”)

Some of our younger members may not know about the Yellow Pages. Google it.

Kit and I talked for several hours, and as our conversation was winding down, Kit said, “I am giving a talk on tropical water lilies in a few weeks, we should do a joint presentation together.”

I was thinking, “I do not know this woman, and I am certainly NOT leaving during my busy season to help her lecture on water lilies.”  So, I politely said no, I am too busy right now.

Kit’s disappointment was written on her face, and she said, “Please, come to Florida and lecture with me. We will pay your airfare. You can stay in our guest apartment. We will wine you and dine you. It will be fun!”

For a second time, I said no. I needed to change the subject, fast. I said to Kit, “ Come with me, I want to show you a water lily you have never seen.” Kit marveled at it, and before she knew it, I had it in a bag, and I sent her off with her very first Australian water lily, Albert de Lestang.

I was quite pleased with myself, saying, “Well you really dodged a bullet on that one! Nicely done.”

Two weeks later, Kit had me on the phone. “I hope you have reconsidered our joint lecture next week.” And before I could say no for the third time, Kit said, “Besides, I have some water lilies YOU have never seen!” So, after our joint lecture on Merritt Island, Florida, Kit and I became good friends.

It was on that first visit to Cocoa Beach that I saw a Victoria cruziana, growing in one of Kit’s small ponds. I said to her, “You know, if you built a big pond, you could grow both Victoria species and hybridize them.” That innocent, simple remark was the catalyst for everything that followed: Kit’s giant Victoria pond, Ten years of research on Victorias, the Victoria Adventure website which she created, the gathering of hybridizers at her house for a weekend exchange of ideas.

Kit sent me to the Orlando airport to pick up someone who wanted to attend the hybridizers weekend. His name was Carlos Magdelena, from Kew Gardens. By the way, we have a photo of Carlos, wearing nothing but a speedo, surfing on Cocoa Beach…on a Victoria leaf.

On a subsequent visit, Kit’s husband Ben had his microscope out, and Kit said to me, “You should look at some lily pollen under the scope and see what you find out…it would be fun.” Kit could not have known that her simple remark was the catalyst I needed to  confirm and intensify my interest in hybridizing.

It seems to me that this IWGS to which we belong,  is really a giant catalytic converter. Think about it: We bring people together from all over the world, we cross pollinate each other with our enthusiasm, ideas and plants, and we produce some wonderful hybrids…and the very best ones are the life long friendships which we create.

Perhaps when someone is asking to enter your life, it may be so that both of you can begin new chapters in a book yet to be written. And it is probably okay to say “Yes” the first time you are asked.