Isabella Preston facts for kids

Isabella Preston (born September 4, 1881 – died January 31, 1965) was a very important horticulturist. She was known for her amazing work in plant hybridization. This means she created new types of plants by mixing different ones.

During her 26 years working, she made almost 200 new, strong plant types. These included lilys, lilacs, crab apples, irises, and roses. Her plants were special because they could survive Canada's very cold weather. Isabella was one of the first professional women plant breeders in Canada. She helped open doors for other women in science.

Isabella's Early Life and Education

Isabella Preston was born in Lancaster, England on September 4, 1881. Her father was a silversmith. As a child, she went to boarding school in Liverpool. Later, she studied at the University of London.

She loved gardening from a young age. She helped her father on the family farm. Her only special training in gardening was from Swanley Horticulture College in Kent. She finished this course before moving to Canada in 1912.

Isabella was 31 when she and her sister Margaret moved to Canada. Margaret was a music teacher in Guelph, Ontario. Isabella first worked on a fruit farm, picking plums and raspberries.

She then joined the Ontario Agricultural College to study plant breeding. She was one of the few women studying this subject at the time. Soon, she started working hands-on in the greenhouses.

During World War I, plant breeders focused on growing more fruits and vegetables. This was to help feed soldiers. Isabella worked on creating fruits that grew fast and could fight off bugs and diseases.

By 1916, she became the first professional woman hybridist in Canada. She became famous for her "George C. Creelman" lily. This was the first hybrid lily that grew well in Canada's climate. In 1929, she wrote Garden Lilies. This was the first book about growing lilies in Canada.

During World War II, Isabella helped the Royal Canadian Air Force. She advised them on plants to hide aircraft hangars. After she passed away, her many gardening books and papers were given to the Royal Botanical Gardens Library.

Isabella's Career at the Central Experimental Farm

In 1920, when she was 40, Isabella moved to Ottawa, Ontario. She started working at the Central Experimental Farm (CEF). Her work was quickly noticed. She was offered a special job as the "Specialist in Ornamental Horticulture." This meant she was the first person to focus only on breeding ornamental plants. These are plants grown for their beauty, like flowers and decorative trees.

Isabella loved sharing her knowledge with everyone. She gave tours of the Central Experimental Farm's beautiful gardens. In 1922, she even advised Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King on designing his garden at Kingsmere.

Over her career, Isabella created about 200 new plant types. She worked with lilies, lilacs, crab apple trees, peonies, and roses. Many of the 125 different lilacs at the Central Experimental Farm were developed by her. Her lilac and crab apple plants still bloom there every spring.

Isabella's plants were special because they could resist diseases. They were also strong enough to survive cold Canadian winters. This was important because the CEF wanted to create plants that could grow across Canada. Isabella retired from the Central Experimental Farm in 1946. But she continued to give advice for many years.

Famous Plant Hybrids by Isabella Preston

Isabella Preston created many popular and hardy plant varieties:

• The Preston Lilacs - She made 52 types of lilacs. They were strong and bloomed later in the season. This was important because other lilacs often got damaged by late spring frosts in Canada. Many of these lilacs were named after characters from Shakespeare. You can still see many of them at the CEF today.
• The Stenographer Lilies - These lilies were named after the seven stenographers (people who type fast) working at the CEF. These lilies had unique dark red or orange flowers that faced outwards and upwards. Five of these lilies won awards and were sold widely.
• Fighter Aircraft Lilies - These lilies were named after Allied planes from World War II.
• Canadian Lake Crab Apples (or Rosyblooms) - She created 15 types of strong crab apple trees. They had colorful leaves and pretty flowers. They were named after Canadian Lakes. Some of these trees, planted in 1928, are still growing at the Central Experimental Farm.
• Siberian Irises - These beautiful irises were named after Canadian Rivers.
• Preston Roses - She developed at least 20 strong rose types. Many were named after Canadian Indigenous tribes. Even though her roses didn't win awards, they helped set the stage for Dr. Felicitas Svejda's work. Dr. Svejda later became Canada's rose expert.

Honours and Awards

Isabella Preston was often called the "Queen of Ornamental Horticulture." A new type of lilac, "Syringa prestoniae," was named in her honour. This special lilac came from mixing wild plants from China. It helped put Canada on the map for lilac breeding.

In 2005, the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa created the "Preston Heritage Collection." This collection celebrates her amazing work. In February 2007, Canada Post even released two new stamps featuring a lilac variety Isabella developed!

She helped start the North American Lily Society. The Isabella Preston Trophy was created by this society to honour her work. She also received many awards from gardening groups in Canada and around the world. She was given lifetime memberships from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and the Canadian Iris Society. Some of her important awards include the Veitch Memorial Medal in Gold (1938) and the Jackson Dawson Medal (1946).