Mildred V. Luedy
The Christmas Rose
Whenever I see my Christmas roses in bloom, I think about a slim book on my bookshelf, The Christmas Rose, by Arthur E. and Mildred V. Luedy. They self-published this book, which focused on just one flower, Helleborus niger altifolius, in 1948.
In the foreword, Mildred and Arthur wrote,
“The authors have set down herein some of their experiences in growing The Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger altifolius, over the past quarter century, in the hope that some who may not have known this most enchanting flower heretofore may come to know and grow and prize it.”
Christmas is the season to pull this book off the shelf again and learn more about our next Lost Lady of Garden Writing, Mildred V. Luedy.
Mildred’s Biography, As Best I Can Figure Out
Mildred Luedy was born in 1898 in Camp Run, PA. Her maiden name was Mildred VanDervort.
I found a brief reference to her attending nursing school in Pittsburgh, PA before she married Arthur E. Luedy in 1927. In the 1930 census, her occupation is listed as “stenographer.” She and Arthur had no children, as far as I can tell, but may have had many nieces and nephews.
I found a few other newspaper clippings that lead me to believe that at some point, Mildred and Arthur retired to Tucson, Arizona, where he died in 1969, and she passed away in 1973. I also found a newspaper clipping about Mildred belonging to a group known as Maverick Artists, who displayed their artwork around various locations in Tucson in 1970. I searched online for images of Mildred’s artwork but came up empty-handed. I also didn’t find any pictures of her anywhere.
According to a clipping from a Des Moines newspaper published in 1958, Mildred was listed as:
“a former president of the Downtown Garden Club of Cleveland, a former executive board member of the Garden Clubs of Ohio and is an accredited flower show judge and instructor for the National Council of State Garden Clubs. Mrs. Luedy is president of the Cuyahoga County Nurseryman’s Assocation.”
I also discovered that she and Arthur had a nursery on “scenic, winding Valley View Rd., south of Cleveland.” I also uncovered a reference to a residence on Hathway Road in Bedford, Ohio..
Mildred’s Writing and Speaking
Mildred and her husband often spoke together on various gardening topics, including bonsai and shrubs. There are also instances where Mildred ventured out on her own.
This newspaper clipping from The Des Moines Register is one example of the kind of publicity she and Arthur got when speaking.
About the Book
I can’t tell who wrote which parts of their book, The Christmas Rose, but together, they covered almost everything anyone might want to know about growing this plant.
They also included a poem, which I’m going to attribute to Mildred, with no evidence to the contrary!
This Christmas
The wind has blown the garden gate ajar
And all about the ground is brown, the air
Is biting cold, the trees are gaunt and bare.
Thus Winter has descended. Left its scar
On every tender flower, further mark
On leaf and tiny blade. And everywhere
It seems the Earth has died and in despair
The sky, the wind, are mourning from afar.
But by the wall, beneath the apple tree,
Defiant of the cold and chilly blast,
Pure white and waving for the eye to see
Like little stars each dancing on a mast,
Each happy, joining in the Season’s glee…
Fair roses bloom, as legends have forecast!
The book is just 44 pages long and includes black-and-white photos of the Christmas rose as a garden plant and a cut flower. They claim the flowers will last about two weeks once cut. They also included a story at the end with a legend of how the flower came to be.
Here’s one more little bit of verse they included in the book,
If you a rose would grow,
Superb in every part,
‘Tis said you first must sow
The seed within your heart!
If you are fortunate enough to have a Christmas Rose blooming in your garden, now you can think of Mildred V. Luedy when you see it, another lost garden writing lady who helped write a book about this interesting, winter-blooming plant.
A Few Questions Remaining
Of course, I still have questions about Mildred. I suppose some of them could be answered by doing more searches for Arthur, but I have no time for that. I’m on to the next lost lady of garden writing.
In the meantime…
Does the nursery they owned on Valley View Road still exist?
Was the Mildred Luedy who came up in searches but was much younger than our Mildred related to her? Perhaps a niece?
What was Mildred’s life like as a teenager growing up during World War I? How was her life affected during World War II?
About Helleborus niger
I know from experience that Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose, is a lovely flower to have in your garden because for several months, it and a few snowdrops may be the only blooms in your garden.
Christmas roses are generally hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8 and do best in part to full shade in well-drained soil. Mine are growing where trees shade them during the hottest parts of the summer, but in fall and winter they are more exposed. This spot is also on the edge of my patio, making it easier to step outside to look for the flowers in winter and see them from inside.
I cut back the foliage in early spring to make way for new emerging foliage, but you could also cut some foliage back in winter if it is hiding the flowers. Otherwise, they don’t need much care. Once planted, they can remain undisturbed for years.
You can find Christmas roses for sale in garden centers, but make sure you aren’t buying a Lenten rose, a different type of hellebore that blooms in late spring. Varieties of Christmas roses include ‘HCG Jacob,’ ‘Cinnamon Snow,’ and ‘Potter’s Wheel.’ Some varieties may be hybrids so self-sown seedlings may not be exactly the same as the parent plant, but may still be worth growing on.
If you can’t find these hellebores at a local garden center, look for them as potted blooming plants sold around Christmas time. Keep the potted plant indoors until spring, then gradually harden it off before planting it in its permanent home.
(I originally wrote about Mildred Luedy on my blog in December 2022.)