In 1997 British botanist Angus Paxton Heeps, who once served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Botanical Garden and worked in Atlanta as a landscape architect, observed how English gardeners were successfully growing specific Eucalyptus species throughout the U.K. Fully aware that there was only a 10 degree temperature difference in average winter temps between the U.K. and metro Atlanta, Angus began propagating and testing these cold hardy varieties at his nursery operation in McDonough, GA and incorporating the hardiest ones into his high-end landscape designs
Through his seed collection in the coldest provenances of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, Angus collected 25 species with outstanding cold tolerance and hardiness.
Before his passing in 2005, Angus collected and stored seeds in hope that these cold hardy species and subspecies would continue to be grown and promoted for use in landscapes across America where they will grow.
In 2015 research carries on through the efforts of Angus' friend and Master Gardener Ed Coughlin and Brent and Brooks Wilson of Wilson Bros Gardens.
Now, after planting minimums of 12 of each species (over 500 total) in various locations, and taking part in the prestigious NC State / Assoc. of Specialty Cut Flower Growers 2019 Seed Trails, our team is identifying the most outstanding varieties for the region.
