2025 ADS Steve Moldovan Mentoring Award Winner Karol Emmerich

by
Mary Baker

Karol Emmerich hybridizing daylilies in her greenhouse--pic by Don Unruh

Region One daylily hybridizer Karol Emmerich of Springwood Gardens in Jordan, Minnesota received the 2025 American Daylily Society (ADS) Steve Moldovan Mentoring Award during the 2025 ADS National Convention in Seattle, Washington. 

Karol's mentoring helped many expand their knowledge and achieve hybridizing goals. Karol's mentoring positively influenced me as well.

Spring Fling in Karol's Greenhouse

Springwood Gardens in early May inside Karol's greenhouse (42 feet x 144 feet in size) is amazing. Thousands of beautiful blooming daylilies grow directly in the ground inside her greenhouse. 

Karol created an annual event called "Spring Fling" in early May when daylilies in her greenhouse are at peak bloom. For many years, Karol generously invited DSM members, ADS Region One members, and daylily lovers from surrounding regions to attend, providing a sneak peek of daylily bloom that wouldn't happen outdoors in the north until late June or July.

Spring Fling attendees in Springwood Gardens' greenhouse--pic by Kyle Billadeau

Spring Fling was more than an open house. It was a hybridizing workshop organized by Karol, who taught the introductory portion, split the class into small groups, and prepared activities for small group instructors.

During my first Spring Fling on Saturday, May 3, 2003, we broke into small groups. We each selected one daylily cultivar or seedling, another cultivar or seedling we would choose to cross with it, and explain why. Creative ideas energetically flowed back and forth--collaborative mentoring at its finest. 

Nan Ripley instructing a hybridizing group--pic courtesy of Karol Emmerich

All the hybridizing ideas and group mentoring energized me and encouraged me to look at daylily hybridizing more thoughtfully and creatively. And one of the two daylilies I selected at my first Spring Fling turned out to be none other than Karol's spring 2004 intro NO MORE TEARS (2003).

'No More Tears' (Karol Emmerich, 2003)--pic courtesy of Karol Emmerich

But that Spring Fling proved to be even more pivotal for me--it's where I first saw and instantly fell in love with Karol Emmerich's seedling 30102: REASON FOR TREASON X [(CREATION OF CLASS × ED BROWN) × ROCK OF SALVATION]. 

Seedling 30102 later co-registered as 'Lit from Within' (Emmerich-Baker, 2016)--Mary Baker pic

Inspired by collaborative mentoring, I thought Karol's seedling 30102 had hybridizing potential for unusual forms. Karol knew I was taken with it, and she sold me a piece in 2004 (Karol later gifted the rest of it to me in 2009 because it didn't grow as well outside for her in Jordan, Minnesota as it does for me in Omaha, Nebraska). I took its pollen to Dan Hansen's COOL MORNING MIST (2002) and struck paydirt with DRIVING THROUGH DES MOINES (2013).

'Driving through Des Moines' (Mary Baker, 2013)--pic by Mary Baker

Karol's seedling 30102 continued to grow vigorously, perform well, and bloom beautifully in my Omaha garden, and visitors often admired its large clump growing near the sidewalk in my front yard. It is truly timeless and exquisite. Karol generously gave me permission to co-register it in 2016 as LIT FROM WITHIN (Karol Emmerich-Mary Baker), something that meant and still means a great deal to me. LIT FROM WITHIN is Karol's only co-registration.

'Lit from Within' (Karol Emmerich-Mary Baker, 2016)--pic by Mary Baker

I viewed hybridizing a little differently after participating in Karol's May 2003 Spring Fling. Had I not participated in that hybridizing workshop, I wouldn't be as innovative as a hybridizer. 

Mentoring Online

Karol no longer hosts Spring Flings at Springwood Gardens in her greenhouse, but she continues to mentor others in many ways, through DSM club activities, as a 2025 ADS Region One meeting speaker, and as an admin and moderator with the Discovering Daylilies: A Virtual Classroom Facebook public group.

Discovering Daylilies Facebook mentoring group--pic courtesy of Karol Emmerich

Congratulations!

Congratulations, Karol, on winning the well-deserved 2025 Steve Moldovan Mentoring Award. Thanks for all you do--and thanks for your beautiful daylilies, too!

'Battle of the Ages' (Karol Emmerich, 2023)--pic by Mary Baker