Tribute to Nan Ripley: Road Trip to Walkabout Gardens

 by
Mary Baker 

I have toured Nan and her husband Merwyn’s beautiful Walkabout Gardens in Nevada, Iowa on multiple occasions. During a spring 2002 trip to Marshalltown, Iowa to see Don Lovell and Kathy Larson, Don urged me to contact Nan. I called her that evening and scheduled a visit with Nan in her garden during peak daylily blooming season later in July. 

Nan Ripley on the left next to her stunning 'Dancing Away with My Heart' (2018)—pic courtesy of Mary Baker

I still remember meeting Nan, her husband Merwyn, and dog Mindy in their gorgeous Walkabout Gardens that summer, where I saw Nan's lovely first daylily registration NAN’S FIRST BLUSH (2003) as a seedling. Nan made quite an impression on me—she inspired me to write the article “Iowa’s Rising Star—Nan Ripley,” published in the Fall/Winter 2002 issue of the American Daylily Society (ADS) Region One Daylily Pioneer newsletter. Nan and I formed a connection that day and have been friends ever since. 

I immediately knew Nan would achieve great things with daylilies—and has she ever! Among Nan’s daylily awards are the Stout Silver Medal (2019) for her showy SCARLET PIMPERNEL (2006), which grows well and blooms beautifully in my Omaha, Nebraska garden.

'Scarlet Pimpernel' (Nan Ripley, 2006)—pic courtesy of Mary Baker, taken in Mary's garden

Nan received the Steve Moldovan Mentoring Award in 2021. She received the ADS Region One Service Award  in 2017. Nan also received the 2010 ADS Regional Newsletter Award for Best Article About Hybridizing for her article “Early Start” published in the Fall/Winter 2010 ADS Region One Daylily Pioneer newsletter. Nan is a member of the Central Iowa Daylily Society (CIDS). Nan’s ADS service includes being a Garden Judge, our ADS Region One President (RP), and our ADS Region One Director. Nan is also a Garden Judge Instructor, and she and Jim Murphy co-instructed Garden Judges Workshop 2 with me during the 2022 ADS Region One Meeting hosted by CIDS.

Nan’s garden was an open garden for the 2022 ADS Region One Meeting, and my husband Rich and I drove there after visiting Don Lovell’s open garden. As usual, Walkabout Gardens did not disappoint. It was wonderful to see Nan and Merwyn again—and their beautiful cat Cotton has an engaging, entertaining personality.

I first saw Nan’s gorgeous A HEART FOR JESUS (2020) during a previous visit a few years ago, fell in love with it, and finally added it to my garden when Nan introduced it in spring 2021.

'A Heart for Jesus' (Nan Ripley, 2020)—pic courtesy of Mary Baker

Following is the exquisite WITH ONE VOICE (2016).

'With One Voice' (Nan Ripley, 2016)—pic courtesy of Mary Baker

The bright and cheerful SUNSHINE MAKES ME SMILE (2015) captured my attention from afar.

'Sunshine Makes Me Smile' (Nan Ripley, 2015)—pic courtesy of Mary Baker

But wait—there’s more! Following is Nan’s breathtaking patterned future registration.

Nan Ripley tet patterned seedling—pic courtesy of Mary Baker

Thank you, Nan, for opening your garden and sharing your lovely daylilies with us. We appreciate your extensive service to ADS Region One and the Central Iowa Daylily Society. Congratulations on your well-deserved daylily and personal awards!

Note: Click Walkabout Gardens to access Nan's daylily website.