| The naming of a rose is both interesting and history that should be preserved so the idea to set aside these pages is important to rose history. These rose stories are about roses created by the late Dee Bennett who owned Tiny Petals Nursery and introduced some of the most beautiful and highest rated miniture roses ever hyberdized. Under the guidance of her daughter, Sue O'Brien and close friends Dick & Carol Sparks, they have kept Dee's dream alive and her roses are still being introduced to this day. *Click on small rose icons to view larger photos* | |
Introduction
~ By Sue O'Brien ~
"Let me simply say that as the daughter of Dee Bennett, I have an intimate knowledge of every rose that my Mom created and named. I also had the privilege of naming several of her roses as well.
Since my Mom created more than 150 roses (mostly minis and mini floras) which have been registered with the American Rose Society, that means that I know how each of them was named. Many of them were named for family members, friends (including several members of rose societies); so, let me just give you a quick list of where some of the people names got their origins."
 Ada Perry- A reporter for the San Diego Union newspaper who wrote a wonderful story about Mom's nursery (Tiny Petals), when it was brand new and not well known.
 Bonnie Jack - A combination of Bonnie and Jack to honor my dear friends and fine rosarians, Jack & Bonnie Shoultz.
 Brian Donn - A dear friend of mine and Mom's who is also a gifted artist and award winning floral arranger.
 Brian Lee - My eldest son and Mom's oldest grandson.
 Christopher - The youngest of Mom's grandsons and my nephew.
 Chula Vista - Hometown to my family since 1949 and the home of Tiny Petals, until last year.
 Cissie - Mom's mother was named Cecilia, but her family called her Cissie. Mom was named Cecilia Lucy Daphne Panton; but she grew up being called Daphne, which her American friends shortened to Dee.
 Debra Gaye - My sister, mother to Christopher and Nathan.
 Del Mar Fair - The annual San Diego County Fair has been a big sales event for Tiny Petals for 31 years. 2003 is TPN's last year to participate in this fair.
 Dr. K. C. Chan - Mom's acupuncturist, who kept her from feeling pain. She went to him, because she hated regular MD's. That's why her abdominal cancer went undetected for too many years.
 Dr. Murphy's Magic Touch - The fantastic doctor who saved the use of my right hand, when 13 other doctors said that my form of dystrophy was irreversible. They were wrong.
 Dominique - A cousin by marriage.
 Elizabeth Abler - A friend of Mom's in the rose world and the author of the book, 'Secrets Of The Miniature Rose'.
 Ernie - Mom's youngest brother.
 Gail - The daughter of my dear friends, former partners and current owners of Tiny Petals, Dick and Carol Sparks.
 Georgette - Another cousin by marriage.
 Grace Seward - Another of Mom's dear friends from the rose world.
 Helen - My aunt and the wife of Ernie, Mom's brother.
 Herbie - My beloved stepdad, Mom's second husband, who encouraged and supported Mom, when she began her nursery.
 High Cloud - The Native American name of Dick Sparks, TPN owner and my dear friend.
 Jean Kenneally - One of Mom's dearest friends in the world of roses, the matriarch of the San Diego Rose Society who just turned a young 95 years old.
 Jean Rose - Mom's sister, the middle child of 5 in the family.
 Josh - My 'adopted' grandchild, half-brother to Kay Denise.
 Kay Denise - The only child of my deceased son, Brian Lee.
 Lelia Laird - A friend of my Mom's from the San Diego Rose Society.
Leslie - Carol's sister.
Linda Buford - A TPN customer from Chicago, whose name was randomly selectly to win a name the rose contest, when TPN celebrated it 20 anniversary. She had too many children and grandchildren to just select one; so, I recommended that we name the rose for her.
 Little Carol - My best friend of more than 54 years, my former partner, and co-owner of TPN with her husband Dick 'High Cloud' Sparks. By the way, she is only 4' 7" tall, which is why she is called 'Little' Carol.
 Lois - A friend of Mom's, from when our family first moved to Chula Vista. Her husband and my Dad were both on the local police department.
 Love 'Ya Dad - To honor Carol's Dad, Phil, who treats me like a daughter. Also to honor my own father, Bob Pauline, and my stepdad, Herbie...and all the other great Dads in the world.
Luis Desamero - A great rosarian, who has also been a dear friend to Mom and I. (Note: Originally, this was the rose that I wanted to name for my Mom; but she 'had to give permission' to someone else to use her name.)
 Luvvie - Mom's nickname for my nephew, Nathan.
 Madeline Sppezano - A good friend to Mom, who help to advertize TPN, when it first opened, and sent many customers to the new business from her well known restaurent in Chula Vista.
 Meredith Anne - The daughter of Ruthie, who was like an adopted grandchild to Mom.
 Mother's Love - The rose that I named to honor my Mom, when the name Dee Bennett was no longer available to me.
 Ms. Mary - One of my dearest friends in the world, a kind and loving person who has been part of the TPN family for many years. Mary adopted me as a sister. She also frequents the Delphi forums and is a dedicated organic gardener.
 My Delight - Named for my youngest sister, who was murdered at the age of 26. Mom grieved the loss of her baby girl, until the day she died.
Pops - Mom's youngest sister, Pauline Olive Panton, who was given the childhood nickname of Pops by her brothers. She remains Aunty Pops to her family.
 Rita Applegate - Another exceptional rosarian and good friend of both Mom and I in the San Diego Rose Society.
 Ruth Staley - A great lady and dear friend to me and all of the folks in the local rose societies.
 Ruthie - My sister Debbie's girlhood friend, mother of Meredith Anne and neighbor to Mom for many years.
 Snookie - My nickname for my youngest son, Charlie.
 Something For Judy - Named for my stepmother, who died along with my Dad, in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
 Sweet Arlene - Sister to Ms. Mary, adopted sister to me and a Master Gardener, living in Las Vegas, who frequents the Delphi forums like her sisters.
 Sweet Revenge - Originally registered as Patrick O'Brien...my ex-husband. That name didn't last very long, when I discovered that he was trying to sell the nursery that was my legacy from Mom. Renaming it seemed the right thing to do, under the circumstances. : )
 Sweet Sue - Yep. Mom named that micromini for me. Why a micro, Mom?!!! Why not an exhibition mini?!!! Boo Hoo. : (
Tiffie - Yet another cousin by marriage.
Tiny Petals - Named for the nursery that Mom started on the 20th anniversary of the business.
 Yantai - The sister city to the San Diego Rose Society in China.
 Zelda Lloyd - Another of Mom's dear friends from the rose world.
Now, that is just a few of Mom's rose creations; and there are several more roses with 'people names' that will be introduced in the future. There is also the matter of the 'alphabetically named roses', like 'Irresistible', 'Wild Thing', 'Quiet Time' and 'X-Rated' that helped to finish the Dee Bennett alphabet of roses.
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