Greg Speichert

[JoshS]

I don't know how many original members are still here who remember Greg and Sue, but this is from an industry newsletter that I received yesterday...

Greg Speichert, an icon in the horticulture and water gardening industry, passed away today (Friday) in Pennsylvania, during the Independent Plant Breeders Conference. He was 48.

Here's some info about Greg, adapted from the Timber Press website:

Greg Speichert was known for his water gardening expertise. He and his wife. Sue, previously owned and operated a groundbreaking nursery in Indiana popularizing water garden plants, and together they wrote Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants (Timber Press).

An avid plant breeder, Greg earned a degree in horticulture from Purdue University and introduced over 300 new hardy and tropical marginals and over 100 new native water plants to the water gardening industry. He maintained the largest collection of hardy waterlilies in the United States, with over 300 cultivars represented.

Greg lectured frequently on water gardening, perennials and tropical plants for the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, the Perennial Plant Association and the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society, and more.

Greg was director of Hilltop Garden and Nature Center, a program of Indiana University in Bloomington.

[Vickie]

I have their book and I took their magazine. Our hearts go out to Sue.

[Mikey]

That's sad news.  He was much too young.  Thanks Josh for letting us know.

Here's a link to a blog that a friend of Greg's wrote: http://plant-quest.blogspot.com/2010/11/in-memory-of-greg-speichert-plantsman.html

[Jerry]

My God only 48. Very premature. Condlences to Sue.

[karen J]

It must have been sudden- definitely much too young. Very sad.

[Kittyzee]

How very sad.  Condolences to their family. 

[emm]

He certainly achieved a lot in his 48 years.  Such a shame that he is gone so young.

emm

[PondmaninAL]

I just wish that I had got to share some time with him. He would have been my mentor.  :'(

[Desertponder]

Very sad news. What happened? Anyone know?
I belonged to their forum years ago and got the magazine. I have always missed the magazine.

[Reedman]

I also belonged to their forum years ago.   

[Indiana Karen]

So sad.

When we were building our pond in 1999 I bought one of their magazines, subscribed and joined their forum.  When I think of ponding, I think of the name Speichert.  I have their book...........think I'll get it out this afternoon.  :'(

[Sean]

Very sad indeed, I did have an opportunity to meet Greg at one of the IWGS symposiums. He was a very nice and knowledgeable man.
Condolences to Sue and family.

[louis]

Its been a long time since i talked to greg.
hanging on my wall is a framed cover of the 2004 may-june issue of watergardening magazine.

sue and greg used one of my photos for the cover. i was thrilled.

he was still a young man with a bright future.  life is so fragile.

condolences to sue.

louis

[karen J]

I have that issue, Louis. It was identified as "Tropical waterlily" by Louis B(...). If my memory serves me, they folded after the Apr/May 2005 issue.

Desertponder, was wondering the same thing. Massive coronary? He was pretty young,

[turtlemike]

  I also have his book.  A huge amount of info on marginals. I wondered how they could know that much.
 
  Very sad.

[CoolShades]

Greg and Sue were outgoing, frienly and always willing to help with plant information.  It was unfortunate that finanical problems caused them to abandon the magazine as well as the website we all enjoyed.  I'm quite shocked by the news and it happened in my back yard.  My condolences to Sue and the rest of the family.

Gary

[LeeAnne151]

I read this on Facebook with sorrow. I know that there were problems with the website and magazine at the end but I credit Greg and Sue for bringing us all together.

[jclements]

Absolutly, LeeAnne! Water Gardening magazine brought me to the water gardening forum in about 2000 or 2001 and I have been around the group ever since.

Many thanks to the Speicherts for their contributions to the hobby. My sincerest condolences to Sue and family.