Percy H Wright

Sutherland, Saskatchewan
1898 – 1989

Although he didn’t attend school until he was 14, he won the gold medal when he graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with great distinction. Taught school and graded English papers for the university.

Started the Wilkie Fruit Nursery in Wilkie, Saskatchewan in 1925 and ran it, with his father till 1938 when they moved to nearby Moose Range and opened Carrot Valley Nursery. Owner of Carrot Valley Nursery and Moose Range Rose Gardens till 1954 when it was flooded out.

He became the agricultural reporter with the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix beginning in 1956. Carried out extensive plant breeding on his own time, particularly roses (‘Hazeldean’ among many others) and fruit including crab apples (‘Thunderchild’) , cherry plums and gooseberries. He wrote for several horticultural publications in addition to his weekly column in the Star-Phoenix including the Western Producer, The Prairie Garden and Garden Clippings. His published writings covered many subjects – horticulture, music, education, economics and nutrition.

He first entertained the thought of breeding lilies just prior to the Depression and wanted to build on I. Preston’s past efforts. His first crosses were in 1932 using Preston’s Stenographer lilies, ‘Nubian’ and ‘Red Knight’. As with other Prairie breeders of the time, he was interested in breeding lilies of greater hardiness. Also wanted to originate additional yellow lilies. By 1982, he had been credited with introduction of 40 cultivars – 24 roses, 6 honeysuckles, and a number of lilies.

He held honorary life memberships in the Western Canadian Society for Horticulture, the Saskatchewan Horticultural Society, and the Saskatchewan Nursery Trades Association.

He considered himself an “amateur breeder” because of his lack of formal training in the subject but J. V. Stensson, writing in the Canadian Nurseryman Centennial Yearbook in 1967, included him on his list of 24 “Greatest Canadians in Horticulture”. In 1980 the Saskatchewan Nursery Trade Association chose ‘Thunderchild’ as it’s official tree for “Celebrate Saskatchewan”. He was honored by various horticultural associations for his plant breeding work. The Canadian Prairie Lily Society established the P.H. Wright Award for best red lily in show in his memory.

Excerpted from “Canadian Lily Hybridizers and Their Lilies – A Working Garden Reference” by Leanne Dowd