Theodore Payne
Encyclopedia
Theodore Payne was born in Northamptonshire
, England
on June 19, 1872 and served an apprenticeship in horticulture
. He first saw California native plants at The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in England in 1891. He moved to Los Angeles
in 1893 and fell in love with the California
flora, dedicating his life to its preservation.
Even in the early years of this century, native vegetation was being lost to agriculture and housing at an alarming rate. He urged the use of California native plants
and lectured across the state on preserving the wild flowers and landscapes native to California.
California native wildflowers and landscapes were the specialty in his nursery and seed business, which he started in 1903 when he purchased the Evans nursery in downtown Los Angeles. His nursery location moved several times before settling permanently on Los Feliz Blvd. in Atwater Village, a suburb a few miles north of downtown Los Angeles, in 1923.
In 1915 he laid out and planted 262 species in a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) wild garden in Los Angeles' Exposition Park
. He later helped to establish the Blaksley Botanic Garden in Santa Barbara
, planted 178 native species in the California Institute of Technology
Botanic Garden in Pasadena
, helped create the native plant garden at Descanso Gardens
in La Cañada Flintridge
, and advised the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
upon its creation and during its time in Orange County.
He was a founding member of the California Association of Nurserymen, the Wild Flower Club, the Nature Club, and other horticultural organizations. He was a member of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, including a stint as president of the organization. He was a member of many other local horticultural, scientific, and social organizations.
By the time he retired in 1958, Payne had introduced over 430 species of native plants to the public through horticultural practices in his nursery.
The Theodore Payne Foundation
for Wild Flowers and Native Plants was founded and incorporated in 1960 upon Payne's retirement to carry on his life's work. The Foundation is located in Sun Valley, California, a community in the City of Los Angeles. The Foundation promotes the understanding and preservation of California native flora by propagating plants for use by the general public, through educational programs related to the horticulture and botany of the flora, with the display of botanical art depicting the flora, among other programs. The Foundation hold Payne's business and personal papers, an archive that provides insight to the horticultural history of California.
Upon arriving in California in 1893, worked for a week picking apricots, then found a job in charge of the gardens at the ranch of Madame Helena Modjeska
in Santiago Canyon in Orange County, California
. In his memoir, Life on the Modjeska Ranch in the Gay Nineties , he offers perhaps the best account of daily life on the ranch. It was there that he began his life-long interest in California native plants, exploring the extensive natural areas surrounding the Ranch.
In 1898, Payne left the employment of Madame Modjeska for a position with the Germain Seed Company. He remained with this firm for five years, becoming head of the seed department.
In 1903, Payne opened his nursery at 440 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, California, at the location of the former Evans Nursery.
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on June 19, 1872 and served an apprenticeship in horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
. He first saw California native plants at The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in England in 1891. He moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1893 and fell in love with the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
flora, dedicating his life to its preservation.
Even in the early years of this century, native vegetation was being lost to agriculture and housing at an alarming rate. He urged the use of California native plants
California native plants
California native plants are plants that existed in California prior to the arrival of European explorers and colonists in the late 18th century...
and lectured across the state on preserving the wild flowers and landscapes native to California.
California native wildflowers and landscapes were the specialty in his nursery and seed business, which he started in 1903 when he purchased the Evans nursery in downtown Los Angeles. His nursery location moved several times before settling permanently on Los Feliz Blvd. in Atwater Village, a suburb a few miles north of downtown Los Angeles, in 1923.
In 1915 he laid out and planted 262 species in a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) wild garden in Los Angeles' Exposition Park
Exposition Park
Exposition Park is the name of more than one place:*Exposition Park - a neighborhood in south Dallas, Texas*Exposition Park - A former baseball park in Kansas City...
. He later helped to establish the Blaksley Botanic Garden in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, planted 178 native species in the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
Botanic Garden in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, helped create the native plant garden at Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens
Descanso Gardens, located in La Cañada Flintridge, Los Angeles County, California, is a botanical garden.At one time, this property belonged to newspaper magnate E. Manchester Boddy, who owned the Los Angeles Daily News...
in La Cañada Flintridge
La Cañada Flintridge, California
La Cañada Flintridge is a small and affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States whose population at the 2010 census was 20,246, down from 20,318 at the 2000 census. According to Forbes, as of 2010, La Cañada Flintridge ranks as the 143rd most expensive U.S...
, and advised the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
The Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is a botanical garden in Claremont, California, in the United States, just south of the San Gabriel foothills. The garden, at , is a non-profit organization dedicated to California native plants...
upon its creation and during its time in Orange County.
He was a founding member of the California Association of Nurserymen, the Wild Flower Club, the Nature Club, and other horticultural organizations. He was a member of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, including a stint as president of the organization. He was a member of many other local horticultural, scientific, and social organizations.
By the time he retired in 1958, Payne had introduced over 430 species of native plants to the public through horticultural practices in his nursery.
The Theodore Payne Foundation
Theodore Payne Foundation
The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1960 to promote the understanding and preservation of California native plants...
for Wild Flowers and Native Plants was founded and incorporated in 1960 upon Payne's retirement to carry on his life's work. The Foundation is located in Sun Valley, California, a community in the City of Los Angeles. The Foundation promotes the understanding and preservation of California native flora by propagating plants for use by the general public, through educational programs related to the horticulture and botany of the flora, with the display of botanical art depicting the flora, among other programs. The Foundation hold Payne's business and personal papers, an archive that provides insight to the horticultural history of California.
Career
Payne was indentured to J. Cheal and Sons, a nursery firm in London. After three years, in 1893, Payne completed his contract and traveled to the United States. He arrived in New York, traveled to Chicago where he visited the World's Columbian Exhibition, then set out for Los Angeles, California.Upon arriving in California in 1893, worked for a week picking apricots, then found a job in charge of the gardens at the ranch of Madame Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska Helena Modjeska Helena Modjeska (October 12, 1840 – April 8, 1909, whose actual Polish surname was Modrzejewska , was a renowned actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles.Modjeska was the mother of Polish-American bridge engineer Ralph Modjeski....
in Santiago Canyon in Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. In his memoir, Life on the Modjeska Ranch in the Gay Nineties , he offers perhaps the best account of daily life on the ranch. It was there that he began his life-long interest in California native plants, exploring the extensive natural areas surrounding the Ranch.
In 1898, Payne left the employment of Madame Modjeska for a position with the Germain Seed Company. He remained with this firm for five years, becoming head of the seed department.
In 1903, Payne opened his nursery at 440 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, California, at the location of the former Evans Nursery.