Helen Ballard

(Grace) Helen Ballard also known as Grace Helen Wilson and born Grace Helen Ranken (January 11, 1908 – May 28, 1995), was a British horticulturist known for her hellebore hybrids.

Helen Ballard
Born
Grace Helen Ranken

11 January 1908
Sussex
Died28 May 1995(1995-05-28) (aged 87)
Worcester
NationalityUnited Kingdom
Other namesHellebore Queen
OccupationHorticultalist
Partner(s)Peter Cecil Wilson, Philip Ernest Ballard
Helleborus x ballardiae 'Cinnamon Snow'

Life

Ballard was born in Sussex in 1908. Her parents were Sarah Kate (born Phillips) and Arthur William Ranken. Her father was an electrical engineer.[1]

Whilst she was in Hamburg, Ballard met her first husband, Peter Cecil Wilson, who was there learning German. He became a successful art dealer at Sothebys. They would have two children before her husband realised his latent homosexuality. They dissolved their marriage in 1951.[2]

She went on to marry Philip Ernest Ballard the same year. Her new father-in-law Ernest Ballard is credited with giving her four hellebore roots and she then became interested in horticulture and hellibores in particular. She bred new hybrids and went abroad to find new varieties. She discovered new colours and new forms.[1] She was called the "Queen of the Breeders".[3] Wilson died in Paris in 1984. He had risen to lead the auction house of Sothebys and had become a difficult character. Despite this and the divorce they had kept in contact.[2] Her second husband died in 1987.[1]

Helen Ballard worked near Malvern and Elizabeth Strangman had similar interests in Kent. These two "hellibore horticulturalists" became so important that some felt that hellibores would go into decline when they were no longer around.[4] Luckily both shared the skills.[4] Ballard arranged for her stock to be given to Gisela Schmiemann in Cologne who established a mail order business based on these varieties.[5]

Ballard died in Worcester in 1995. A book written by Gisela Schmiemann and titled Helen Ballard - The Hellebore Queen was published in 1997.[6][7]

References
  1. "Ballard, Stephen (1804–1890), civil engineer horticulturist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/96754. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
  2. "Wilson, Peter Cecil (1913–1984), fine art auctioneer". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31845. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
  3. "Helleborus x hybridus 'Helen Ballards Strain'". Gardenista. 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
  4. "Hellebores: a heavenly flower for filling in early-spring gaps". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2020-08-01.
  5. Terry, Bill (2015). The Carefree Garden: Letting Nature Play Her Part. TouchWood Editions. ISBN 978-1-77151-126-1.
  6. Schmiemann, Gisela (1997). Helen Ballard - The Hellebore Queen (in German). Ed. Art and Nature.
  7. "Helen Ballard, The Hellebore Queen - Gisela Schmiemann". Graham Rice. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
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