# Let's name a hellebore for Unca Cece! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 17, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025 "2006-04-17T17:04:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/101 "2006-04-25T20:49:04Z")
Excellent work, **2nd Law**! Seriously, forward that info to Barry. We’ll show _him_ “no one’s heard of this guy”! ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/102 "2006-04-25T21:31:14Z")
Another Done. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/103 "2006-04-26T01:27:28Z")
Just got an email from Barry, who’s gonna be at a garden festival in Philly the weekend after next, and who I want to swing by and talk to on that occasion; I cut and pasted **2nd Law** ’s stats, to which he responded > [@Barry the Hellebore Guy](#): > > WOW > > THANKS . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/104 "2006-04-26T02:43:54Z")
so…um…about our plants…er…Cecils… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/105 "2006-04-26T04:24:52Z")
What does this guy think he’s selling - diamond tiaras? He’s selling plant cultivars - they don’t exactly have to be named after the most well-known people on the planet or anything. ‘Cecil Adams’ is a great name for a cultivar - there are some pretty dippy ones out there ‘Mrs. Moon’ pulmonaria, anyone?). ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/106 "2006-04-26T07:08:03Z")
Hey, Cecil is a newspaper columnist in addition to being our Perfect Master. And we aren’t known as the Teeming Millions for nuthin’! As for naming something for Slug Signorino, well, I wouldn’t be thinking of a flower for him… ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/107 "2006-04-26T11:43:51Z")
I wonder if more people have heard of Cecil Adams, or of hellebores? ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/108 "2006-04-28T04:32:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Fill in each line below, remember to print legibly! 😕 I have no idea how to print illegibly in a web form. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/109 "2006-04-28T09:55:28Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > 😕 I have no idea how to print illegibly in a web form. I believe there’s a joke at work here. Or maybe it’s a challenge. 🙂 GT ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/110 "2006-04-28T20:32:25Z")
Done, FWIW. I also nominated the 2002-121 to be called _Twickster_. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/111 "2006-04-28T20:43:56Z")
> [@Alan Smithee](#): > > Done, FWIW. I also nominated the 2002-121 to be called _Twickster_. You sweet talker, you! ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/112 "2006-04-28T22:44:25Z")
Just voted (using my Miami address). He better damn well name the flower Cecil, or… we’ll give him the evil eye. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![\_Deep\_F\_ied](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/7cd45c/32.png) [@\_Deep\_F\_ied](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Deep_F_ied)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/113 "2006-05-03T18:41:56Z")
Bumpity-bump. Any news **twickster**? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/114 "2006-05-05T00:25:59Z")
Sorry, didn’t see this till now. I’m going to a local garden festival Sunday where I hope to connect with Barry – will report back after that conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/115 "2006-05-09T18:33:58Z")
So **twickster** , did you hook up with Barry? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/116 "2006-05-10T15:18:09Z")
Yup. No joy. He was basically too busy to talk, so my well-reasoned argument (that no one would NOT buy a plant they liked just because they didn’t understand the significance of the name) went unpresented. Sorry, all. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/117 "2006-08-31T13:26:54Z")
Okay, I think a **bump** is more appropriate here than a new thread – I’m sure a kindly mod will let me know if this is not the case. Last weekend I attended the big confab of the Garden Writers Association, which, conveniently enough for me, was in Philly this year. Lots of schmoozing (which I suck at), and lots of looking at and talking about gardens (which I enjoy the hell out of). One person I did do a little schmoozing with was our old pal Barry Glick. I went up and identified myself, and he said “Dang, name is familiar…” so I added “I’m the Cecil Adams fan” and he knew immediately who I was. He had zero recollection of seeing me at the garden fair mentioned above – his claim was that I hadn’t talked to him, but whatever. Anyway, I poured on the charm, and gave him the “well-reasoned argument (that no one would NOT buy a plant they liked just because they didn’t understand the significance of the name)” I’d planned to hit him with last time – and he saw the point of it. He still doesn’t want to have to explain to people who Cecil Adams is, but… His thinking is that he’d do something with a hellebore that he’s not going to be growing in huge quantities, and make it a specific, limited-edition, special thing just for us. I told him there were 100,000 of us (perhaps a slight exaggeration), but that, realistically, I thought we could line up some serious numbers. [Anyone want to guess that actual numbers might be? I was talking out my ass at that point.] Here’s my follow-up email to him: > [@twickster](#): > > Hey Barry – > > Glad we got a chance to connect last evening – esp. since I seem to be getting you to see the light on this Cecil Adams thing. > > I’m going to ramp up the campaign amongst the acolytes – in order to do so, I’ll need some info. [ul] > [li]Roughly how much would you charge for a plant if you did a limited-edition deal – $10? $15? [/li][li]How many people would you want some kind of “yeah, I’d do that” committment from? [/li][li]Do you want to set up an email address specifically for this campaign so I can have people contact you directly? Because obviously we’re willing to clog up your general box on this if you’d prefer. [/ul][/li]Let me know how you want to do this – > > Regards, > > [realname] And here’s the answer I got this morning: > [@Barry Glick](#): > > Not sure about the details yet, but we will be able to do something in the future, if you got all of the Cecilites to sign up for the GPOW - [Sunshine Farm and Gardens: Glick Picks Subscription](http://sunfarm.com/gpow/) it would be a good start. > > Cheers Sorry I couldn’t get a guess on price – I’m guessing it would be $15, plus or minus, but that’s totally a guess on my part. Current plan of action: **Sign up for his mailing list _and specify “Cecil Adams” in the spot for “how you heard about the mailing list”_**. Hokay? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/118 "2006-08-31T17:12:21Z")
You are one determined woman **Twick** and I love you for it. I still think it’s a great idea and I’m emailing as soon as I’m done posting. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/119 "2006-08-31T17:18:18Z")
Done and done. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025/120 "2006-08-31T19:09:33Z")
Note for non-gardeners – if you don’t know much about hellebores, [here](http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/2005-perennial-plant-of-the-year.html) is some info. Short version – they’re ridiculously easy to grow. Gardeners – they’re hardy zones 4 though 9; non-gardeners, that means you’re good anywhere south of, say, the middle of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana and north of, say, Miami. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-name-a-hellebore-for-unca-cece/353025.md?page=7)