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12 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, July 11, 1989 International intrigue from Ingleside Farm 'Smuggling' seeds to the U.S.S.R. "by Cathy Olliffe Ingleside Farm is hardly a place you'd expect to find inter- national intrigue. And Helen Wilson isn't the kind of person you would sus- pect of smuggling goods into the Soviet Union. © Butitis, and she does. English variety. They are temperamental plants, not necessarily easy to grow, but Helen tends her beauties with care. Even Babe and Bonita's roly-poly wander- ings through her delphinium gardens don't affect the wonder- ful display. erally begged me to send him seeds," she recalls. Helen says seeds are not al- lowed to be sent to U.S.S.R. citi- zens. Therefore, if seeds (like English Delphiniums) are not available in the Soviet Union, gardeners are simply out of luck. Helen Wilson, an avid gardener who specializes in English Delphiniums, has an unusual secret-she "smuggles" seeds into the Soviet Union silastic Russian botanist. See story for details. Just northwest of Port Perry and south west of Seagrave, is Ingleside Farm, home of Gary and Helen Wilson, their two butterball dogs Babe and Boni- ta, and an affable African goose named Marmaduke. The centrepiece of Ingleside is a remarkable stone house more than a century old, sur- rounded by flowers, carefully grown by Helen. 'Her gardening thumb is a deep shade of green, as is evi- dent by the riot of colours in her many gardens, and her green- house, which is under construc- tion behind the stone house. She can grow nearly any- thing, but her heart belongs to the English Delphinium, a tow- ering plant whose colourful blossoms soar over their grow- er's head. Helen imports the seeds for these beautiful flowers from England. Other seeds are avail- able in Canada, but she says these are hybrids; and she is in- terested only in the original The GATE FAMILY RESTAUARANT & TAVERN BANQUET FACILITIES AVAILABLE Open 7 Days a Week 8:30 AM to 9 PM PORT PERRY PLAZA Phone 985-8686 Helen is an avid delphinium grower, and it is no surprise that she belongs to the English Delphinium Society, the Onta- rio Rock Garden Society and a host of other botanical organi- zations. What is surprising is how her involvement with gardeningled to Helen's connection with the Soviet Union. As a member of the Ontario Rock Garden Society, Helen's name, address and a brief de- scription of her interests print- ed in the society's catalogue. Naturally, the delphinium is listed as one of her chief inter- ests. As fate would have it, a cata- logue found its way into the hands of Russian botanist Vlad- imir I. Safonov, of Sakhalin. Vladimir is also an avid gar- dener, as well as a botanist, and he was desperately looking for some 'delphinium seeds when he spied Helen's name in the catalogue. "He wrote me a letter and lit- VARIETY OF BREAKFAST SPECIALS , where they are received by an enthu- Unless, like Vladimir, they are able to contact someone from another country who is willing to "smuggle" the seeds into Russia. "There are many passionate growers among them (Rus- sians), but seed sources are very poor and restricted," Helen says. . With English he learned in "higher school", he contacted Helen by mail, much to the sur- prise of the person who delivers her letters. In one of his first letters, dat- ed in 1988, he wrote about his home and his desire for delphin- ium seeds. "I could say that, firstly, I would be most happy furnished with your books, seeds, mem- bership in Delphinium Society of England. We lack informa- tion about Ontario and other parts of your country, although I heard from one of my friends who have been living in Canada for many years, that Canada is very similar to Russia in its nat- FISH -- Monday to Thursday -- SPAGHETTI garlic bread, soup & coffee ........ 5 [|] 95 -- Friday & Saturday -- All you can eat spaghetti with All you can eat - includes soup, 7 50 French fries, dinner roll & coffee [A ural conditions, landscapes, etc. We both are living in Northern countries, of course, this is the main reason for similarity. "Sakhalin is not similar to other part of the country. It is more closely related to North- ern Japan judging from Japa- _nese films and photographs (I never was in Japan myself). I have never been in America too, although I had a real possibility to go there (to N. Carolina) be- ing invited by their National Academy of Sciences 10 years ago. Some unhappy circum- stances spoiled this good pro- ject. I was only twice abroad (Finland and Czechoslovakia) for several weeks each. "I try to learn English by reading and writing letters (ad- dressed to my few friends who have enough patience to read them!). I remember basic rules of English grammar learned at higher school and Moscow Uni- versity and I try to avoid the most widespread mistakes. "Thope, I have a success in my attempts to do so to some de- gree. Thank you for your kind compliment about my poor Eng- oh ~ With pets Babe and Bonita, Helen Wilson takes a walk lish! You are a very delicate per- son, dear Helen." With that written, Vladimir went ahead to outline his plan to obtain the seeds from Helen: "I think, it would be reason- able to write "seeds" on packets containing seeds, of course. In some cases a special label is at- tached to the parcel or even a special list is filled for it at the post office. Very important is to write "no commercial value" on the envelope. "Books are safely going be- tween our countries, if they are devoted to scientific, humanist topics, art, etc. It is still more safely, if there were sent by 'post recommende', of course. "Seeds coming to us are sub- jects of a strict quarantine in- spection's attention. Botanic and agricyltural organizations attach special quarantine cer- tificates to their seed parcels. But individual senders (simple citizens) often avoid this proce- dure, although our postmasters send 'such parcels firstly to a quarantine inspector and ask his permission to forward this (Turn to page 13) through her beautiful garden of English Delphiniums. She sends the seeds all over th world, including to places be- hind the Iron Curtain. -- or -- 985-3170 PICK-YOUR-OWN Strawberries PICK YOUR OWN FRESHLY PICKED Phone Orders Accepted. WHITAKERS SHIRLEY RD., R.R. 2, PORT PERRY -- For Crop Report Call -- Shirley Road 17 Sos CN © Ny Sb IR Po on Ei i A AE a HR RT RR GR SIRE A a atl > . aI ane RRL