Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)
The bigleaf magnolia is perhaps the most striking understory tree native to our Eastern forests. This big leaved beauty fits gracefully into a wide variety of settings and is equally at home in a large front yard or a university campus. Its creamy-white flowers have a spread of 8 to 10 inches and are wonderfully fragrant. It bears attractive red fruits that are about 3 inches long. This magnolia typically grows 30 to 40 feet high, but can be taller in the right conditions. The tremendous leaves for which this tree is known are bright green on top and gray below. Its native range extends from Ohio to Florida (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8).
Dale Wheeler Johnston
Dale Wheeler Johnston lived her 67 years, as many of us aspire to, with grace, purpose, enthusiasm, and goodness. A native Charlottean, she graduated from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill with a degree in mathematics and built a successful career in information technology (IT). Her beloved husband, Roger Hugh Johnston, and she were the center of a loving, caring family including her stepdaughter Jacqueline Johnston Moore, her stepson David Johnston, her step-grandson Drew Ferguson, her step-granddaughter Jessica Ferguson, and her dear dog, Bella. Dale was a gardener in all aspects of her life… she nurtured and encouraged relationships, people, plants, and animals with a desire to see all thrive and flourish.
After retiring from her IT training manager career at Spring Industries, she directed her many talents and energies into the horticultural community in Mecklenburg County. As a dedicated Extension Master Gardener volunteer, she shared her extensive gardening knowledge and experience and her passion for nature with our community. Later she was instrumental in founding and organizing the “Southern Roots” to bring her gardening friends together regularly to enrich existing and create new friendships through a shared love of gardening, plants, and nature. A gardener through and through Dale tended her family, her friends, and her plants with kindness, intelligence, diligence, thoughtfulness, and, above all, love.
To memorialize Dale, her husband and members of the Southern Roots selected a majestic bigleaf magnolia tree (Magnolia macrophylla) in Van Landingham Glen at the UNCC Botanical Gardens. This queenly tree was discovered near Charlotte in 1789, a rare native like Dale! Growing up to 40’ tall with a spreading rounded crown, blooming with white flowers in spring, and offering red cone-like fruit in late summer, this tree provides shelter and food for birds, insects, and other wildlife which is representative of Dale’s nurturing and caring spirit. With the largest flowers and leaves of all native North American species, this tree is truly exceptional just as Dale was. The beauty and generosity of Dale’s compassionate, loving person and spirit will be manifest in the fragrant, creamy white blooms and huge green and silvery-gray backed leaves. This bigleaf magnolia is truly a fitting memorial to our dear friend and fellow gardener Dale Wheeler Johnston
Dale will live on in the hearts, memories, and words of those who had the privilege of calling her friend and family:
“Dale was one of the smartest, nicest people I have known. She will be greatly missed; she was a natural leader. Dale was good at many things, but one thing comes to mind at this time of loss… she was very, very good about sharing her plants with anyone. She loved to propagate plants. She always had a plant to share.”
“…Dale’s calm and kind presence drew me to her immediately upon becoming a master gardener, and one reason I agreed to take over doing “the Buzz” newsletter for EMGVs was I knew I would be able to get to know her better. And as I got to know her better, I came to adore her wry sense of humor, that twinkle in her eye that said, “I’m up to something.” Dale had a beautiful and generous spirit. And I am grateful to have known her. She knew I love natives, and she gave me my beloved cross vine. It seemed to take forever to start blooming – 4 years at least. But it’s putting on an amazing show in the spring now, and her name is Dale, along with the many other plants in my garden named Dale that she gifted me.”
“Devastated to lose Dale. Dale was a dear friend and I will miss her being there for me and all of us. We spoke often about our gardens, friends, and EMGVs. Dale recognized the awesome vitality of our industrious, resourceful and talented EMGVs as we self-lead, taught and learned as a dynamic volunteer community organization. Her commitment as a leader, and then as protector, was deeply rooted … a true leader … positive and resilient, she then launched the Southern Roots – gardening with friends to give us what we all missed! I truly appreciated Dale and told her so often.”
“Dale’s spirit will continue to shine. My heart is heavy that she has left this earth; we all know that another garden will be welcoming her.”
“Dale will be deeply missed. She and I took EMG training together over a decade ago. Dale was one of the most hard-working, honest, tenacious, smart women I have ever known … she was a loyal, supportive, and an indefatigably kind friend. She never sought the limelight and preferred to organize and work in the background. But in 2015 she took on the presidency of our volunteer association during a time of turmoil… it wasn’t a role she wanted but she felt it was the right thing to do. Typical Dale! Her compassionate, bright presence may be gone but she lives on in the many ways she enriched our lives and our gardens.”
“My heart breaks! Dale was also so helpful to me. When I had an important speaking engagement with EMGs, Dale volunteered as my personal IT person. I always felt confident when speaking publicly when Dale was there because I knew she had my back, and if the computer gremlins surfaced, she would save the day! She was a dedicated and faithful EMG volunteer and always had a kind and friendly word to give others. She will be sorely missed. I am so thankful I visited her garden a couple months back and got to spend a little time with her. Rest in peace, my friend.”
“… such a wonderful person. Although I only knew her for a very short while, she was a gentle soul and I will miss her presence.”
“Gardener friends, I, as all of you, am so saddened to lose the wonderful person and friend and everything good in Dale. Today is a very sad day. I find myself remembering her wonderful smile, her southern voice, and her great deer proof deck of plants. She will be remembered by many.”
“… Dale was good to us all and loved by so many.”
“… I was always surprised that as laid back as Dale seemed, she had the tenacity of a terrier when she fought for what she knew was right. She was such a fighter but now she doesn’t have to fight anymore. Heartbroken …”
“Missing Dale and her smile and positive attitude. I remember what a leader she was. First in her own subtle way as support to so many. Secondly, her heroic decision to take on the EMGV association presidency. Her absence will be felt at every Southern Roots meeting. She was such a force of life and encouragement for all. May this tree be a strong and healthy remembrance of her for many years and serve the eco system just as she served others.”
“Dale rarely sat still; she was always doing something. She was a country girl at heart and loved to get her hands dirty in her garden, her garden of love. She inspired me to learn more and find the joy of other people with the same passion of gardening, she was a true leader! Tall blonde with a beautiful heart that could swing a pickaxe better than anyone, man or woman, I have ever seen. She was never afraid of work. Full of energy, love, and compassion and empathy for all creatures, she loved all animals and they loved her (especially dogs) and possessed the gift of making things grow and flourish – not just plants, people too. I will miss my neighbor, my wonderful friend, teacher, mentor, and a true guiding light. Even my pups will miss their Auntie Dale. She will be in my thoughts daily as I care for and watch the many plants in my yard that came from her garden and from people that I met through her friendship. Love, light, and healing.”
A Gardener’s Life Lives On
As I walk in my garden in the spring morning dew
And I notice the Wild Columbine, with its red and yellow hue.
With thoughts of you a tear wells up falling slowly down my face,
As I recall the day you gave it to me with friendship’s grace.
Then I spot the Blue False Indigo, you called Baptisia australis
A name that caused my brain and tongue to melt into a hush.
That October day in 2017 when you told me that plant is a must.
A gardener’s life lives on.
As I walk in my garden in the summer noon’s bright light,
And I look up and down and all around the many planting sights.
I notice a vine, the one called “Cross,” that you told me to plant,
So it could climb its way, quite up high, weaving into a big tree.
Instead it wraps slowly around a black metal grape trellis,
The way it was decided that I wanted it to be.
With a shiny sign at its base, Dale Johnston, April, 2018.
A gardener’s life lives on.
As I walk in my garden in the fall’s dusky haze,
And I strain to see a Hydranga in the dark greenery maze.
Its named, “Let’s Dance,” the Starlight Big Leaf variety,
I wish we could twirl and celebrate together as if at a party.
The last one was in July for a birthday, as I recall,
I didn’t know it would be the last to ever see you at all!
My final visit with Dale Johnston, July 18, 2019, my 70th birthday.
A gardener’s life lives on.
As I walk in my garden in the winter’s cold embrace,
And I glance this way and that, reminiscing your mad planting haste.
Thinking back to our visits at the Catawba River cottage,
Strolling past the landscaped hillside, perennials dotting.
How you propagated and potted for the next visitor to arrive,
Dale Johnston’s friends, thrilled to receive a plant that thrived.
Texting was our final communique on that 2019 cold November day.
Your last…but, A gardener’s life lives on.
by LeAnn Swieczkowski
April 24, 2020
