Dr. Ken Tilt and Laura Bancroft
Bill is an Alabama University graduate with a degree in horticulture. When Bill left Ten Mile Creek Nursery to pursue other interests in the medical field, Laura picked up the reins at Ten Mile Creek Nursery and continued the work started by Bill, with the emphasis on 'Lotus'. Along with Bill, Laura collaborated with Dr. Ken Tilt, Professor of Horticulture at Auburn University and Dr. Daike Tian, Registrar, to expand the collection.
Many of the older varieties of lotus at Ten Mile Creek Nursery were brought to the United States through a college program, 'Auburn University Lotus Project' at Auburn University, that ended. Dr. Ken Tilt was the director of that program. Those varieties, along with several new hybrids, found a new home at Ten Mile Creek Nursery.
In 2004, Laura fully immersed herself in the history of the plants from China and has taken it upon herself to keep the plants 'true to name'. Both the original plants and new hybrids. Laura makes sure the buds or flowers are cut off the plants to prevent new cultivars from germinating.
Over the next decade, Laura became the hybridizer of many lotus and has doubled the varieties of lotus available at Ten Mile Creek Nursery. The rest, as they say, 'is history'.
Ten Mile Creek Nursery is the largest grower of lotus cultivars in the United States, it is tended by Laura and a small crew. Selling lotus wholesale and retail, Laura runs Ten Mile Creek Nursery with knowledge and integrity as well as with respect for the land and water.
Laura has worked extensively with Auburn University and Dr. Daike Tian, International Registrar of Lotus. She has worked to create lotus hybrids as well as to identify existing ones, at Ten Mile Creek Nursery and has been responsible for developing many new, beautiful lotus hybrids. Among those hybrids are her 'The Old South Series Lotus' (Laura is from the South) and 'Princess Series Lotus' (to honor her granddaughters), along with many, many other hybrids.
Laura's thirst for knowledge and the love she has for lotus fuels her work at Ten Mile Creek Nursery. She magnanimously shares her knowledge with everyone.
Pondmegastore is extremely proud of the amazing varieties that are available from Ten Mile Creek Nursery, both the newly developed varieties as well as the older varieties from China and other Asian countries.
Laura is a treasured friend. The knowledge and valued friendship shared is of utmost importance to me at Pondmegastore.
An educator by trade, Laura has never really given up teaching as she continues to educate her customers as well as the lotus industry and the public in general, regarding the history of lotus and the study of lotus applications. She has been invited to China as a keynote speaker at a lotus conference in 2018.
A woman who is always looking for the best in lotus hybrids--as well as in us, Laura is a phenomenal voice in the lotus industry today.
