Sad news about Bea Grow

Linda Gartner says:

We originally met Bea on the Mary Lou Heard Garden Tour and became immediately taken back at the first glimpse of her garden.  Her combination of colors and the health of her plants was inspirational.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 8:34 am.

Carol says:

I always looked forward to visiting Bea’s garden in spring with the Mary Lou Heard Garden Tour. It was just great to visit with her, ask her questions about her plants, varieties, design, etc. But most of all, I loved seeing her, an older, wiser woman, in her gardening clothes, and loving her beautiful garden.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 8:48 am.

Dianne Felton says:

I never tired of seeing Bea and her glorious garden!  I first saw it on Heard Tour about 15 years ago and was so impressed that I snuck back a few years later, knocked on the door and introduced myself. She graciously agreed to let our Red Hat group have a tea party in her garden. It was divine and she got the biggest kick out of us even hula hooping on her lawn. I would see Bea at every garden event I attended and we talked about her grand daughter and plant trivia.  Such an inspirational, kind and welcoming lady.  She will be greatly missed but I will always enjoy seeing my beautiful photos of her labor of love garden!

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 9:21 am.

Beckie Collett says:

My heart is filled with sadness and joy with the passing of Bea. She was in my own back yard and the very first stop on my Heards Garden tours. What a beautiful woman,in spirit, life and sharing.So my sadness is that we won’t get to see her amazing gift to us in her garden, but my joy is that she now rests in the most beautiful garden of all.

Rest in peace in that heavenly garden Bea!

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:24 am.

Maryann says:

I too met Bea on the Mary Lou Heard garden tour but only two years ago, she was so willing to share her knowledge seeds and would answer whatever inane question we beginners may come up with. she was an angel on earth and is now in heaven with like souls. My prayers go out for her

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 11:02 am.

Cindi Allen says:

Bea was like a mother to me and I loved her dearly. I was able to see her in the hospital just a few hours prior to her death. We were laughing and talking and I brought her my new David Austin catalog to pick out some roses so I could order for her, too, online (Bea just was not a computer person). She was so excited and asked if she could keep the catalog while she was in the hospital. She was trying to decide what roses to purchase while we visited. She felt very weak and nauseated when she raised her head, but we had no idea she would leave us in a few hours. She was one of the most unconditionally accepting and loving persons I have ever known. I still can’t imagine how life will be without her, but I am happy for her that she lived a full 85 years without any significant health issues. She took no medications. She drove to Santa Ana in the rain on Monday. She wasn’t feeling real well, but believed she needed to run an errand. She drove several of her friends to therapy appointments and to the doctor because she was still a pretty good driver. (besides, she knew she was good at caring for others after single-handedly caring for her ailing husband for seven years.)
She died like she lived. She never wanted anyone to fuss over her. She would have really hated having to be cared for by others and not being in her own home where she could go out into her garden. The word this morning was the doctor told her son he thought it was a stroke or an embolus. Thank heaven God took her Home instead of allowing her to live here in a broken state. One of the last things she said to me was to enjoy every minute I had with my little dogs because she had so loved her dog, Reggie and still missed him even though he has been gone for all the years she has lived in San Clemente. My hope is that Bea is re-united with her family today and her dear little Reggie. Thank you, Bea, for being such a good friend to not just me, but everyone you ever met. Rest in peace.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 12:37 pm.

Judy Lerch says:

I have had the privilege of knowing Bea through the Tustin Garden Club for about ten years.  The first time I met her, I felt as though we had been friends forever. She had that special gift.  Her love of people and willingness to share her joy of gardening stood as a inspiring example. I will miss her warmth and great hugs.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 1:41 pm.

Rebecca Walker says:

I always enjoyed going to Bea’s garden on the Mary Lou Heard garden tour.  I remember seeing her featured in the OC Register one year and I could hardly wait to see her beautiful garden in person.  After reading what others have written about her here, there is no doubt she was as a wonderful person.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 3:21 pm.

Kristi Pero says:

Bea is/was one of God’s garden angels, she taught us how to tend & love our gardens. She always took the time to share her knowledge and passion. Today my heart hurts for a special rose has been plucked. I am greatful the time she spent teaching me so many things & that I am one of the many lucky ones to have some of her love growing in my own garden.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 3:38 pm.

Denise says:

Bea was the embodiment of living lovingly with all that you encounter.  God bless her and all those who will dearly miss her.

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 4:00 pm.

Kit Oliveira says:

I am in shock and tearful.  Bea was one of my first gardening friends when I joined the Tustin Garden Club in 1980.  She was always smiling, warm hearted, soft spoken with a wealth of information for the novices like myself.  Her knowledge about gardening (and life)was far beyond anyone else. She will be missed, really missed.
Kit

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 6:28 pm.

brigitte wurn christensen says:

I loved Bea with all my heart, everyone who knew her did. She was my garden mentor and my friend. I wish I had met her
earlier in my life. 10 years was not enough.
Every time I left her fabulous garden I had my arms full of cuttings of every sort.  Bea is now all over my garden! I am so thankful of all the little reminders I will have of that sweet as honey, strong as nails, classy, green thumb of a woman. She will be dearly missed by my entire family. No more coffee at Bea’s house. Bea I didn’t get to tell you goodbye, have a great journey, and oh ya I love you, goodbye my sweet friend, I expected you to live and garden til you were 100.
xo Brigitte

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:11 pm.

Brent Kittle says:

Bea visited the Plant Depot many times thru the years.
We will all miss here very much.

Brent Kittle

Posted on December 16, 2011 at 6:27 pm.

Fran Lebow says:

Many years ago I heard about this amazing and knowledgeable woman and her garden.  When I met her and saw her garden creation I knew I’d met a living treasure. Over time I learned some of Bea’s garden wisdom and my roses are grateful for it! One comment from her I always replay when I’m wrestling with my big climbing roses at pruning time is “be kind to your roses” and I am because in that simple statement she imparted such sweet “Bea” advice. 
This outpouring from the many that garden reminds me of when we lost Mary Lou Heard.  Two remarkable and lovely ladies that touched so many lives.
To Bea’s family and close friends I am so sorry for your loss.  The post are beautiful and it’s so good to read the shared memories of Bea.
She will always be remembered.

Frannie Lebow

Posted on December 17, 2011 at 10:19 am.

Mike and Claire Lunt says:

We always cherished our encounters with Bea since we first met her in 2000 at the Orange County Geranium Society meetings.  She was so kind and thoughtful about sharing her cuttings and so helpful with solving others’ problems in the garden whether it was geraniums, trees, roses, or other bedding plants. Our club members enjoyed many invited meetings/luncheons in her garden over the years and all of us are heartbroken over this loss to the garden world in OC.  There will never be another Bea, and her name will live long in infamy.

Posted on December 17, 2011 at 11:57 am.

Jim and Linda Zemcik says:

We have lost an exceptional lady…..exceptional in every sense of the word…..

Posted on December 17, 2011 at 1:07 pm.

Janet Johnson says:

Bea was truly a great lady and we all wanted to be as good as she was.  I can’t believe she is gone when we only saw her recently at the Tustin Garden Club luncheon.  She will be very much missed.

Posted on December 17, 2011 at 2:12 pm.

vito corleone says:

Bea was an inspiration!  She will be missed.

Posted on December 17, 2011 at 11:18 pm.

Bonnie Gausewitz says:

Bea was a generous, grounded and incredibly inspirational woman. She was 100% dedicated to sharing her wisdom with gardeners throughout the county. Her devotion to and influence regarding organic gardening will live on through those of us inspired by her passion. I will never forget her and am grateful to have known her.

Posted on December 18, 2011 at 12:12 pm.

Mike Kirsch says:

What a tragic loss for everyone.  Bea’s garden was phenomenal and always a highlight of the Mary Lou Heard Tour.  I only got to talk to her once for about 10 minutes on tour day and it was a memorable experience, for sure.  She was an inspiration for all of us.

Posted on December 18, 2011 at 6:15 pm.

Connie Swiderski says:

I met Bea last summer when Sue Kaiser and I took her out to lunch and then went back to her home to view her gardens.  I was so overwhelmed with what she had accomplished. It was much more than I would have imagined!  She was so creative in addition to gardening. . . . her finds, bricks, broken pottery, etc. to accent her gardens, that gave the gardens a special uniqueness. . . .

You felt like you had stepped out of San Clemente and was in a special place.  I know Bea had 2 angels on her shoulders directing her to create her gardens. She was so full of life, explaining to me all the different types of plants, foliage, etc. and how she created the gardens. . . .

Bea will be missed by all, especially her family and her gardening friends for whom she was the icon of gardening.

God Bless Bea’s family . . . we all will miss Bea, she was truly a special person!

Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:05 am.