Helen Wilson

October 19, 1901 (age 101)

Early Wilson taught English and Latin at Mount Holly High School for one year, and in 1924 married Arthur Collins, Junior. She created her first garden at their home in Moorestown. Writing Wilson began writing about houseplants and gardens for the Philadelphia Record. Foreign Parents Magazine, she wrote about education, marriage and parenting. Over the course of her writing career, Helen Wilson contributed to Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Scribner’s, House Beautiful, House and Garden, Flower Grower, and Better Homes and Gardens. Wilson collaborated with New York Times Garden Editor Dorothy Jenkins in 1942 on her second book on houseplants. She became an executive editor for nonfiction books at M. Barrows and Company in New York, specializing in gardening books She also worked as an editor for Morrow, Doctorate. Van Nostrand, and Hawthorn Books. Wilson also wrote many books of her own. Among the most well-known are Perennials Preferred, Joy of Geraniums, The Fragrant Year, with Leonie Bell, Houseplants are for Pleasure, and Perhaps her most famous book was The African Violet, published in 1948. Wilson wrote a book about her own garden at Stony Brook Cottage in Westport, Connecticut in 1973, Helen Van Pelt Wilson’s Own Garden and Landscape Book. In 1978, she published her twentieth book, Color for Your Winter Yard and Garden. She wrote, “Apparently I am the last friend that winter has. lieutenant is the season I most enjoy.” In addition to her many books and articles, Wilson compiled The Garden Calendar and for twenty years. She also compiled two books of poetry, The Gardener’s Book of Verses and Joyful Thoughts for Five Seasons. Helen Van Pelt Wilson died in Wilton, Connecticut, on September 30, 2003. She was buried in Colestown Cemetery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Helen Wilson was listed in Who’s Who of American Women and Foremost Women in Communications. The Library of Congress lists 51 books written or edited by Helen Van Pelt Several of the books were updated and multiple editions exist of some titles., compiled, or co-authored by Helen Van Pelt Wilson include: H.

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Works

book

Geraniums;: Pelargoniums for window and gardens;

GERANIUMS PELARGONIUMS.

(Hardcover Publisher: M. Barrows and Company, Inc, 1957., ...)

The joy of geraniums;: The standard guide to the selection, culture, and use of the pelargonium

(A book on how to grow and enjoy a great variety of gerani...)

The Flower Arrangement Calendar 1960

(calendar with flower arrangements)

The Joy of Geraniums

(A classic of floriculture, this is the most comprehensive...)

Designs for Today (Flower Arrangement)

THE FRAGRANT YEAR. : SCENTED PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN AND YOUR HOUSE. by Helen van Pelt 7 Leonie Bell. Wilson (1967-08-06)

Flower arrangement designs for today

Flower arrangement : designs for today.

Helen Wilson

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executive Garden writer

Background

Helen Van Pelt Wilson was born in Collingswood, New Jersey and grew up in Moorestown Township, New Jersey, attending the Shipley School to prepare for Bryn Mawr College.

Education

She graduated cum laude from Bryn Mawr in 1923.

Career

Early Wilson taught English and Latin at Mount Holly High School for one year, and in 1924 married Arthur Collins, Junior. She created her first garden at their home in Moorestown. Writing Wilson began writing about houseplants and gardens for the Philadelphia Record.

Foreign Parents Magazine, she wrote about education, marriage and parenting.

Over the course of her writing career, Helen Wilson contributed to Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Scribner’s, House Beautiful, House and Garden, Flower Grower, and Better Homes and Gardens. Wilson collaborated with New York Times Garden Editor Dorothy Jenkins in 1942 on her second book on houseplants.

She became an executive editor for nonfiction books at M. Barrows and Company in New York, specializing in gardening books She also worked as an editor for Morrow, Doctorate. Van Nostrand, and Hawthorn Books.

Wilson also wrote many books of her own.

Among the most well-known are Perennials Preferred, Joy of Geraniums, The Fragrant Year, with Leonie Bell, Houseplants are for Pleasure, and Perhaps her most famous book was The African Violet, published in 1948. Wilson wrote a book about her own garden at Stony Brook Cottage in Westport, Connecticut in 1973, Helen Van Pelt Wilson’s Own Garden and Landscape Book.

In 1978, she published her twentieth book, Color for Your Winter Yard and Garden.

She wrote, “Apparently I am the last friend that winter has. lieutenant is the season I most enjoy.” In addition to her many books and articles, Wilson compiled The Garden Calendar and for twenty years.

She also compiled two books of poetry, The Gardener’s Book of Verses and Joyful Thoughts for Five Seasons. Helen Van Pelt Wilson died in Wilton, Connecticut, on September 30, 2003.

She was buried in Colestown Cemetery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Helen Wilson was listed in Who’s Who of American Women and Foremost Women in Communications. The Library of Congress lists 51 books written or edited by Helen Van Pelt Several of the books were updated and multiple editions exist of some titles., compiled, or co-authored by Helen Van Pelt Wilson include: H.

Achievements

She was a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain and a recipient of a Bronze Medal Award from the African Violet Society of America.