legacy LEAVING A
DENTON COUNTY SPOTLIGHT
IN A
F
ROSE FARM
by Leena Duwadi | photos courtesy Jim Herbison
amous writer Dale Carnegie once said, “We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.” This quote is perfect for Denton couple James (Jim) and Janet Herbison, who, 13 years ago, dreamed of a magical rose garden, built it, and called it their home. Now, they are enjoying every bit of their lives with a thousand bright roses blooming outside their windows. The Herbisons not only have made their lives as beautiful as roses. They’re giving Texans a reason to gift a smile. In this edition, we’re talking about the story of how James and Janet turned their passion for roses into a legacy. Growing up on a farm in Mississippi, James cultivated his love for the outdoors. Roses were his all-time favorite flowers. Decades later, when he owned a four-acre lot on Haggard Lane in the heart of Denton, he started grafting roses and creating hybrids. Realizing the space would work for more than just roses, the Herbison family decided to turn the land into a fruit farm as well. Currently, Gemini Peach and Rose Farm have peach, plum, pear trees, and a thousand rose bushes. The farm sells cut roses, rose bushes, and the rightto-name a rose from their large number of new and unique hybridized roses. James is a consulting
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rosarian certified by the American Rose Society. He is also a retired engineer. Janet has majored in home economics. The Herbisons’ haven lets families walk through hundreds of lovely roses, have a picnic, and pick juicy peaches. In the Spring, there are blackberries and blueberries as well. They also grow tomatoes and bell peppers for sale. Gemini has become many families’ favorite farm for its vibrant ambiance, cordial owners, and a perfect place for photoshoots. The farm has a 250-yearold Elm tree as one of the attractions. What makes Gemini farm unique is an interesting story. You can give a name to one of their new and unique hybridized varieties of roses. This could be a unique surprise gift for near and dear ones for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, festivals, etc., or you just don’t need any occasion to make a loved one feel special. A hybridized rose could be named after a living or a deceased loved one. Under a namea-rose package, one can select from a variety of over 600
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