Scott Trees is a beautiful human being. Gracious, loving,
and thankful. For those of you that know him, this
comes as no surprise.
Family is important to Scott. His Dad, one of twelve
children, grew up in abject poverty. He took over the
family farm and also worked as a janitor from 6 p.m. to
midnight. Scott repeatedly stated that his parents made
big sacrifices, and became emotional.
Scott’s life began on a small dairy farm without indoor
plumbing in Illinois. He lived on a farm until he left for
college. They had many animals, which Scott and his
twin sister Ann both still love. The two have been close
since childhood. Ann named her first dog Scotty; Scott
named his first Pyrenees, Annie. Scott travels to Illinois
a couple of times a year, including every Christmas.
Remarkably, Scott knew from a young age that he
wanted to be a plant breeder/horticulturist. In fifth
grade he read about Luther Burbank, the legendary
American plant breeder who developed the Russet
potato. This inspired Scott. He participated in a 4-H
project in which he did landscaping around the family
farm. He even mail ordered a yellow calla lily to create
a beautiful arrangement for the Champaign County Fair.
The judge was so impressed that she wrote him a
postcard saying that the word "American" ends in the
words "I can".
Scott’s sense of adventure led him to California to
pursue his Ph.D. in plant genetics at U.C. Davis. In order
to continue his studies, he spent six years in the Army
National Guard, which he enjoyed. In 1974, Scott
embarked upon his illustrious career as a plant breeder,
developing over three hundred patented plants,
traveling to over twenty countries such as Papua New
Guinea, and throughout the U.S. This August, Scott and
Bob will travel to Alaska, completing his quest of visiting
all fifty states!
Scott grew up in the Methodist Church; his family was
involved with various aspects, e.g., his Mom taught
Sunday School. While living in Chicago, Scott attended a
Free Methodist Church, a small denomination within
the Methodist Church, for ten years. Attending the Free
Methodist Church was especially meaningful to Scott.
Yes, Scott plays the accordion, another of his passions.
He began in first grade, and amazingly, has played ever
since. Scott enjoys playing Broadway show tunes and
classical music. He played Rhapsody in Blue at a state
competition in Chicago. He is currently working on
Phantom of the Opera. Scott plays every day before
dinner.
Growing up on a farm, Scott thought that he was
missing out. For the record, he even built a miniature
golf course. Now, once again, living among hundreds of
beautiful roses that he lovingly grows, he knows that
“Farm is better.” He feels extraordinarily blessed for so
many things, including his upbringing. “I thank God
every day for my job, for living here…”
Scott and Bob welcome you to a home garden tour on
Saturday, June 21st at 10 o’clock at 871 E. Cherry Ave.,
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. Please sign up in the narthex.