EDWARD L. REIMER

 

 

Edward L. Reimer.  The first florist to arrive in California during the height of the gold excitement was Edward L. Reimer.  That was in 1852.

     In fact, it was his love for horticulture that resulted in Mr. Reimer coming to California.  He was born in Germany, of well-to-do parents, and after receiving a first-class education, including a special course in botany, was apprenticed to a florist in Berlin.  After serving his time, he did his work so well that, in less than a year, he was made overseer of the Government Botanical Gardens in Berlin.  Here he studied his work carefully and made several trips for the purpose of getting new specimens of trees and flowers.

     Young Reimer was highly pleased and contented with his lot, but one day was horrified to learn that he had been drafted to serve four years in the army.  The idea of war was revolting to his nature, and the service also meant separation from his beloved flowers and trees, which was unbearable.  He determined to forsake home and country, and made his escape to Belgium.  There he had charge of several large botanical gardens, and in a few years went to England, where he worked in the famous Kew Gardens for over a year.  In 1849 he came to the United States.

     Mr. Reimer's first work in this country was the laying out of the grounds for Governor Morris' residence in New York.  That took him over a year, after which he completed several other pieces of work and then came to California, by way of the Isthmus.  When he arrived in San Francisco, in 1852, he was surprised to find a great demand for flowers.  There were a couple of men in the business, but they simply sold, at high prices, such cut flowers as they could buy from the Mexicans.  He saw his opportunity, and went to work systematically to import such trees and plants as his experience told him would do well there.  He knew just where to get them, and his first order was almost a shipload of root-trees, slips and seeds.

     To Mr. Reimer belongs the credit of introducing into this state most of the trees and flowers that were not indigenous, although now quite common.  The beautiful boxwood hedge was his importation and also the magnolia; he imported at least a dozen varieties of fruit trees and a large number of grape vines.  In the way of flowers, he brought the first real camellias and also tulips, fuchsias, 250 varieties from South America and several dozen varieties of roses.  For the first ten years he was in San Francisco nearly every ship brought some new variety of plant.  For everything he brought out he found a ready sale at any price he had a mind to ask.  People wanted flowers in profusion and wanted them everywhere.  At many of the parties given in San Francisco between 1855 and 1865, the rooms would be decorated with thousands of dollars' worth of flowers.

     Besides raising and selling flowers, Mr. Reimer gave considerable attention to laying out private grounds, and could name his own price for the work.  Nearly all the fine gardens in San Francisco at that time were laid out by him.  He also designed and laid out Captain Weber's place at Stockton, Flood's place at Menlo Park, and the Ralston place at Belmont.  Mr. Reimer made as much as $5,000 a month out of his business in the old days, and shortly after the earthquake in 1906 sold out his famous nurseries, called the San Francisco and Golden Gate.

     During the last fifteen years of his life he was connected with the staff in Golden Gate Park.

     Mr. Reimer in nature and disposition was kind and gentle, with a strong love for everything in Nature, looking upon every plant as a friend.

     Even the birds that made their nests in his trees knew his feelings for them and would fly down and perch upon his shoulder while at work among his flowers.

     Mr. Reimer passed away after a brief illness at his home in San Francisco, February 9, 1913, at the ripe age of 89, retaining his faculties to the end.  He sleeps in beautiful Mount Olivet among the roses and fuchsias and sighing palm trees he loved so well.

 

 

Transcribed 8-12-04   Marilyn R. Pankey