I'm a fairly avid gardener... when I have a yard that is. I grew up in suburbia which meant that I had my fair share of lawn work and flower beds. But recently, since I've been writing here and there for gardening magazines, it seems that Mother Nature is my new muse. So it was only a matter of time before I started mixing my love for gardening with my appreciation of the Star Wars saga. Hence the latest Real World Star Wars article in the kids section:
Plant Princess Leia in Your Garden

I interviewed Iris Haven nursery owner Heather Pryor about her Australian-bred Louisiana Iris 'Princess Leia' (Iris Hexagonae) which she named in 1997 after the sassy Rebel-rouser at the special request of a young Star Wars fan -- her 11-year-old nephew.

It was a fun interview and I learned a lot about the process of naming a plant, as well as how to hybridize two flowers to make a brand new type. The article was such a success that the American Iris Society wants to reprint it in one of their upcoming newsletters... which is pretty cool in my book that hardcore botanists and gardeners love to talk about Star Wars as much as we do!

Keep your eyes peeled in a future issue of Star Wars Insider magazine for a bigger article on planting a Star Wars-themed flower garden! And be sure to check back with the Real Life Star Wars section for more articles about plants and bugs named after Star Wars characters!