Lilacs in California

"Our efforts in behalf of Lilacs may be attributed to the splendid work of Mr. W.B. Clarke of San Jose, noted hybridizer of spring flowering shrubs and trees. It was he who developed the three excellent varieties pictured above."

• Lilacs for Warm Climates, Pacific Horticulture, Winter 1988
• Lilacs: A Gardener's Encyclopedia, Volume 35
• Oral History, Toichi Domoto "A Japanese-American nurseryman's life in California: floriculture and family, 1883-1992, Toichi Domoto", "W.B. Clarke, Lilacs"
• Inventory of the W.B. Clarke & Co. Nursery Records D-595
• List 22-H : season 1922-1923 / Clarke Nursery Co. ; W.B. Clarke.
• Mild Climate Lilacs, Sunset
• San Mateo Times, Feb. 27, 1953, "Your Garden Column" article about W.B. Clarke.
• Independent Press Telegram May 18, 1958, "New Lilac for Western Gardens", "HERE IS THE background: In 1942 Dr. Lammerts was given the besf of the lilac seeds which the late Walter Clarke of San Jose had grown. Clarke had spent over 20 years selecting and re-selecting lilac strains that offered good blooming promise under mild winter conditions. Dr. Lammert's work, in turn, was just beginning. Back to UCLA, where he grew the seeds, then over to Descanso Gardens at La, Canada where they were matured and observed, and finally all but a few were discarded.
• Independent Journal, June 13, 1953, "One man responsible for many of our popular newer plants is W. B. Clarke of San Jose. He, for example, brought back to our gardens the much desired “yesterday, today and tomorrow" plant. This fragrant shrub out of Brazil had been in California gardens back in the 80s. In 1928 Clarke found it in an old Menlo Park garden. He propagated it, offered it to the trade again, and immediately amateurs everywhere, in Ukiah, to San Diego rushed it into the garden. "
• San Mateo Times December 12, 1952, "Your Garden Column".
• Nursery catalog from 1921-1922, with Lilacs

Independent Press