In Memoriam: Albert Andrew Leslie de Mezey
Albert de Mezey of Victoria, BC, a well-known grower and hybridizer of rhododendrons, passed away on December 26, 2005.
Canadians and Americans alike came to see his garden, designed by the landscape architectural firm of McClure of Victoria. Besides rhododendrons he had a large collections of alpines. His most well-known rhododendron hybrid was 'Peggy Abkhazi', a cross of Penjerrick Group and 'Aurora'.
Albert was born in Arad, Hungary, and moved to Canada in 1928 as an engineering consultant. He moved to Victoria in 1946. He was a life member of the Victoria Rhododendron Society, the Vancouver Island Rock and Alpine Society and the Victoria Orchid Society and a founding member of the Thetis Lake Nature Sanctuary. He also was a supporter of the Hungarian community in Victoria. He donated his heritage home to the de Mezey Memorial Abbeyfield Housing Society.