On February 22, 2012, I was asked to give the speech at the Initation banquet for Pi Alpha Xi Horticultural Honor Society. Just before I stepped up to the podium to give my speech Rebecca Pledger, JC Raulston Arboretum Graduate Student and president of the North Carolina State University Pi Alpha Xi (PAX) Horticultural Honor Society, announced that I was named the 2012 Iota Chapter, Pi Alpha Xi honorary member.

To say I was taken aback would be an understatement.  Geesh, tears even pooled in the corner of my eyes.   Because I lacked a horticultural degree, I was already feeling like a fraud for the honor of speaking to this distinguished group. I had planned to begin my speech by telling the 25 members in the room, I was a wanna be, and now I am.

Pi Alpha Xi is a national honor society with history tracing back nearly 90 years in its foundation in 1923.  Today, Pi Alpha Xi is the official Honor Society for Horticulture and boasts more than 10,000 members in 39 chapters located throughout the United States at four year institutions with programs in horticulture.

The North Carolina State University Iota Chapter of PAX was chartered on February 15, 1957.  Since that time it has been a force in the promotion of horticultural ideas throughout the state.  

That’s me, first row, right hand side, second seat, sitting next to Rebecca.

Helen  Yoest is a writer and speaker through her business Gardening with Confidence ®.

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Helen’s book, 50 Ways to Garden with Confidence, is due out this fall.