2006 Presentation of Awards
The
following awards were presented at the 197th Annual
General Meeting of the Society in he Lecture Theatre of the Royal
Botanic Garden Edinburgh’ the Scottish Horticultural Medal
(SHM), the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Medal in Horticulture and
the Dr. Patrick Neill Medal by Professor Neil Douglas, President of
the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh and the Dr. Andrew Duncan
Medal and Certificates of Merit by Sir Peter Hutchison Bt., CBE,
Honorary President of the Caley.
The
Scottish Horticultural Medal (SHM)
the Scottish
Horticultural Medal. These awards are usually
made to professional horticulturalists and on this occasion is awarded
to David Spray.
The Institute of
Horticulture nominated David
Spray, of
Pentland Plants, in recognition of his foresight and leadership in
promoting new nursery techniques and developing novel bedding plants.
Horticulture is David’s life and hobby. Through his father who
moved from Kirkcaldy Parks Department to a small nursery near
Dalkeith, David had an early introduction to horticulture. He
progressed to his own nursery at Loanhead in 1967 where, initially,
he produced the standard nursery crops of the 60s. Increased
production costs, resulting from the ‘oil crisis ‘and
competition from imported Dutch chrysanths,
led to diversification and saw the beginnings of the current garden
centre. His passion for plants eventually brought him to concentrate
on producing chrysanths and bedding plants for direct sale.
Discovering ‘plug
production’ while on a
holiday in Florida, he turned his attention to the development of
automated plant production. The "Ready to Grow" concept
proved extremely popular and the increased production enabled an
extension of sales beyond the garden centre to other growers and
Local Authorities. A fervent believer in promoting Scottish
horticulture, his bedding plants are labelled “Scottish
Grown, for your Scottish Garden”.
Passionately keen to
encourage staff, those who
have
served the company well, and show a flair for horticulture, are
offered training courses, visits to the States, and promotion. His
dedication, judgement and innovative mind have proved of great
benefit to Scottish horticulture. The Royal Caledonian Horticultural
Society is delighted to award David Spray The Scottish Horticultural
Medal.
The
Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Medal in Horticulture.
The Queen
Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Medal was inaugurated in 1990 to
commemorate the 90th birthday of the Society’s late patron: it is an
Annual Award for outstanding services to Scottish Horticulture by
non-professionals.
The 2005 Queen
Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Medal in Horticulture is awarded to Jim
Williams.
Jim Williams’ interest in gardening and
horticulture took off in 1975, when he was persuaded to enter some
onion ‘setts’ at his local Flower Show in Pathhead, a
first small step which led to his involvement with vegetable growing
and showing on a national scale. Joining the UK National Vegetable
Society (NVS) in 1979, he progressed through the Management Committee
and National Executive Committee to become Chairman of the Scottish
Branch in 1996.
Since his appointment to the NVS
Examination Board
in
1995, he has been responsible for restructuring the theory and
practical examinations, and has set and scheduled NVS Practical and
Theory Examinations for the 5 UK Centres which handle some 30 to 40
candidates annually. He has exhibited for many years at both local
and national Shows, winning many awards throughout the UK and sharing
a Gold Medal award for the NVS stand at Gardening Scotland 2005. He
is a much sought after Judge and each year gives talks to over 20
Horticultural Societies.
Despite full time employment as a
biologist at the
Moredun Institute and pressing NVS duties, Jim still finds time to
support his local Society and serve on its management committee. He
is also a member of The Caley and four other Lothian societies. In
enthusiastically promoting vegetable production to young and old,
within Scotland and throughout the UK, he is an outstanding example
of leadership and commitment. The Royal Caledonian Horticultural
Society is proud to present Jim Williams with the Queen Elizabeth,
The Queen Mother Medal in Horticulture.
Dr
Patrick Neill Medal
The Neill Prize was established in 1851 by
Dr Patrick Neill, one of the Founders and the first Secretary of the
Society, who left £500 to furnish, every two or three years, a medal or
other reward to a distinguished Scottish botanist or cultivator.
Recently, Council topped-up the fund to allow ‘annual’ awards.
The 2005 Dr Patrick Neill Award goes to Ian McNaughton
A doctorate from Oxford for research
into the
ecology
and genetics of field poppies, led to Ian McNaughton’s appointment
as a breeder of Brassica crops at the
Scottish
Crop Research Institute: the most notable example of his work there
was the inter-generic hybrid Raphanobrasssica (a radish-kale
hybrid), a crop plant with potential for disease resistance.
In retirement, Ian has
turned his attention to the
improvement of Autumn-flowering gentians through breeding and
selection. Lacking initial success, he developed a strategy
involving a ‘gene pool’ created from four species,
focussing first on obtaining a neater, more compact growth form,
especially important for pot or container culture, and secondly
improving all aspects of flowering.
Ian’s commitment and
perseverance over the last
fifteen years has produced new gentian selections that flower earlier
than those currently available, thus extending the flowering season:
his new hybrids are also multi-headed, with improved flower shape and
depth of colour, some with unique markings, others with an increased
number of petals.
Four named cultivars are
being mass multiplied and
will
be distributed throughout the European Union by a specialist Dutch
firm. Recent interest has been shown by growers in Canada, temperate
U.S.A. and New Zealand. These possible markets are currently being
investigated
For his enterprise and
diligence in plant
breeding, The
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society is delighted to present Ian
McNaughton with the Dr Patrick Neill Medal.
The
Andrew Duncan Medal
Dr Andrew Duncan was a ‘Founding Father’ of the
Caledonian Horticultural Society. Established in 2003 through the
benevolence of the Caley’s Honorary President, Sir Peter Hutchison, and
further supported by a bequest, it complements the Dr Patrick Neill
Medal, which is awarded to botanists or cultivators. This medal honours
distinguished service by an educationist, adviser or administrator.
The 2005 Award goes to Chrisopher Dingwall
Christopher Dingwall, a committed and
enthusiastic
supporter of gardens and designed landscapes in Scotland, with
unrivalled knowledge on their history, was employed as a Conservation
Officer by the Garden History Society (GHS) for 12 years. His
contributions during that period were beyond the call of duty and,
though no longer in post, he continues generously on a voluntary
basis to advise the GHS and individuals about research in Scotland.
His post with The Garden History Society
involved
the
recording, research and conservation of Scotland’s rich garden
heritage. With his passionate commitment to make that heritage more
widely known, he built up a wide network of people in many fields,
lectured to interested groups across Scotland, and has given
generously of his time and knowledge to innumerable individuals and
community groups. In pursuit of his objectives, Christopher has
organised conferences, authored and co-authored books,
reports, journals, newsletters and articles on countless facets of
garden heritage - highlighting gardens and landscapes in Scotland
under threat, and bringing many garden sites to the notice of UK and
international audiences. His publication, ‘Gardens in the
Wild’, an exciting piece of original research, demonstrates
unique knowledge of sites, literature and pictorial sources.
Christopher’s service to horticulture in
Scotland
as an educationist, advisor and administrator can be truly described
as ‘outstanding’ and the Royal Caledonian Horticultural
Society are pleased to make him the award of The Dr Andrew
Duncan Medal.
Certificates
of Merit
The ‘Certificate of
Merit’, introduced for the first time at the 2002 AGM, is intended to
acknowledge a wide range of services or contributions to Scottish
horticulture, primarily to individual societies, by an individual,
amateur or professional.
The first Certificate of
Merit goes to Robbie Roberts.
Robbie Roberts was born in Wales.
Following army
service with the Life Guards in London, he re-entered civilian life
as a trade representative for a chemical company in Scotland and, in
time, became the UK Sales Manager.
Since Robbie joined ‘The Caley’ in 1992,
his flair for ‘sales’ has been put to good use. He served
for many years on Council and established an impressive reputation as
a Sales Convenor of great industry and dedication - coupled with a
boundless sense of fun. He has arranged bulb-planting at the Inch,
sales of bedding plants at Saughton Winter Gardens and bulbs,
assorted plants, hanging baskets and containers at Spring and Summer
Shows, arranged the bulk ordering of seeds for members and conjured
up a never–ending supply of horticultural magazines for every
occasion – from lecture evenings to coach trips.
Robbie was always first to arrive for
morning
duties -
most notably, when stewarding at each of the Gardening Scotland
Shows: his speciality there was ‘controlling’ the
Stewards’ Car Park. Robbie’s outstanding contribution to
‘The Caley’, and to ‘Gardening Scotland’, has
been much appreciated by his colleagues. He is very worthy recipient
of this award.
Watt
Russell receives the Certificate of Merit
Watt Russell’s consuming interest
in
plants, kindled at a gardening class at Hawick High School, led
him initially to consider a career in horticulture. Discouraged,
however, by the low rates of pay then prevailing, he opted instead
for a more lucrative career in ‘precision engineering’ -
retaining gardening as a life-long, rewarding and very fulfilling
hobby.
With a special interest and skill in
growing
alpines to
a high standard, he became a regular and successful exhibitor at
Scottish Rock Garden Club shows. A member of ‘The Caley’
for 15 years, Watt is a stalwart within that much-appreciated,
dependable band of helpers who, each year, set-up and dismantle The
Caley’s Spring Show. But ‘showing’ is his passion:
he served for a time as Show Secretary and, currently, he and his
wife Chris hold three ‘Caley’ trophies. His interest and
enthusiasm extends also to other societies, especially to the
Haddington Gardening Club, with which he maintains a very active
involvement.
The Royal Caledonian Horticultural
Society is
pleased to
award Watt Russell the Certificate of Merit.
John Nicol's presentation
picture to be added later
John Nicol was born into a
garden-conscious
Falkirk family. Following war-time service in the Royal Navy, a
banking career brought him to Edinburgh where he set up home and
created a fine garden in a much admired, corner site in Blackhall. He
soon became a very enthusiastic member of the recently formed
Blackhall Horticultural Society to which he has given more than 50
years devoted service – as Secretary for twenty years,
President for three and finally as Honorary President. His support
has been wide-ranging, from operating the Society’s lending
library from his home, to exhibiting keenly and successfully in
flower and vegetable classes and in the monthly competitions.
A founding member of the Friends of
Suntrap and
the
Cyclamen Society, and a long-time member of the Friends of the Royal
Botanic Garden Edinburgh and ‘The Caley’, it is
noteworthy that his first red card at a Caley Waverley Market Show
was for a cyclamen exhibit. His photographic skill has provided
useful illustrations for lectures and publications and for 10 years
he supplied seasonal gardening advice to the quarterly Blackhall
Bulletin. A cornerstone of Blackhall
Horticultural Society since its early years, John’s contributions have
served also the wider field of Scottish Horticulture.
The Royal
Caledonian Horticultural Society is delighted to present John Nicol
with The Certificate of Merit.
Note: Hugh McLauchlan
died January 5th
2006, 6 days before the presentations.
Although Hugh McLauchlan first
made
contact with
the Scottish Begonia Society at the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow in
1937, army service intervened. Hugh became a captain, was seriously
wounded and decorated. After the war, with his late wife Mrs.
Elizabeth McLauchlan – after whom a Begonia has been named - he
went into show business, playing at venues throughout the world. Only
when he became Lighting Director at Scottish Television in 1960,
could he put down roots, cultivate a garden and greenhouse, and join
the Scottish Begonia Society. Since then, he has been Photographic
Archivist, has served for 12 years as a Vice President, then
President, and he is now the Society’s Honorary President. The
Society honoured him with its highest award - a Silver Medal.
His extensive travels have included
visits to
Botanic
Gardens in Sydney and Cairns, Singapore, Bangkok, Mauritius,
Zanzibar, Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta, China, Japan and Korea. A
member of the American Begonia Society for 30 years, he has attended
78 Conventions as Scottish ambassador and frequently as a speaker. He
has brought back seeds and cuttings of Begonia species and
cultivars for distribution in the United Kingdom. A Friend of
Glasgow Botanic Garden, he has contributed extensively to the
Garden’s Scottish National Begonia Collection. He is Honorary
President of the Bishopbriggs Horticultural Society and a member, and
successful exhibitor, at National Vegetable Society Shows (Scottish
Branch).
For his many worthy contributions, The
Royal
Caledonian
Horticultural Society is delighted to present Hugh with The
Certificate of Merit.
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