THE CALEY AUTUMN PROGRAMME – 2009
Talks will be held in the Lecture Theatre of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh at 7.30 pm.
John Massey, Ashwood Nurseries – The Ashwood Specialities
Ashwood Nurseries has a reputation for selecting and breeding a range of exciting plants with which it has won 47 Gold Medals from the RHS. The lecture features several of these specialities and includes parts of John’s own private garden at Ashwood in the West Midlands, where all the images were taken.
- John took over the business from his father, which flourished under his care although
he had no formal horticultural training. He has a wide-
ranging passion for plants but has explored a growing number of genera in great depth and has amassed some very significant collections. Among these are Lewisia, Hellebores, Cyclamen, Hepatica and more recently Salvias and Hydrangeas. He has travelled extensively to study plants in the wild and in cultivation and in 2003 was awarded the Veitch Memorial medal for his contribution to the advancement and improvement of the science of horticulture.
Lindsay Morrison, the Garden at Inwood – Twenty-
The presentation will cover the creation and evolution of Inwood since 1984, the design criteria employed and how the planting and colour themes changed and expanded. Favourite plants, past and present, will be featured and Lindsay will show how other gardens and garden writers were an influence and inspiration.
- Lindsay is a past president of South East Scotland Fuchsia Society but is perhaps best known for her lovely garden at Inwood that was the venue for a Caley group outing in 2007. Inwood has featured in articles in the Scotsman, Herald, Evening News, RHS The Garden and the English Garden magazine as well as on TV in The Beechgrove Garden. The garden was planned and executed by Lindsay and the result is a wonderful tribute to all her hard work over 25 years.
Professor Forbes W Robertson – Patrick Neill 1776-
The talk will deal with the life and achievements of Patrick Neill, a founder member
of the Caley and Secretary for 40 years. An authority on horticulture, a field botanist
and a plantsman, Neill was a friend of the leading botanists of the day and well
known to the head gardeners of the Lothians. He lived at Canonmills where he created
a remarkable mini-
- Forbes W Robertson, Emeritus Professor of Genetics, the University of Aberdeen, also worked for many years in the Institute of Animal Genetics, at Edinburgh University. During retirement he turned his attention to the history of gardens, orchards and gardeners in Scotland and this led to the publication of papers and books on these topics as well as the preparation of a biography of Patrick Neill.
Bob Mitchell SHM – Twenty-
Felicity and Bob Mitchell started guiding botanical tours in 1983. They have travelled
all continents in search of plants. This talk will cover the exciting plants and
adventurous times experienced during these years. The Friends of RBGE tour to South
Africa will be included. The talk will look at the bio-
- Bob has had a distinguished career in horticulture and is a good friend to the Caley.
He is well-
known as a judge at Gardening Scotland and at the Caley Spring Show. In his capacity as Curator of St Andrews’ Botanic Garden from 1962- Paeonia species.87, he planned and developed the new Garden from an 18- acre farmland site. He founded the Friends of St Andrews Botanic Garden in 1981 and the same year was Joint Leader of the Sino- British Expedition to Cangshan. Later, for seven years, he was Property Manager at Branklyn Garden. He holds the NCCPG collection of
Dr Roy Sexton -
Sadly, most commentaries on Darwin fail to recognise he was an accomplished botanist who wrote five books about plants – one devoted to orchids. Indeed, he used the Gardener’s Chronicle as a sounding board for his ideas. He loved his work and stated that nothing in his scientific life gave him greater pleasure than the experiments and observations he made on primulas and orchids. His books are full of the ideas and observations of ordinary gardeners and there was a sincere sense of loss in the horticultural community when he died.
- Dr Sexton is a retired lecturer in plant physiology from Stirling University. Latterly he worked on the role of ethylene in the vase life and scent production of cut flowers. His hobby is photographing and conserving wild orchids. His great grandfather was a displaced crofter from the black Isle who worked for the famous horticultural firm of Veitch.
Louise Galloway, RBGE -
Early this year, Louise undertook an adventurous plant-
- Louise began her career working in the shop at RBGE where she developed her interest in plants. Following study at Oatridge College on one day a week, she applied to join the HND course in Horticulture with Plantsmanship at RBGE from 1995 to 1997. This led to a post in the Glasshouses, initially working with temperate ferns and conifers, later specialising in the Vireya rhododendrons. Her first collecting trip was to Sulawesi in 2001. Since 2003, Louise has been a Supervisor in the Glass Department at RBGE.
David Affleck – The Early Years of the Caley and the East Lothian Connection
The talk will look at phases of East Lothian’s horticultural history and identify significant links with some of the estates and the first 100 years of the Caley. It will uncover aspects going back to the 16th Century, and will look at recent developments.
- David has undertaken a number of local history studies in East Lothian in the past
10 years, as well as researching the origins of the Caley. He was a professional
social worker for 30 years with an interest in organisational collaboration in strategic
development. One of his long-
standing leisure interests is in horticulture and the challenge of community gardening. He is also a Garden Guide at RBGE.
Tessa Knott – From Moorland to Garden: an Englishwoman’s Garden in Scotland
Tessa will give an account of how the garden began on an acid moorland site, the processes involved in its development and how it has evolved over three decades. The Gulf Stream and the microclimate have been significant influences. There will be emphasis on the cultivation of the rhododendrons for which the garden is famous.
- Tessa Knott, the owner of Glenwhan Gardens, is self taught in horticulture and has had no formal training. Nevertheless, she has held office in the Scottish Rhododendron Society, the Dumfries and Galloway NNPG Group and the Scottish Branch of RHS Rhododendron, Magnolia and Camellia group. She is also the holder of a Cordon Bleu Diplomée!
Leigh Morris – Global Green Skills
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has been involved in the delivery of high quality practical horticultural training for many years. Leigh will review the way that practical training has evolved in Edinburgh and how RBGE has now developed a new ‘Practical Certificate in Horticulture’ programme that has enabled them to expand their delivery into a range of even more countries around the globe.
- Leigh Morris is RBGE’s Head of Education. He was awarded Distinctions for his earlier
studies at Askham Bryan, Pershore and Writtle (MSc) colleges. From 1990-
1998, he was Manager of Avonbank Nurseries at Pershore College. He then lectured at the Welsh College of Horticulture where he became Head of Horticulture. He joined RBGE in 2004. His work in Edinburgh has included travel to Belize, China, Indonesia, Oman, Turkey, UAE, USA and Yemen.
Tuesday 2nd March
AGM and Awards.
Putting on the Show
This informal meeting is to encourage those who have never entered a show and help those who want to learn more. A judge will discuss pictures of previous years’ winning entries, then Watt Russell and George Anderson will give practical demonstrations on how to select, cut and stage cut flowers and prepare pot plants for the show bench. Advice will be given on things you may have been unsure about – what is the definition of a miniature daffodil, which daffodils are eligible for the new Irish award, how to get your exhibits to the show undamaged. There will be opportunities for questions. We hope to demonstrate that everyone can take part in the Spring Show.