Tag Archives: RHS

Spring is sprung

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

At the RHS show yesterday in the Westminster Halls, with sunshine pouring in through the high windows – spring had arrived. Congratulations to the London Plant Heritage group who won a gold medal for their magnificent display of blooms from members’ gardens. … Continue reading →

Posted in National Collections | Tagged , , , , , , ,

‘Silverwood’

Posted on June 11, 2012 by

Geranium nodosum ‘Silverwood’ purchased last summer when I visited Rachel Etheridge’s National Collection in Weardale and doing well in my sunny dry garden. Later in the year when I was reviewing the plant list submitted by Joan Taylor in her … Continue reading →

Posted in National Collections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The dirt says ‘Hot’

Posted on April 10, 2012 by

………the label says ‘Not’ I used to work for Procter and Gamble and this was one of their slogans.  Not quite as well known as ‘For hands that do dishes……..’, but it encapsulates the dilemma I  was faced with recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rhubarb, Rhubarb

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

Fools, crumbles and jam, the first fruit crop of the year, pink luscious stems, a bit of a ‘Marmite’ food, you love it or loathe it.  Forced and expensive or prolific on the allotment, it’s a real traditional English crop.  … Continue reading →

Posted in National Collections | Tagged , , , , , ,

The naming of things

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

Taxonomy – the classification of organisms in an ordered system that indicates natural relationships. So we know that all members of the ROSACEAE family will exhibit some common characteristics and those of the genus Rosa within this family,will share even more. … Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Where do you stop?

Posted on March 2, 2012 by

This was the question posed by Bob Sweet to the participants at a recent Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (HCPFS) briefing meeting.  Planning for this show starts about 6 weeks after the previous show has finished and Joanna Jones had … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, National Collections | Tagged , , , , , , ,

The Father of Modern Botany

Posted on January 23, 2012 by

For the last 12 years I have been a regular ‘behind the scenes’ volunteer in the Library at RHS Wisley.  Each week I never quite know what I will be doing and I have written before about my one regular job … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , ,

Queen Mercy

Posted on December 19, 2011 by

On a very cold Friday morning, Genevieve headed into London to attend the award ceremony for the Plant Conservation Officer’s graduation as a Master of Horticulture – also known as “Mercy’s coronation”. The Master of Horticulture Award is the Royal … Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

‘Charity’ began at Savill

Posted on December 12, 2011 by

Few editors would now produce a gardening journal without colour images and yet back in 1979 when The Plantsman started, the only illustrations were a few black and white drawings.  However the very first edition still carries a definitive description of ’The … Continue reading →

Posted in National Collections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Heath and Heather

Posted on December 11, 2011 by

Of the 8 National Plant Collections held at RHS Wisley, three are in the ERICACEAE family and are generally known as heathers.  However heather is the name used for Calluna, a genus of one species – vulgaris, whereas Erica, has more than 700 species … Continue reading →

Posted in National Collections | Tagged , , , , , , , ,