Talk
Talk by Kate van Heel: Reginald Farrer, Botanist, Plant Hunter and Writer (1880 – 1920)
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| Kate |
In true Friday Forum tradition and following
on from Carl and the late Celia, we were
treated to a very interesting and informative talk on the subject of Reginald
Farrer.
Kate would take her pupils on residential
trips to Ingleborough Hall in Clapham, North Yorkshire. On one such trip, Kate bought a Viburnum
farreri, not realising that this was a plant named after Reginald Farrer which he brought back from China and who once owned and lived in Ingleborough Hall.
Farrer came from a wealthy family and travelled
widely bringing back plants from the Riviera and European Alps, where he was accompanied by
E A Bowles. He then embarked on
expeditions to Eastern Asia where he developed strong views on rock garden
design saying, “where naturalism superseded formal artificiality, and where
alpine plants were to grow in surroundings which, though ordered by man, copied
as far as possible their original habitats”; clearly ahead of his time.
In 1907, Farrer published his popular and
influential book My Rock Garden which
was in print for more than 40 years.
While in Japan he was attracted to Buddhism and, when visiting Ceylon
the next year, he became a Buddhist.
Farrer later founded the Craven Nursery in
Clapham which specialised in Asian alpines hoping to introduce these to British
gardeners.
For those members who missed the talk, a
more detailed version of the talk is available.
Some illustrations of Farrer and further
information can be found at
Reginald Farrer -
Plant hunter and writer - Alpine Garden Society
If any other Friday Forum members would like
to give a presentation, please let Kate know.
Display
Table
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| Judith’s display in a basket is made up of small pots of cheap and cheerful plants to give this stunning effect: Cyclamen Solanum, Hellebore Silver Dollar, The barbed wire plant Calocephalus brownie and Begonia |
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| Gill J’s Rose in full flower mid-November and Fatsia Japonica looking so attractive at this time of year |
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| Kate’s pot of Tulbaghia, a pretty flower from the Amaryllis family with pungent leaves |
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| Kate’s jug shows there can still be plenty of interest in the garden at this time of year: the scented and floriferous Rosa Blush Noisette, Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple, Persicaria campanulata, Verbena rigida, the early dpring shrub, Edgeworthia chrysantha with yellow scented flowers. In Japan, the shrub’s bark is used for making durable tissue paper called Mitsumata paper which is used for making bank notes |
Next Meeting 3rd December: Christmas Flower Arranging. Please bring along anything you have made or some material for an arrangement you would like to make for a Christmas decoration. Help will be on hand from Judith and Norma.
