Daniel Charles Solander a very neglected horticulturalist

Presentation:  by Dr Carl Denton - "Daniel Charles Solander - a very neglected horticulturalist"

 

 Friday Forum member Carl gave a most entertaining and educational talk on the little known but important horticulturist Daniel Charles Solander.  Solander originally went to Uppsala University in Sweden to study medicine but was soon persuaded to change to botany by Professor Linnaeus with whom he lodged.

Seeds and plants were arriving in Europe by the Dutch East India Company.  When Solander learnt that Joseph Banks together with his secretary, couple of artist and four manservants were to sail on the Endeavour with Captain Cook bound for Tahiti to observe a rare occurrence, the transit of the planet Venus across the face of the sun, he jumped at the chance although the voyage would be dangerous.
The perilous journey would take three years and it was on this voyage that Cooke discovered Australia.  The ship returned laden with 30,000 new plant speciemens.  On their return, Banks was elevated to the presidency of the Royal Society and Solander was given a doctorate and made Keeper of the British Museum to continue his work on the classification of plants.

Display Table:

There was some snowdrop rivalry amongst members to ascertain whose were first to flower, but there was no evidence presented.

Phyllis brought a Hydrangea grown from a cutting off a sickly specimen she inherited with the house.

 

 Ann showed off her bargain which comes from the Himalyas/Northern India (via Gordon Riggs) so should be hardy

Judith’s spring display which graces her back doorstep.  The plants are kept in their pots and placed in a container so can be easily changed as the season progresses

 Judith’s bargain was £3 from Morrisons (plants from other supermarkets are available) and contains Polyanthus, Hyacinth and Daffodils

 Carol still has plenty of interest in her garden:  Morina longifolia, Hesperantha, Skimmia, Jasmine, Daphne and also found a crocus in flower

 This stunning Cyclamen was brought in by Norma

Gardening Matters

There are many places to visit where you can see snowdrops en masse.  Here is a link to Burton Agnes in East Yorkshire https://www.burtonagnes.com/DB/Events/Snowdrop_Spectacular.html

Notice Board

If you haven’t already done so, please could you pay the annual subscription for 2019.  The fee is £12.00; cheques should be made out to Paxton Horticultural Society or cash (correct amount if possible) should be in a named envelope.

Next Meeting

18^th January:  A presentation on Patagonia by Peter and Barbara Murphy.  Barbara usually sells greeting cards produced from her wonderful wildlife photography in aid of Rodley Nature Reserve.

  

“Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile." [Indian Summer] ― John Howard Bryant

Presentation:  Thomas Fairchild by Celia Latham Brown

Longstanding Friday Forum member Celia Latham Brown kept the audience enthralled with a most interesting and informative talk on the gardener and plant breeder Thomas Fairchild (1667 – 1729).  

A farmer’s son from Wiltshire, Fairchild became an apprentice cloth worker and after being introduced to gardening, realised he preferred the outdoors.  We worked in Hoxton at a nursery and presently became its owner.

By transferring the pollen of a Carnation to stigma of Sweet William, Fairchild created a new plant – the first hybrid and known as Fairchild’s mule.  As a keen Christian, he did fear God’s wrath.  He corresponded with   Carl Linnaeus and by experiments, established the existence of sex in plants.

At that time, there was strong competition amongst grand estate holders to have new and different plants, so his work was very much in demand.

When Fairchild’s friend Blair presented his paper to the Royal Society in 1716, there were outcries of blasphemy and that it was morally dangerous, meddling with nature.  Later, another friend, Sir Hans Sloane of Sloane Square fame, presented another of Fairchild’s papers on the Circulation of Sap  

A member of the Society of Gardeners, Fairchild’s aim was to produce a catalogue of new species of plants.  In 1722 he published a small book The City Gardener, detailing which plants would thrive best in London.  This publication also advised that large plants would benefit from being taken into the countryside and also that there should be open spaces in towns and cities to provide fresh air for their residents.

Thomas Fairchild died at the age of 62.  In his will he left a sum of £25.00  an annual sermon be given  in celebration of Horticulture.   This  still happens to this day on Whit Tuesday at St Giles Church, Cricklegate, and has become known as the Vegetable Sermon.

Celia’s talk was all the more remarkable as all the research was from books (as opposed to the internet) including The Ingenious Mr Fairchild: The Forgotten Father of the Flower Garden (Faber Find) by Michael Leapman and a chapter in The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession (2009) by Andrea Wulf  

 We look forward to Celia’s next talk

Display Table

Gerry explained that the original reason for a Display Table at gardening groups was that it was the only way for gardeners to continue their education in horticulture.  Traditionally, this took place on a Saturday night and some gardeners would bring plants and demonstrate their skills to others.

Carol ‘s Echiveria Painted Lady

Carol’s Erodium Spanish Eyes which has flowered all year

 

Margaret M’s colourful posy of Dahlias

 

 From her garden Gill brought yellow and orange Begonias, Japanese Anemone, Phlox, Liriope, Chelone, Michaelmas Daisy, the yellow Kirengeshoma, Crocosmia and  the toad lily Tricyrtis.  Make a note if you want to extend the season

 Ann’s Justicia Carnea  comes from the Acanthus family and comes from the North of South America.  It has been out all summer but will be overwintered in a frost free spot.

Ann has dug up (hopefully all) the coral roots of the invasive, wild woodland plant of Cardamine bulbifera which spreads by the small black bulbils it produces.

 

Judith has had a good crop of tomatoes on her allotment.  Also pictured: Judith’s Argyranthemum Banana Split which is red in bud and has yellow flowers, a perennial Wallflower, Dahlias including Bishops Children, David Howard and Salvia amistad

Gardening Matters

Do you know about this mysterious female gardener who got no public recognition during her lifetime?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45552079 

Notice Board

Thanks to those who helped organise and sponsored the recent and improvements to Paxton Hall; repairs to the roof, broken window and outside light and the decoration of the exterior and the main hall.

Upcoming meetings:

Next meeting is 5^th October (see details below) but we wanted to give you early notice of the two meetings which follow.  

19^th October:  This is our Harvest Forum and Bring & Buy sale.  This year we are going for a Brexit Bash and will be asking members to sign up to bring a typical food or drink from an EU country. 

Friday 2^nd November: A celebratation for the 50^th anniversary of the Society moving into our current premises.  More details TBA.

Next Meeting

5^th October:  Presentation by Ken Matthewman – Kew through the seasons