The Shropshire Horticultural Society

Why I set up this website

I have been in the Horticulture for a long time (Degrees in Commercial Horticulture and also Horticultural Engineering in 1974) and worked at The Royal Gardens Windsor, Saville Garden and Valley Gardens Windsor Great Park, Hilliers of Winchester as well as others companies in Ornamentals. In the Commercial sector I have grown acres of Pot Chrysanthemums, Lettuce, Carnations, Tomatoes, Trees & Shrubs and many other crops.

I have personally known curators of the R.H.S Wisley and the Hillier Arboretum but I still get great satisfaction from “putting roots on things” growing plants from some dust like seeds or the smallest cutting, and the taste of a home grown Tomato in a salad from my own garden. The beauty of a flower in the deepest Winter or the one in the Summer on a plant in desert dry conditions.

Percy Thrower was my inspiration and gave me my interest in Fuchsias but I have no real favourite plant, vegetable or flower each one has it’s own beauty. I have an interest in passing on my enthusiasm and I thank Mr Poole of Stiperstones School and my mother who lived on the top of the Stiperstones who showed me Sundew plants, White Heather as well as so many other plants and sacrificed so much to buy me my first glasshouse.

In today’s world we hear so much about global warming but in years gone by growers developed their own selections of plants to suit their own growing conditions. This selection has been washed away by commercial varieties and chemicals but there is an important place for local selections so I am an advocate of “Heritage varieties”. These have a distinct advantage in certain conditions and are worth well trying to see if they have an advantage over the commercial varieties.

Every plant has its place – Darwin proved that.

Growing is for a person who only has a tub in the back yard to those who have a garden or Nursery of many acres.

It is for everyone, money will not put “roots on things” only knowledge does.

Whats happening this month, Club meetings Events etc

To find Gardening and Horticultural Groups in the County

Horticulture News in Shropshire.

For Monthly tips

Please let me know of your news. Anything to do with Growers. Events, Restaurants and Enterprises or just plain Horticulture News.

I would be interested in schools who are interested in giving their pupils the experience of getting their hands dirty and “sticking roots on things” as Stiperstones school did for me.

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