Issue 150 Irish Garden Plant Society Newsletter September 2020 IGPS Newsletter : 150 September 2020 IGPS Newsletter : 150 September 2020 Welcome Contents Back in the early days of spring none For me, two themes from that of us could possibly have imagined earlier issue stood out. One was Page 3 Welcome how our lives would change over the celebration of the plants of our Page 4 Meet our Contributors the following months. Hopefully our heritage coupled with much wringing Page 5 A Note from the Chair by Billy McCone gardens will have provided a haven, of hands about the precarious nature a safe outdoor space and a of the Society’s efforts to conserve Page 6 A Touch of Africa in Ireland by consuming interest. Now as the and promote them. The second was Nicola & Peter Milligan seasons change we are enjoying the recognition of the importance Page 12 Home Thoughts from the the plants which signal autumn. of the knowledge, camaraderie Welsh Marches by Caro Skyrme Crocosmias are one of the best and enjoyable events associated Page 15 Grow an Irish Plant by Maeve Bell, families of plants for autumn colour with membership. Both are equally Stephen Butler and Brendan Sayers but did you know that many of the relevant today. best have Irish origins and are often Page 18 Eat Your Greens by Stephen Butler associated with some of our leading In his editorial Paddy wrote: ‘... Page 20 Betula ‘Trinity College’ by Pat & Anne Coffey gardens? Peter and Nicola Milligan neither books nor strategies will keep and Brendan Sayers write about several lovely cultivars our plant heritage safe — it comes Page 22 Plant Hunting IGPS Style by Michael Kelleher and recommend that you grow at down to us as members to ensure least one of them. the survival of this treasure.’ And he Page 24 Glasnevin’s Sarracenia by Brendan Sayers continued: ‘Propagate your plants Page 27 The Flowering of Victoria ‘Longwood This is Issue 150 of the Newsletter, of Irish interest, bring them to the Variety’ by Adrian Walsh quite a milestone. A quick re-read plant sales, give them to friends and of issue 100, which came out in tell them of their connections. To the Page 29 Kilmacurragh Re-united by Seamus O’Brien 2006 while Paddy Tobin was Editor, keen gardener you will be giving a Page 31 The Promise of Seeds by Debbie Bailey showed the longevity of some of treasure which will be cared for and Page 32 Worth a Read by Paddy Tobin our hardy perennials who are still appreciated for life.’ contributing – Stephen Butler, Page 34 Society Snippets Seamus O’Brien, Brendan Sayers, Next year, 2021, is the Society’s 40th Page 36 Around the Regions and Paddy himself of course, anniversary. How about making it Page 39 Advice for Contributors while in our July issue Mary Davies, the year you include a plant of Irish Carmel Duignan, Mary Forrest interest in your garden if you don’t Page 40 Contact Us and Rae McIntyre graced the already have one or searching for Copy for the January issue as soon as possible and pages. A special welcome to a and adding something scarce and by 20th November at the latest. new contributor — Caro Skyrme special if you do? who gardens in Shropshire — and welcome back to Michael Kelliher Stay safe, stay well Cover: The Rectory Garden at the Ulster Folk Museum. Photo courtesy of from Macroom. Very many thanks to and stay gardening. Carrie Mercer. Grateful thanks to our Horticultural Advisors, Stephen Butler and Brendan Sayers all our writers and photographers. Maeve Bell 2 Editor 3 IGPS Newsletter : 150 September 2020 IGPS Newsletter : 150 September 2020 Meet our Contributors A Note from the Chair Debbie Bailey is a horticultural therapist and also teaches flower arranging. With the gardening volunteers while I covered the Society’s She has co-ordinated the seed scheme since 2017. returned to both IGPS gardens at objectives (and very well as I thought Lismacloskey and Pogue’s Entry at the time!) I now know I missed Stephen Butler retired recently as Curator of Horticulture at Dublin Zoo. and carefully managed garden visits so much of what the Society is He takes the lead in all matters to do with Irish Heritage Plants. being hosted, we have cause to about — the unstated ethos of the Anne and Pat Coffey are keen members, regular participants at the AGM be optimistic. We even managed IGPS, nothing that you will find in weekend and garden on the wind-swept shores of Ballinskelligs Bay. a click and collect plant sale. Initial our constitution. I speak of the social concerns about a low turnout were character and the camaraderie Michael Kelliher lives and gardens in Macroom, Co Cork and is a member quickly dispelled when all events that Maeve refers to. Perhaps that of many years standing. were booked out within days: great dimension of the Society denied work by the regional organisers and to us over the past months has Drs Nicola and Peter Milligan, now retired, garden at Mount Stewart on the volunteers and many thanks to the accentuated the importance of our shores of Strangford Lough in Co Down. Both are past members of the IGPS members who gave their support, events, the need to meet friends and Northern Committee and Peter was Chair of the committee about 10 years ago. greatly encouraging. Incidentally, fellow gardeners, and enjoy gardens Seamus O’Brien manages the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh, both the Folk Museum and the together. It’s the horticultural therapy Co. Wicklow. A past committee member of the IGPS, he is Irish Branch Lismacloskey or Rectory Garden that Debbie Bailey wrote about in the Chairman of the RHS Rhododendron Camellia Magnolia Group and are now open to the public. July issue, a wide concept that we a corresponding member of its Woody Plant Committee. all need and benefit from in varying In her editorial Maeve, quoting degrees. In the same issue Claire Brendan Sayers is Glasshouse Foreman at the National Botanic Gardens and Paddy Tobin, speaks of propagating Peacocke talked about the tangible has spent almost 30 years working there; he specialises in orchids, both native and sharing plants. We are seeking difficulties her group encountered and tropical, and maintains his interests in Heritage Irish plants and botanical art. members to join special interest during the lockdown which had, groups for various plants. Nothing I suspect, a severe impact on their Caro Skyrme grew up in the north of Ireland; she and her husband are passionate about opening their garden, Broadward Hall, in Shropshire too involved, just a keen interest in daily lives. Have we been taking for the National Gardens Scheme. a helping us gather and distribute gardening pleasures for granted? various Irish Heritage plants. We Or is it just me? Probably me. Paddy Tobin, a former Chairman of the Society and Editor of the Newsletter, are particularly interested in forming lives in Waterford and is in charge of the Society’s website and Facebook page. a small group to source Irish-bred Best wishes everyone roses but if you have any other Adrian Walsh is treasurer of the Northern Committee and Chair of the Friends favourite plant species that includes of Belfast Botanic Gardens. He opens his garden by appointment. Irish Heritage plants and you would like to be part of a group, we would Patricia Kernohan and Mary Montaut are members of the Society. like to hear from you. Please Billy Photos are by kind permission of the author unless otherwise attributed. email me or Stephen Butler and let us know. McCone Chairman While every effort is made to ensure that content is correct at the time of printing, views expressed in the articles are those of the author(s) and may not reflect those of the Society. A few years back I was asked to give Any factual errors will be corrected as soon as possible. talks on the IGPS, one to a student group and the other to a housing association. On reflection, 4 5 IGPS Newsletter : 150 September 2020 IGPS Newsletter : 150 September 2020 A Touch of Africa in Ireland Crocosmia ‘Bressingham Flare’. by Nicola Milligan & Peter Milligan Ireland, both north and south, has not been slow to add to this plant family. Turning to Dr. Nelson’s ever useful texts, Daisy Hill Nursery Newry (Nelson and Grills, NIHGC, 1998) and Glory of Donard A History of the Slieve Donard Nursery (Nelson and Deane, NIHGC, 1993), we find that Daisy Hill Nursery listed three crocosmia cultivars in its catalogues; two of them — C. ‘Daisy Hill’ described as a large orange- yellow flower with a dark zone and C. ‘Newry Seedling’ described as a rich yellow with a dark ring round the centre — were raised at the nursery. The Donard lists only one Crocosmias give excellent autumn colour crocosmia, namely Crocosmia x Crocosmia ‘Castle Ward Late’ crocosmiiflora ‘James Coey’ which It may seem a long way from South Crocosmia ‘George Davison’ is to was raised in Norfolk at Earlham Hall Africa but the distance has not be found in most garden centres. in 1744 by Alexander Stewart. The and named for James Coey who stopped a native South African Davison, now thought of as the estate has remained in the family became the owner of The Donard in from putting down roots in Ireland, father of British crocosmia breeding, ever since, the gardens becoming 1912. Dr Nelson’s other excellent text Britain and elsewhere in Europe. went on to develop another eleven prominent under the care of Edith, A Heritage of Beauty lists another The crocosmia, originally referred cultivars.