Monday May 20, 2013
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The Scottish Rock Garden Club
For people who love plants
Why not join our friendly world wide community of international members?
Receive the twice yearly journal "The Rock Garden"
Access to our annual Seed Exchange of over 5000 listings
Local Groups in Scotland and the North of England
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The Scottish Rock Garden Club
Scottish Rock Garden Club Established 1933
The Club for people who love plants.
- Plant enthusiasts join together from around the world to share and enjoy a love of plants.
- Amateur or professional, beginner or expert.
- Small garden, large garden, bog garden, woodland garden, raised beds, troughs.
- Dwarf herbaceous, bulbs corms and tubers,trees shrubs,cacti succulents, orchids.
- Displays, Shows, Plant sales and exchanges.
- Meetings, Conferences with world class talks.
- Grants and Award schemes.
- Website and forum.
- Journals and Seed exchange.
You can donate to the SRGC and help us provide even more resources by clicking this button
You don't need to have a Paypal account!
The SRGC Forum
The SRGC Forum provides a place
- for meeting online to bring together the international membership of the Club, for plant related and social interaction, making it a world-wide Local Group!
- to learn more about the plants that interest us
- to share photos and discussion on plants of all types of interest to members, about cultivation, propagation, taxonomy; the list goes on!
- to follow threads on individual genera, specialist groups, gardens, field trips, plant holidays and even recipes!
The Forum provides all the facilities that a local meeting would for members and , in addition, can be read by anyone and registration is also open, ensuring that the SRGC shares this asset as widely as possible.
In the many hundreds of thousands of posts in the Forum, there are countless thousands of photographs of plants, in the wild and in cultivation and reports on natural habitats, from hundreds of members.
This means that the Forum contains a type of informal "Wiki", and provides one of the largest resources of plant information available. This treasure trove is, of course, searchable.
The SRGC Forum: Read it, join it, contribute, learn, enjoy!
Click here to visit the SRGC Forum
The Archibald Archive:
The collected documents of Jim Archibald, one of the foremost independent seed collectors of our time.
Click here to view.
- Details
An article in The Scotsman Magazine of Saturday 16th March 2013 celebrates the 80th anniversary of the SRGC :
Gardens: Scotland’s rock stars celebrate 80 years
The article, by Rosemary Free, features Bette Ivey and Ian Christie and can be seen HERE.
The Scotsman is a Scottish newspaper published in Edinburgh since 1817.
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The Scottish Rock Garden Club was featured in the February edition of the Scots Magazine.
"Scots on the Rocks- Growth Areas"
Agnes Stevenson has written an article highlighting the club’s history, the 80th anniversary and the Dunblane Early Dwarf Bulb Display on the 16 th of February 2013. The Scots Magazine is the world's best-selling Scottish-interest publication and has a monthly average readership of over 100,000. The magazine captures the essence of Scotland and offers something for everyone: culture, history, the great outdoors.
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"Finnies - For Life" 2009
"Rock Gardens Extraordinaire" is an article written in 2009 by Margaret Young for a magazine printed for the prestigious Aberdeen company, "Finnies the Jeweller". Finnies, a family run firm, is much involved in charitable work and always seeks to include features about successful Scottish ventures, such as SRGC, in their magazine which has a distribution of around ten thousand copies.
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- Details
Events and Notices
SRGC members given honours by RCHS - 2013
Carole Baxter, best known as a presenter of the Beechgrove Garden Television programme and a long time SRGC member, was honoured in March by the top award by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (the Caley) - the Scottish Horticultural Medal.
The Scottish Horticultural Medal (SHM) is an award first introduced in 1950 to mark the 150th anniversary of the RCHS. The award is strictly limited to a maximum of 50 recipients and is awarded to anyone, anywhere, who has made an outstanding service, professional or amateur, to Scottish Horticulture.
The Scottish Horticultural Medal (SHM) is an award first introduced in 1950 to mark the 150th anniversary of the RCHS. The award is strictly limited to a maximum of 50 recipients and is awarded to anyone, anywhere, who has made an outstanding service, professional or amateur, to Scottish Horticulture.
Jim McColl, Honorary President of the Caley (and co-presenter of the Beechgrove Garden TV programme,) presents Carole Baxter with the Scottish Horticultural Medal at the Caley AGM and award ceremony on March 5th.
Photo:Clive Davies/RCHS
Former SRGC President Glassford Sprunt was honoured by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society with a special presentation at the SRGC Early Bulb Day in recognition of his highly regarded and significant contribution to horticulture and gardening in Scotland. Click here to read more.
RCHS President Pam Whittle with Glassford Sprunt
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2013: SRGC Show Dates for 2013
Dunblane Early Bulb Display: 16 February 2013 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
"A Celebration of Bulbs" with talks at 11am and 2pm
Blackpool 16 March : As well as the show, at 2.00pm there will be the afternoon lecture by Cliff Booker 'The Cream of Alpines'
Stirling Show (in KINCARDINE) 23 March:
23rd March 12.00 noon to 4.00 pm
Kincardine Community Centre
Anderson lane, Kincardine Fife, FK10 4SF
LOCATION: Cross Kincardine bridge, turn left into village, turn left at traffic lights and then sharp right into Kirk Street (where there is another car park), immediately turn right into Anderson lane, the gate for the community centre is facing you.
Click here for a map of the location - it is possible to zoom in for a "street view".
Edinburgh 6 April : THE EDINBURGH SHOW WILL FEATURE A SPECIAL 80TH ANNIVERSARY CASH PRIZE (£30 nursery voucher) FOR THE BEST NARCISSUS SPECIES OR NATURAL HYBRID IN THE SHOW.
Northumberland (Hexham) 13 April
Perth 20 April
Highland Show (Nairn) 27 April - To celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the SRGC the Highland Group is giving a special award at their Spring Flower Show on 27 April of a £30 voucher for plants from Ardfearn Nursery for the best entry in Section II Class 71 (2 pans rock plants - distinct).
Glasgow (Milngavie ) 4 May Entries to Show Secreatary John Lee - temporary telephone number 0141 9546497 or to Assistant Show Secretary, Mr Bill Robinson, telephone 0141 883 4539
Summer Event (Dunblane) 17 August
Discussion Weekend (Grantown-on-Spey) 5 October
Newcastle (Ponteland) 12 October
( please note : there will be no competitive Aberdeen Show in 2013)
For the 2013 Show Schedules with venues and full details, please click this link.
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Scottish Rock Garden Club 1933- 2013- Anniversary Party !
-an invitation from President Carole Bainbridge-
"I hope that you will be able to join us on this very special occasion. I look forward to seeing you in Pitlochry!"
2013 is our 80th anniversary. We are holding a birthday party at the Pitlochry
Festival Theatre on Sunday 23rd June. The day will include talks by two of our
long-standing supporters, picnic lunch and a chance to visit the Explorers Garden.
Reception starts at 10:00 a.m. with tea and coffee. The welcome at 10:45 will be
followed by a lecture by Ron McBeath. There will be a picnic lunch at 12 noon
(bring your own food), followed by a lecture from our friend Panayoti Kelaidis
from Denver Botanic Garden.
We will finish with refreshments in the Douglas Pavilion at 3:30 p.m.
Pitlochry is a great place with spectacular scenery, a warm welcome and many things to see and do.
So why not come to the party and take the opportunity to make a long weekend of it? You may meet friends,hunt some Scottish alpines and take in some culture by seeing a performance at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre (www.pitlochry.org.uk).
The nearby Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve at Keltneyburn is a good place to see orchids in June.(www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserve/keltneyburn ) We will arrange a visit there on the Saturday for anyone choosing to come for the weekend. Saxifraga oppositifolia and Silene acaulis shouldbe in flower on the drive from Glen Lyon to Loch Tay. The four-hour walkup Ben Vrackie has orchids and Loiseleuria procumbens growing at your feet.
To top it all, why not visit the famous Cluny Gardens(www.clunyhousegardens.com)to see their amazing primulas?
Two hotels in Pitlochry offer a discounted rate for anyone attending the party. On Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd June, Fishers Hotel(www.fishershotelpitlochry.com ) offers DB&B on Saturday for £54 per person per night and on Sunday for £44 per person per night (quote Scottish Rock Garden when booking). The Green Park Hotel (www.thegreenpark.co.uk) offers a 10% reduction on the normal tariff for the 22nd and 23rd June (mention the SRGC weekend when booking).
We hope you will join us to celebrate being 80 years young and we look forward
to seeing you all in Pitlochry. Please remember that anyone wishing to attend the
party should apply to Mike Kendall, who is managing the requests, for a ticket.
His details are in the Secretary’s pages, or contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Scottish Rock Garden Club 80th Birthday Celebrations
at the Edinburgh & Lothians Rock Garden Group
Help us Celebrate 80 Years of Growing, Showing and Friendship.
To Celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Club, the Edinburgh and Lothians Rock Garden Group are hosting a number of special events in 2013. We would like to invite any SRGC members to come along and help us celebrate.
SATURDAY 6TH APRIL
THE EDINBURGH SHOW WILL FEATURE A SPECIAL 80TH ANNIVERSARY CASH PRIZE (£30 nursery voucher) FOR THE BEST NARCISSUS SPECIES OR NATURAL HYBRID IN THE SHOW.
Details of the spring / summer events are:
TUESDAY 9TH APRIL DOORS OPEN 7.00 FOR 7.30PM
80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION LECTURE
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH (ENTRANCE FROM INVERLEITH ROW)
THE INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER AND GROWER, Ger van den Beuken, NETHERLANDS, WILL SPEAK ON “GROWING ALPINES IN THE NETHERLANDS”
ADMISSION £2
TUESDAY JUNE 11TH 6PM – 8PM
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, EDINBURGH ( MEET AT NORTH GATE)
SRGC MEMBERS' VIST TO THE NEW RBGE ALPINE HOUSE.
THIS WILL BE A TICKET ONLY EVENT AS NUMBERS ARE LIMITED. For tickets apply to Carole Bainbridge 3 Woodhouselee, Easter Howgate Midlothian EH26 0PG or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We look forward to welcoming you to our celebrations.
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The Aberdeen Rock Garden Club
Alpine Plant Display at the Duthie Park, Winter Gardens Saturday May 18th 2013
Open to Public: 11:00 to 16:00
To celebrate the 80th Birthday of the Scottish Rock Garden Club, there will be an alpine plant display at the Winter Gardens, Duthie Park, on Saturday May 18th 2013 which will be open to the public and SRGC members alike.
Format: A non formal, non competitive display of alpine and related plants arranged by contributing individual i.e. no specific classes, groups, families, genus, species We only request plants be labelled with genera, specific and family names with notes if appropriate.
Plant Types: Alpine perennials, alpine house, rock garden, woodland, bulbs, dwarf trees and shrubs, orchids, in fact anything smallish in pots/pans, containers, sinks, cut flowers, cut tree and shrub stems, all welcome.
Prizes/Awards: There will be no judges, prizes, plant awards or points awarded towards SRGC medals.
Entry free: Entry will be free but a small voluntary donation to cover the Club’s expenses would be welcome.
Location: The Education Greenhouse at the Winter Gardens, Duthie Park, Aberdeen. Map available.
Staging time: 08:00 -11:00 and possibly up until 19:00 the Friday evening
Open to Public: 11:00 to 16:00
Plants for sale: Club plant stall (50/50).
Refreshments: There is a Cafe beside the Winter Gardens
Seed: a limited selection of seed will be available for sale.
SRGC members: Plants for display from other SRGC groups will be most welcome.
Non SRGC members: The display is not restricted to SRGC members; if anyone has a suitable plant please bring it along.
Local SRGC Members: Please bring some plants for sale and to display. Your help with other aspects of the event would be appreciated.
All are welcome and we look forward to welcoming you to the Duthie Park for this celebratory display.
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SRGC DISCUSSION WEEKEND Friday 4th – Sunday 6th October 2013
This weekend has been organised to take place in the Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown on Spey
Full details of the programme and booking forms etc in THIS Forum thread.
N.B. 30th April 2013 - less than four places left now for this weekend- please hurry to make your booking- don't miss out!
Some details about the Speakers for the Weekend :
Elsa Pooley is a South African who has lead tours which have been much enjoyed by SRGC members.
See: http://www.pooley.co.za/
Clint Callens is one of the young members of the plant-loving Callens family of Belgium. Their nursery is a treasure trove of Trillium and the like! http://www.greenmilenursery.be/
Alan Furness is the Wizard of Hexham- capable of growing all sorts of dificult plants and someone who has really "cracked" the method of keeping New Zealand alpines happy in his Northumberland garden - and on the show bench! He holds a National Collection of Celmisias. Alan is a familiar figure at SRGC weekends, he has attended for many years. http://www.alpinegardensociety.ie/sources/AGS%20Newsletter%2048%20Summer%202007.pdf
Martin Sheader, more often than not in company with his wife, Anna-Liisa, is known for his plants and also for his travels - he is a recognised expert on the plants of South America and his appearance at the DWE will be eagerly awaited. He is currently cooperating on a photographic guide to the mountain flowers of Patagonia due for publication in 2013
http://www.czrgs.cz/martin_sheader.php
Chris Brickell has been involved in the writing and editing of such a very large number of plant books that his name must be known far and wide for that reason alone!
This genial plantsman was awarded the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour in 1976 for his services to horticulture and the CBE in 1991.
"Daphne: the genus in the wild and in cultivation" by Christopher Brickell, Brian Mathew, Roy C. Elliott is a standard.
http://www.hortax.org.uk/chris-brickell.html
Malcolm McGregor, a major figure in the world of Saxifraga is the author of "Saxifrages: A Definitive Guide to the 2000 Species, Hybrids & Cultivars." Malcolm served very successfully as Editor of the SRGC Journal, The Rock Garden and is now lending his expertise as Editor for the North American Rock Garden Society's Quarterly publication. Again, Malcolm is no stranger to SRGC weekends.
http://www.timberpress.com/speakers/author?id=1328
John Mitchell is the Alpines Supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh convenor of the SRGC Edinburgh Group and Chairman of the Meconopsis Group.
All are welcome and we hope that many members will take the opportunity to extend their vist to the delightful area of Speyside as well as attending the Discusion Weekend.
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Events with SRGC Connections:
New Zealand Alpine Garden Society Study Weekend 2013 1st to 3rd February 2013 Supported by the SRGC
The Second International Czech Rock Garden Conference - 2-5 May 2013 Supported by the SRGC
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SRGC Local Groups
The SRGC has Local Groups in Scotland and the North of England - click HERE for contact details and programmes.
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Some Of Our Plants
Quick Links
The SRGC web site and forum is a large and valuable. Here are a few quick links to features you may find interesting!
Seedexchange: We list seeds of over 5000 species annually.
Journal: One of the world's best publications for rock gardeners.
Shows: Every year we hold shows in Scotland and in northern England.
Events: What's happening?
Seeking Plant information?
In addition to the articles on this website, which includes over a hundred of our Journals, the SRGC has a huge resource of thousands of plant photos and information in the pages of the interactive Forum. The Forum is fully searchable and you may well find there all you need to know about a particular plant.
To search the Forum click here
Support The SRGC
We at the Scottish Rock Garden Club pride ourselves in being one of the world's friendliest, most forward looking and open plant societies.
We are constantly looking for ways to be even more open, more inclusive and to provide ever expanding resources for ordinary plant lovers.
If you appreciate our philosophy you can support us by joining the SRGC or by making a donation through Paypal using the button below.
You don't even have to have a Paypal account to donate via Paypal!
Please click here for more details