Tag Archives: orchids

William Caparne : painter and plantsman

Posted on 03/02/2018 by The Garden History Blog

The love of plants runs in the blood, or so it might appear from the life of William Caparne teacher, painter, plantsman and iris fanatic. A very private man, but who travelled widely in Europe and met and was … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Daffodils, Edward Leeds, Guernsey, henry Tate, iris, monet, nerines, nurseryman, orchids, Peter Barr, pissarro, plant breeding, Royal Horticultural Society, streatham | 1 Comment

On Don and Don and Don and Don…

Posted on 21/10/2017 by The Garden History Blog

I know Monty may be the only Don you’ve heard of but this is not a post about him. Instead its about some of his 18th and 19thc ancestors who were also well-known horticulturists and botanists. The family came from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bedgebury, Biddulph, Head Gardener, herbarium, James Edward Smith, John Claudius Loudon, nurseryman, orchids, plant hunters, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Royal Horticultural Society | Leave a comment

Owen Thomas: 1: Anglesey and beyond…

Posted on 19/08/2017 by The Garden History Blog

Last year I wrote a post about Harry Higgott Thomas the garden writer and journalist who was awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour. Whilst doing the research I discovered that his father, Owen Thomas, also gained one of the first VMHs … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Araucaria, Aston Hall, Bodorgan, Drayton Manor, greenhouse, Head Gardener, hothouse, Monkey Puzzle, orchids, Owen Thomas, Royal Horticultural Society, technology, Veitch, Victoria Medal of Honour, william sawrey gilpin | Leave a comment

Peter Smithers: Plantsman, Politician & Floral Pornographer

Posted on 15/07/2017 by The Garden History Blog

Sir Peter Smithers [1913-2006] was an intelligence officer, a Tory politician, diplomat and above all a great gardener. “I regard gardening and planting as the other half of life, a counterpoint to the rough and tumble of politics,” he wrote. During his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged greenhouse, nerines, orchids, peonies, plant breeding, Royal Horticultural Society, vico morcote, water gardens, winchester | Leave a comment

The survival of Wentworth Castle

Posted on 14/01/2017 by The Garden History Blog

In 1817 the Rev. Lionel Berguer published “Trifles in Verse”, a collection of [to put it politely] turgid amateur poetry. The first of these almost unreadable pieces is dedicated to his friend Frederick Vernon Wentworth. It conjures up a gentle Arcadian … Continue reading →