Tag Archives: Royal Horticultural Society

Owen Thomas 2: from Chatsworth to Windsor.

Posted on 26/08/2017 by The Garden History Blog

This is the second part of the story of Owen Thomas, the son of an Anglesey labourer who rose to the peak of the horticultural profession and became Queen Victoria’s gardener at Windsor and Frogmore. Last week’s post finished with … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Chateau Impney, Chatsworth, conservatory, Frogmore, Gertrude Jekyll, Owen Thomas, plant breeding, Queen Victoria, Royal Horticultural Society, The Garden, Victoria amazonica, Victoria Medal of Honour, William Goldring, Windsor | 2 Comments

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

“Doubtles God could have made a better berry…”

Posted on 27/05/2017 by The Garden History Blog

After last week’s post about the early history of strawberries its time to look at how the various wild species were transformed into garden and commercial varieties by an 18thc botanist and a handful of 19thc nurserymen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Antoine Duchesne, Chelsea Physic Garden, Jardin du Roi, Linnaeus, Philip Miller, plant breeding, Royal Horticultural Society, Shirley Hibberd, strawberry, technology, thomas knight, Thomas Laxton | Leave a comment

Lilac Time…

Posted on 15/04/2017 by The Garden History Blog

The spring has caught up with my garden and the lilacs are beginning to bloom. The first I knew was as I opened the doors into the garden the other morning and caught the scent well before I could see … Continue reading →