Publications

The Garden
February 2004

Committed to perfection

The 14 Plant Committees of the RHS do vital, if often unseen, work within the Society. Christopher Weddell discusses their roles, while The Garden invites members from each committee to describe some of their choices for the RHS Bicentenary list of 200 plants

Despite differences in the sizes and workings of the various RHS plant committees, one thing remains constant: the individual committee members’ abiding love of and dedication to gardening and horticulture. Composed of plantsmen, renowned growers, scientists, world-class experts on particular plant groups and leading garden writers, the committees are studded with well-known names.

Plant committees have been at the heart of the Society since the first was founded in 1858, providing strength and stature through their immense combined knowledge and expertise. Indeed, there are more than 400 distinguished horticulturists whose particular specialities makes them leaders in their fields and who give time and knowledge freely to benefit all gardeners.

While judging and plant trials dominate the work of many committees, other duties include assisting with the production of yearbooks and show schedules, or getting involved with the disciplines of nomenclature and taxonomy. Many committees also work with specialist plant societies, increasing collective knowledge.

The main plant committees meet at each RHS London Flower Show to judge group exhibits and to award medals accordingly. Committees then meet to judge individual plant exhibits shown ‘in-committee’ and to discuss horticultural developments.

Many committees also meet on trials fields such as those at RHS Gardens Wisley and Harlow Carr. Plants on trial may be awarded the coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) if they pass the demanding assessments of horticultural merit made by the committees, while reports on the plant trials provide invaluable information.

While much plant-committee work goes on behind the scenes, the combined dedication, knowledge and enormous passion for plants that committees possess benefits gardeners everywhere, and for this we have a great deal to thank them.

Christopher Weddell is Senior Horticulturist, based at RHS Garden Wisley

Floral 'A' Committee

Originally formed in1924, the Floral ‘A’ (Herbaceous & Annual Plant) Committee (33 members) judges all exhibits at RHS Flower Shows of hardy herbaceous and tender perennials and annuals for garden cultivation, along with judging and selection of plants for trial.

Alistair Muirhead Financier and amateur horticulturist Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ ‘This plant is a sturdy, self-supporting perennial of medium height 60 - 120cm (2 - 4ft) bearing huge 15cm (6in) almost horizontal, long-lived deep purple flowerheads with dark orange centres. It is a mainstay of the mixed border associating beautifully with grasses’

Victoria Wakefield Gardener-owner of Bramdean House, Hampshire Geranium psilostemon ‘A herbaceous plant with excellent foliage; the broad leaves are deeply cut and exhibit good autumn colour. It has a useful mid-border height and the many flowers it starts to produce in June are strong magenta with black centres. It will last until late August.’

Fergus Garrett Plantsman and Head Gardener, Great Dixter, East Sussex Ferula communis ‘This wonderfully architectural plant grows mounds of large filigree, glossy green leaves and eventually produces a stout stem up to 2.4m (8ft) tall on which large lime-green umbels of tiny flowers are spaciously presented during the summer months.’

Pamela Schwerdt Joint Head Gardener, Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent for 32 years Lilium regale ‘An easy-to-grow bulbous perennial provided it is given good drainage, a reasonable soil and whatever humus you can spare. Start with clean stock and plant deeply as the plants are stem rooting. In their native China they may grow out of fissures in almost sheer rock faces.'

Floral 'B' Committee

Dating also from 1924, the Floral ‘B’ (Hardy Ornamental Woody Plant) Committee (34 members) is responsible for judging and providing expertise on hardy trees and shrubs. With the Rhododendron and Camellia Committee it selects and judges woody ornamental plants for trial.

Lawrence Banks CBE, VMH Retired RHS Treasurer, holder of a National Plant Collection of Acer Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ ‘This is the finest large cultivar of Acer palmatum, forming a vase-shaped tree up to 8m (27ft) at maturity. In spring, emerging foliage is yellow-green and leaves turn gold before falling in autumn, only to reveal attractive shrimp-pink branches in winter.’

Giles Coode-Adams Member of RHS Council, gardens 3ha (7 acres) in Essex Magnolia wilsonii ‘Commemorating the greatest of all plant collectors, Ernest Wilson, summer-blooming Magnolia wilsonii, with its large, scented white flowers pointing downwards and its contrasting red stamens, is in my view the most elegant of all magnolias.’

John Gallagher Plantsman and magnolia, rhododendron and camellia expert Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ ‘This beautiful witch hazel sets the standard for all the newer cultivars. Completely hardy in the depth of winter, in frost, snow and rain, its large, pure primrose, fragrant flowers light up the garden. An essential garden plant for those on acid soil.’

Roy Lancaster OBE, VMH Plantsman, author, broadcaster and plant hunter Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ ‘An evergreen, long-flowering winter-blooming shrub with an delicious, all-pervading fragrance and a first-class pedigree, named for a lovely lady. It needs a sheltered spot in a moist, humus-rich soil and is rewarding planted where the fragrance can be easily appreciated.’

Floral 'C' Committee

Judging and assessing plants normally grown under protection, other than those for the alpine house, is the expertise of the Floral ‘C’ (Tender Ornamental Plant) Committee (22 members). It is the youngest of the Floral Committees, having been formed in 1965.

Terry Smale Specialist grower of xerophytes, and tender-bulb expert Streptocarpus ‘Crystal Ice’ ‘This revolutionary cultivar which has white flowers with blue veining is the first streptocarpus which flowers the whole year round. It makes a superb, easy-to-grow houseplant, and even performs well below the staging of my succulent-filled conservatory.’

Ray Waite Lecturer, author and specialist in glasshouse plants Strongylodon macrobotrys ‘A leguminous climber with uniquely-coloured blossom. Only suitable for a large tropical glasshouse, it requires heat and plenty of space to develop fully, allowing its extensive twining stems to bear long racemes of blue-green flowers.’

Stuart Williams Plantsman with interest in ferns, fuchsias and conservatory plants Jasminum polyanthum ‘This popular houseplant is an easily-grown, evergreen, half-hardy climber with loose panicles in summer of many strongly-fragrant pink-backed, white, trumpet-shaped flowers. It does not suffer pest or disease problems and is simple to propagate.’

Ashley Stephenson LVO Horticultural consultant and retired Bailiff of the Royal Parks Protea cynaroides ‘King protea is a South African plant with huge, distinctive flowers produced on a bushy shrub with rounded waxy foliage. The blooms last for many weeks and the plant is fairly easy to cultivate once a good bright, airy position in acidic, moist well-drained soil is chosen.’

Rock Garden Plant Committee

Jointly constituted with the Alpine Garden Society and Scottish Rock Garden Club, the Rock Garden Plant Committee (38 members), formed in1936, judges individual rock-garden and alpine-house plant exhibits at RHS flower shows, and assesses plants in trials.

Pam Turtle Member of the Alpine Garden Society and a gardener keen on conservation Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Delightful low-growing, shade-tolerant tuberous plants with pink reflexed flowers produced from August to October followed by ivy-shaped leaves. Plants bulk up easily from seed.’

John Good Plantsman, author and alpine-plant expert Saxifraga ‘Tumbling Waters’ ‘All silver saxifrages are good, easy rock garden plants, but this is the best. Slowly increasing rosettes of lime-encrusted leaves eventually burst into cascading plumes of brilliant white flowers that last for weeks.’

Orchid Committee

The Orchid Committee (25 members) was formed in 1889 and judges exhibits of orchids at RHS flower shows, and at meetings held at other shows. It is the only committee where the plants which gain awards are hand painted as well as photographically recorded.

Lucinda Lachelin Senior Supervisor of the Glass Department at RHS Wisley Cymbidium Castle of Mey ‘Pinkie’ ‘This orchid belongs to a group of miniature cymbidiums, and is a particularly pretty hybrid with shell-pink flowers produced in late winter. it was first recognised by McBean’s Orchids in 1982 and is still justly popular today.’

Joyce Stewart VMH Orchid expert and retired RHS Director of Horticulture Phalaenopsis hybrids ‘My favourite cultivated orchids are Phalaenopsis hybrids. Highly floriferous and long-lasting, and available in a wide range of colours, they are easy to grow in a warm glasshouse and also make splendid house plants.’

Fruit and Vegetable Committee

The Fruit & Vegetable Committee (30 members) was formed in 1858 and is responsible for judging exhibits of fruit, vegetables and herbs shown at RHS flower shows. The committee also selects and judges fruit and vegetables trials for the Award of Garden Merit.

Colin Randel Vegetable Product Manager, Thompson & Morgan; seedsman for more than 34 years Potato ‘Red Duke of York’ ‘Meals are incomplete without spuds and ‘Red Duke of York’ as a first early for new potatoes or left as a second early/maincrop is unsurpassable for roasting, chips, mash and also for making the best summer bakers.’

Gerald Edwards Author, organic grower and Chairman of the RHS Fruit Group Malus domestica ‘Ashmead’s Kernel’ ‘This apple has on many occasions been voted as the best-tasting apple of all. It was raised around 1700 and has a strong, intense and lasting flavour, ideal for eating with cheese or enjoying with a glass of madeira or calvados!’

Alan Buller Horticulturist, showman, lecturer and fruit, dahlia and chrysanthemum grower Rubus idaeus ‘Autumn Bliss’ ‘This lovely raspberry, bred by Elizabeth Keep at East Malling, can produce fruit as soon as May (following a light prune) or as late as November (following a heavy prune). The fruit is a good size with a fine colour and flavour.’

Rhododendron and Camellia Committee

Formed in 1930, the Rhododendron & Camellia Committee (20 members) is responsible for judging individual exhibits of rhododendrons and camellias at RHS flower shows, and for selecting such plants for trial and assessment for the Award of Garden Merit.

Andy Simons European Registrar for the genus Camellia Camellia japonica ‘Augusto Leal de Gouveia Pinto’ ‘An exceptional cultivar with symmetrical, double, bright pink, white-edged blooms that turn lavender-blue with age.’

Archie Skinner MBE Retired Head Gardener at Sheffield Park, West Sussex Rhododendron yakushimanum ‘A suitable rhododendron for the small garden, with a compact habit, attractive foliage and apple-blossom-pink flowers that eventually fade to white.’

Daffodil and Tulip Committee

Committee founded in1884 focusing on tulips and daffodils in shows and on trial.

Lady Skelmersdale Owner of specialist bulb nursery Broadleigh Gardens Narcissus ‘Jenny’ ‘One of the most graceful of early-flowering narcissus, this vigorous cultivar is suitable for sun or shade, in pots or naturalised in grass.’

Brian Duncan MBE Award-winning breeder of daffodils Tulipa ‘White Triumphator’ ‘A fine pure white tulip which typifies the elegance and style of the lily-flowered group and adds grace to any garden.’

Carnation and Pinks Committee

Dale Coleman Horticulturist, grower of dianthus, dahlia and auricula Dianthus ‘Doris' ‘Although there are many fine new cultivars, ‘Doris’ retains its vigour, willingness to flower and hardiness, and is easy to obtain.’

Iris Committee

Thelma Naylor Iris breeder specialising in dwarf bearded types Iris unguicularis ‘This plant brings back childhood memories. It still delights with flowers from October-March, indoors and out.’

Delphinium Committee

Duncan McGlashan Well-known delphinium breeder and exhibitor Delphinium ‘Spindrift’ ‘Big, beautiful and strong. Flowers are a kaleidoscope of blue, mauve and green. A great delphinium, now 32 years old.’

Sweet Pea Committee

Roger Parsons Holder of a National Plant Collection of Lathyrus Lathyrus odoratus ‘Matucana’ 'It combines the scent and flower colour of wild sweet pea with the quantity of blooms from a modern hybrid.’

Chrysanthemum Committee

Bill Wade Expert in growing and showing chrysanthemums Chrysanthemum ‘Bill Wade’ ‘A large, white, incurving cultivar good for house display and exhibiting. I am honoured to have it named after me.’

Dahlia Committee

Roger Aylett Nurseryman and Dahlia exhibitor Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ ‘This is my favourite dahlia, as since I set up my nurseries 49 years ago ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ has been with me.’

200 plants for the Bicentenary chosen by plant committees

Members of the 14 RHS plant committees were asked to nominate their top five plants for a ‘200 plants for 200 years’ Bicentenary list.

Any plants getting multiple nominations automatically made it onto the Bicentenary plant list, with the proviso that any single genus should appear no more than three times. As plants nominated had to be available in RHS Plant Finder 2003 - 2004, there are some notable omissions including annuals, most vegetables and orchids (for example the orchids and the potato mentioned above are not part of the official list). Note that this list is in addition to the RHS Bicentenary Plant Collection that will be launched at the Chelsea Flower Show in May.

For the full list of plants click here

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