Events
Forrest Day London Lectures
Date: 7 April 2004
Venue: RHS Conference Centre, Lawrence Hall, Greycoat Street, London
Forrest is responsible for introducing to cultivation a wide range of woody, bulbous and perennial plants that today form the backbone of all gardens. The seminar day will be of interest to both the beginner and expert alike.
The Rhododendron Camellia and Magnolia group of the RHS had organized, with the help of Paul Cook of Ness Gardens http://www.nessgardens.org.uk/ an exhibition of plants introduced by George Forrest as part of the Early Rhododendron Show in the horticultural halls, and five speakers to give everyone an account of the man and his plant introductions.
Brenda Maclean, the author of a new biography of Forrest gave us an account of the man. His physical and moral strength were enormous: he would not have survived even his first expedition without such strength. His attitude to the Lisso people whom he employed to assist in his discoveries and collections was clearly very enlightened, and he inspired both their respect and love. Later on they were able to make collections independently of his presence. His relationships with his sponsors was however less placid, and it was not until he met J C Williams of Caerhays that he received the support and freedom he needed to optimize his efforts. Among a great quantity of original archive that Brenda had unearthed were some of Forrest’s letters from which it was clear that the general opinion that he was not an inspired writer was totally wrong. What a great pity that he died (in China) after what he intended to be his final expedition but before he could write an account of his discoveries and adventures.
Sir Peter Hutchison gave an account of Forrest’s rhododendron introductions, and illustrated this with photographs every one of which showed these in their wild habitats in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.
Of course, Forest discovered far too many species to be included in a short talk, but it was very instructive to be shown Sir Peter’s selection of his ‘Forrest’ favourites. These are: arizelum, balfourianum, beesianum, calostrotum, campylogynum, cephalanthum, cyanocarpum, decorum, giganteum, dichroanthum, fastigiatum, griersonianum, haematodes, hippophaeiodes, impeditum, lacteum, oreotrephes, phaeochrysum, praestans, racemosum, rex, scintillans, selense var. jucundum, sinogrande, sulphureum, taliense, trichocladum (mekongense), uvarifolium, vernicosum, wardii, and yunnanense, but the finest is of all, quite rightly is Rhododendron forrestii.
John Gallagher concentrated on Forrest’s Camellia introductions. While Jim Gardiner, curator of RHS Wisley, and a past president of Magnolia Society International spoke of Forrest’s magnolias. Forrest managed to introduce only five, though he must have seen many more. These were M. mollicomata and its variety 'Lanarth', M. globosa, M. nitida, M. rostrata and M. wilsonii. However M. mollicomata and 'Lanarth' have had an enormous part in the development of the range of wonderful hybrids of all colours from pure white to clear red which are available today.
Finally Dr. Chris Grey-Wilson had the unenviable job of covering all the other plants introduced by Forrest.
Thanks are due to Maurice Foster, the past chairman of the RCM Group for organizing the day. The new chairman, Mike Robinson, pointed out the value of past plant introductions to the worlds today - species extinct in the wild are now being reintroduced to China from the botanical collections assembled in the West thanks to the great plant collectors of the past, and pointed out that the Group, which is the successor of The Rhododendron Society that financed Forrest still subsides collections from the wild, and is working hard to preserve endangered species from extinction.
More information on Forrest and the plants he collected can be found in Rhododendrons with Camellias and Magnolias 2004, the Rhododendron, Camellia & Magnolia Group’s Yearbook.
To join the RHS Rhododendron, Camellia and Magnolia Group visit its website