Press releases

Essex daffodil devotee honoured by Royal Horticultural Society

Daffodil devotee Mr Reg Nicholl of Rainham, Essex, has been awarded the Peter Barr Memorial Cup for 40 years of outstanding work dedicated to the growing, showing and breeding of daffodils. The cup is awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society’s Daffodil and Tulip Committee and will be presented on 14 March 2006 at the RHS London Flower Show.

Reg has dedicated most of his life to his passion for daffodils, since his interest in the flowers started 60 years ago as a young boy. His fascination remained with him through his youth and led to an interest in hybridising when, while judging a show, he saw seedlings raised by a fellow enthusiast from Essex, Eddie Jarman.

Throughout his career, Reg has bred a number of distinct flowers and likes to keep the flowers personal to him buy naming them after his other passions, like jazz and humour, with flowers named ‘Duke Ellington’ and ‘Spike Milligan’. Reg grows daffodils in small quantities, so you may not be able to buy them at the garden centre, but they are favoured by breeders and exhibitors, so you may well see them bringing a touch of spring to an RHS flower show.

Reg joined the RHS Daffodil & Tulip Committee in 1984 and has been a longstanding member of the RHS Trials Sub-Committee. As an RHS Committee member he is one of many horticultural experts who give their time for free to the gardening charity, helping it to advance horticulture and promote gardening. He is also a member of the Narcissus Classification Advisory Committee (now APNC) as well as the Daffodil Show Schedule Committee (now DTSSP) and his knowledge, experience and expertise is widely recognised among the horticultural community.

As Chairman of the Daffodil Society, Reg was instrumental in its success and in 1998 he successfully guided the Society through its Centenary celebrations with flair and enthusiasm. On retiring as Chairman, he was elected the Society's President.

Reg is acknowledged to be one of the country's leading daffodil judges.

Notes to Editors

For more information or an image of Reg Nicholl, please contact Laura Tibbs in the RHS Press Office on 0870 350 1769 or e-mail lauratibbs@rhs.org.uk

Peter Barr Memorial Cup
Presented to the Royal Horticultural Society in 1912 by the Trustees of the Peter Barr Memorial Fund in commemoration of Mr Peter Barr. Awarded every year on the recommendation of the Daffodil and Tulip Committee to someone who, in the Committee's opinion, has done good work of some kind in connection with daffodils.

About RHS Plant Committees
The RHS Plant Committees have been at the heart of the Society since it was founded in 1804. The 24 Committees are made up of more than 400 dedicated horticulturists, who give their time and knowledge for free.
The work of the Committees includes research, trialling and promotion of garden plants. This work makes a significant contribution towards the RHS aim to advance horticulture and help all gardeners.

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The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

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