Melanie collates and records information about new, existing and historical cultivars of Narcissus and Delphinium, compiles the annual Cultivar Registration Bulletin and is Secretary to the ISHS Special Commission for Cultivar Registration
I register new Narcissus and Delphinium cultivar names, ensuring they comply with The International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP). This includes checking new names to confirm they are unique, writing botanical descriptions, and recording the information in the register database along with a photographic record. Details of new cultivars are published annually in order to establish the new cultivar names. I maintain a list of unregistered cultivar introductions and add to the databases any historical cultivar information I come across during research. I am Secretary to the ISHS Special Commission for Cultivar Registration, which oversees the international network of cultivar registration authorities. I also compile the RHS’s annual Cultivar Registration Bulletin.
The RHS has been the cultivar registration authority for Narcissus and Delphinium since the inception of the international registration authority network in 1955. The historical connection between the RHS and daffodils goes back even further, to the mid-1800’s. This inspiring history and bank of cultivar knowledge motivates me to carry on the good work.
The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.
