Village Gardeners
OUR SPEAKER Peter Walker, started his talk to us by saying that he was
"not an expert", having originally been interested in wild plants,
then garden plants and, in retirement with the aid of some globe trotting, had
finally linked the two. We were therefore treated to a very interesting hour,
entitled "Ancient Ancestors and Distant Cousins of our Garden Plants and
Their Wild Relatives".
There were practically no garden plants before 1500, when the first plant
hunters started their remarkable travels. Herbs were some of the first plant
brought back to the British Isles, used by Apothecaries and to this day can be
found in the Chelsea Physic Garden at the Royal Hospital.
Our current garden plants, including vegetables, all have foreign or wild (I could say roots - but I won't!) ancestors and as Peter Walker said, it's important to work with nature and not against it. Remember where plants originate.
Pelagoniums from South Africa; Wisteria from China; Narcissus and Tulips from the Orient; Gentians from the Alps - "the original rock garden"; Lewisias from Montana; Hebes from New Zealand; potatoes and tomatoes from South America and cucumbers from North Africa. Wild plants have of course been modified over the centuries for consumption and decoration - sea peas, wild parsnip and carrots, Meadow Clary, Fen Violets, wild gladioli, to name but a few. These and the different plant groups were all very well illustrated by slides.
Two books that he recommended on this topic were: "Plant Hunters" by Charles Lyte and "The Origin of Plants" by Maggie Campbell Culver.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 16th May- 8.00pm at the Village Hall, when Lamorna Thomas will be talking to us on "What plants. Where and Why". Everyone very welcome.