News

Applied Research Forum Soil Information Gateway

You may be interested to know that a series of soil academies, prepared as part of the Improved Soil Management project by the Applied Research Forum (ARF), has now gone live on the Farmers Weekly website. This runs hand-in-hand with a major series of five articles in Farmers Weekly.

The on-line academy can be found at www.fwi.co.uk/academy.

The Norah Stucken Award

The Norah Stucken was awarded this year to ‘The Real IPM Company (K) Ltd’ to recognise the part they have played in providing commercial growers with a unique insight into pesticide use. One of the joint Managing Directors, Dr Wainwright, is a former professor of Commercial Horticulture at Writtle College.

Lin Blunt accepted the Norah Stucken award on behalf of Dr Henry Wainwright and Louise Labuschange co-owners of ‘The Real IPM Company’. On their behalf she commented as follows;

“Organisations like Writtle College and the IoH have made no small contribution to our ability to establish our company.”

‘The Real IPM’ received the award in recognition of the successful development and application of biological control systems for Kenyan Horticulture. Lin Blunt commented further;

“The Fact that the IoH can look outside the UK demonstrates there is an appreciation that Horticulture is a truly global affair and that what occurs in places like Kenya influences what happens in the UK and what appears on the UK supermarket shelves.”

The Norah Stucken award itself has been established to commemorate the long-standing publisher of ‘The Grower’ – Horticultural Publication, Norah Stucken.

PRESS RELEASE

Members of the Institute of Horticulture have voted for a merger with SCI. The vote was carried out by a ballot where Members could vote confidentially at the Institute’s AGM, held at Writtle College on 29 September 2007.

Before the vote was taken, there was a wide-ranging debate about how the Institute might best position itself to serve the industry.

Tony Girard, IoH president, encouraged members to look to the future. ‘We have a mandate to negotiate a meaningful future with SCI’ he said. ‘We look forward to discussing with SCI how we can best serve horticulture, and ensure the best possible deal for our members.

'Members of the IoH are passionate about their industry, and we seek to do our utmost to ensure its future.'

AGM 29 September 2007

Professor Geoff Dixon, FI Hort & an External Examiner on BSc Horticulture when launched at Writtle back in the late 1980s was joined by Victor Lambert, Managing Director of Hortimax, the company responsible for the overall supply and build of the structure to officially open the new research Glasshouse at the Institute's AGM on Saturday 29th September.

The research glasshouse, which is partially funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), is split into zones, two each side of a central corridor. The environmental conditions of each zone are independently controlled so that different crops can be grown in appropriate conditions at the same time. The 640m2 glasshouse will be heated by a high efficiency condensing boiler with dual fuel capacity. The glasshouse will also utilise a drainage system whereby rainwater can be collected for reuse.

Horticultural Trainers Needed

MorePerformance is the training and development arm of horticultural recruitment specialists MorePeople. Over the last 12 months they have developed an innovative customer focused training programme that has been adopted by one of the Uk’s leading retailers. They are about to launch phase two and would like to hear from like minded horticulturists. To find out more please click on the link (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

Roger Burnett receives Branch Commendation

At the recent Branch Annual Meeting of the Northern Branch of the Institute of Horticulture, held at Howick Hall, Northumberland, Roger Burnett, Head of Scarborough Borough Council’s Parks and Open Spaces, received the Annual Branch Commendation for his contribution to horticulture of the North of England. Roger can be seen receiving his award from Tony Girard FI.Hort, the President of the Institute of Horticulture at the recent annual meeting.

Please click here for the full Article.

defra have recently released 'A Strategy for England's Trees, Woods and Forests, replacing 1998's 'A New Focus for England's Woodlands'. It sets out Government's vision for England's tree and woodland resource in both rural and urban areas over the next fifty years.

If you are a member of the Institute and would like a copy of the Strategy, please contact Administration Manager at ioh@horticulture.org.uk
Tel: 020 7936 5957. (You will need to quote your membership number.)

Events Information

Please remember to log onto YOUR Branch Events Page and keep up to date with the on-going events that they run throughout the year. All you have to do is click on the Events Link to your left and you will be directed to the relevant page.

Warrenstown student wins Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2007

For further information and details please go to the YHOY section of this site.

Professor Geoff Dixon, former president of the IoH and current chairman of its education and careers committee, has expressed concern on the Institute's behalf at the recent proposals for the future of the Pershore Group of Colleges. Mergers with the Herefordshire and Warwickshire Colleges had been proposed, but these were in doubt.
The Institute's major concern is the potential loss of courses in horticulture, which Pershore College is admirably qualified to provide in the West Midlands region. Horticulture is a major player on the UK financial scene; the combined amenity and production workforce is more than 300,000, and horticulture's contribution to the UK GDP is in excess of £15 billion. Horticulture is a highly significant industry - both in urban and rural terms.

The Institute of Horticulture has made representations to the LSC about the future of the Pershore Group of Colleges. Without robust financial and teaching proposals to sustain the programme of horticultural education at Pershore, there is a risk of losing a major support to our industry's future. The Institute is keen to work with all parties, to secure what is right for the industry on this issue.

The Institute of Horticulture (IoH) is the professional and learned body for the discipline of Horticulture in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Our members are employed in all aspects of production, environmental and social Horticulture. As such we keenly promote excellence in education and training and therefore, welcome your request for an appraisal of these proposals. Views set out below are the result of internal consultation within the Institute.

For more information, please contact:
Margaret Waddy, IoH Press and Publicity Officer,
Institute of Biology, 9 Red Lion Court, London EC4A 3EF
Tel: 020 7936 5957, Fax: 020 7936 5958
Email: ioh@horticulture.org.uk

The Institute of Horticulture Award for Outstanding Services made to Ronald J Smith.

For more than 90 years Ronald Smith, nurseryman of Aberdeen has rendered outstanding services to British horticulture. Raised in a tradition of horticultural excellence by his father, Head Gardener on the Cowdray Estates at Dunecht on Royal Deeside, Ronald started a commercial enterprise raising hardy nursery stock that is now into its third generation. His vision, energy and enthusiasm encouraged interests beyond his own company. He stalwartly supported the 'Scottish System' combining education, research and advisory services in a single entity. The Aberdeen School of Agriculture, uniting the North of Scotland College and University Department benefited from his service as a Governor for 15 years in the 1970s and 1980s. Horticultural Experimental Units at Craibstone, Aberdeen and Aldroughty Farm Elgin produced a stream of research directly applicable to the Northern Scottish industry through the advisory service and delivered in to the student classroom. The Scottish Horticultural Research Institute (now Scottish Crop Research Institute, SCRI), Dundee; Glasshouse Investigation Unit for Scotland and Scottish Technical Education Council (now Scottish Qualifications Agency, SQA) similarly benefited from Ronald's knowledge and experience. As one of the Institute's earliest Fellows it is more than appropriate that he should join those who have given 'Outstanding Service' to Horticulture.
The certificate was presented at a ceremony attended by a gathering of Ronald's friends from Northern Horticulture and his family on Saturday 20th January 2007, by Professor Geoffrey Dixon, previously both Head of Horticulture in the Aberdeen School and Chairman of the Scottish Branch. Very grateful thanks are given to Colin and Pauline Stirling who made the arrangements for this ceremony and to Ms Sylvia Whyte, previously Minute Secretary to the NOSCA Board of Governors who organised a momento to his service there.

back row left to right: Colin Stirling (consultant); Prof Geoff Dixon;
Derek Macdonald Managing Director Christie Elite Nurseries; front row left
to right: Robin Currie, previously Managing Director Banff & Buchan
Nurseries; Ronald Smith; Bill Wylie, previously Seedsman Aberdeen

IoH president David Miller handed over his baton to Tony Girard at the Institute’s AGM held at Trentham Gardens on 30 September.
Tony Girard congratulated David Miller on the radical changes he had introduced during his two-year presidency. ‘You have moved the Institute forward into the twenty-first century’, he said. ‘Change can be hard to accept’, he said, ‘but you’ve worked to great purpose in focusing our aims in providing a body and voice for the twenty-first century.’

Acknowledgement for general secretary Angela Clarke
Angela Clarke, who was general secretary to the Institute of Horticulture for 16 years until March 2006, became an Honorary Life Fellow of the IoH.

‘You have provided the Institute with long-term stability during the time you’ve been our face and voice’, said President David Miller, who presented the Fellowship certificate. ‘So many of our members, and the multitude of people and organisations that contact us, are grateful for the support, information and advice you’ve given.’

Angela Clarke said that she was delighted to keep a life-long connection with the IoH. ‘I have no horticultural qualifications’, she said, ‘but I’ve learned a great deal about the industry over the past 16 years. I feel that I‘m up there with such horticultural legends as Alan Barber and Charles Notcutt.’

Tony Girard with David Miller
Angela Clarke, former general secretary, with David Miller.

Peter Grimbly receives Institute of Horticulture’s President’s Medal

IoH president David Miller presented Peter Grimbly with this year’s President’s Medal at the Institute’s AGM, held at Trentham Gardens on 30 September. The Medal is in the president’s personal gift. Peter Grimbly is honorary treasurer of the Institute and export promoter for the Commercial Horticultural Association.

Making the presentation, David Miller said, ‘Peter has contributed greatly to the affairs of the Institute of Horticulture and to horticulture in general. In a quiet and unassuming manner he has just got on with the business in hand’.

Peter’s comment in reply was: ‘My father wanted me to be a Chartered Accountant; being honorary treasurer of the Institute of Horticulture is as far as I have got’.

The image shows Peter Grimbly (L) and outgoing president David Miller (R) at the IoH AGM held at Trentham Gardens.

Institute of Horticulture honours Oliver Menhinick

David Miller presented Oliver Menhinick with the Institute of Horticulture Award for his outstanding contribution to horticulture at the recent AGM, held at Trentham Lakes, Syoke-on-Trent. David Miller commended Oliver Menhinick for his contribution to the education of students through his innovative long-distance courses.

The image shows Oliver Menhinick receiving the citation from David Miller, IoH president.

Institute of Horticulture honours Mike Pollock

Outgoing IoH president David Miller presented Mike Pollock with the Institute of Horticulture Award for his outstanding contribution to the industry. David Miller commended him for his work with the advisory service, culminating in the directorship of Rosewarne EHS in Cornwall; his contribution as Head of Education of the RHS; and his dedication to the IoH through his service as Vice President (Branches) and his several roles with the Institute’s south west branch.

The image shows Mike Pollock receiving the citation from David Miller, IoH president.

Institute of Horticulture honours Alan Barber

Outgoing IoH president David Miller presented Alan Barber with the Institute of Horticulture Award for his outstanding contribution to the industry. David Miller commended him for his distinguished career in the amenity / environmental horticulture sector, especially his work in strategic planning for urban greenspace.

The image shows Alan Barber receiving the citation from David Miller, IoH president.

Oliver Menhinick reports--A strong group led by Trevor Gibson visited the ultra automated Double H Nursery at New Milton on September 14th. We were met by Neil Stevenson the Managing Director. It was an eye-popping visit. The pot plants appeared to be touched once at propagation and again at packing. The crops were produced to consistent, very high quality standards, on a huge scale to precise production standards and schedules for the major supermarket chains. Pot Mums,(1.4 Million a year) were the main focus for our visit; we also saw begonias 1.7 million per annum orchid and cyclamen. The next nursery development will increase the Phalaeonopsis orchid production. We saw the "small" trial area where 80.000 are currently produced a year. The strength of the foliage, roots and blossom spikes was quite superb.

Due to a delay in arrival the Wiltshire College Lackham contingent led by Chairman Carl Gill was conducted separately and missed the group photo. Liz Cave - the quality supervisor conducted the main party.

After a fine buffet lunch at a local pub, thank you again Trevor, we visited the Furzey Gardens, Minstead near Lyndhurst and right in the heart of the New Forest. Peter White met us and gave us an interesting introduction and history of the garden, which was established in 1922. There was much to see and enjoy. Many rare trees and shrubs of great botanical interest were well labelled. The gardens with their secret paths, glades, and adventure playgrounds have much to offer as a good family visit. Furzey Gardens are part of a Registered Charitable Organisation, which provides horticultural training and residential care for young people with learning difficulties - through the work of the Minstead Training Project. It appears to offer a model for other large gardens as it helps the young trainees, the visitors and the gardens.www.furzey-gardens.org.

A joint visit to the last remaining hand tool forge in Britain by the IoH Northern Branch and the North West and North Wales Branch turned out to be one of the most fascinating visits of the last few years. Members were treated to a light lunch including Wigan pies before being given a full conducted tour of the factory.

Now owned by Rollins, Bulldog Tools Ltd can boast 200 years of experience in the manufacture of hand tools for the Building Trade and the Agricultural / Horticultural Industry. At the present site in Wigan, established in 1780, the IoH members, togged up in safety glasses and hi-viz jackets, saw every aspect of the manufacturing process, from raw metal blocks to the finished article. They saw a contractors shovel being pushed well beyond its British Standard loading limit of 143 lbs and also saw a new Powerbreaker shovel being tested to 10,000 volts. Hickory (Carya spps) and Ash (Fraxinus spps) tool handles hold a whole story on their own and make one realise the vast and complex interconnections there are in our industry. Watching two men turning strange hot lumps of metal into garden forks held most of us spell-bound for quite some time and observing the complex construction of a springbok rake will stay in our thoughts for years to come.

The joint visit was planned by Graham Porter, Chairman of the Northern Branch, as a link to the sponsorship deal that he has negotiated with Bulldog Tools Ltd for the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition 2007. The company has offered a spade and fork set for each of the eight Regional Final winners in the 2007 competition and it is hoped that other IoH Branches will make the effort to visit the companies manufacturing site to see a good British company producing top quality tools for our profession.

On behalf of the Institute of Horticulture, we would like to offer a huge vote of thanks to all the staff that made us so welcome and made our visit such a success.

Horticultural Development Council sponsors the Institute of Horticulture's Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.

The IOH is happy to announce that the Horticultural Development Council is to become one of the sponsors for the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition from this year and is offering young horticulturists an additional £1000 worth of prize money.

The competition already attracts more than £12000 worth of sponsorship from the Percy Thrower Trust, Bulldog Tools Ltd (www.bulldogtools.co.uk), More People (www.morepeople.co.uk) and many more across the eight regions of the IOH (see more complete list on the IOH website at www.horticulture.org.uk) and this new sponsorship will allow the competition organisers to give prizes to the second and third place winners of the National Final, this year to be held at Glasnevin Botanical Gardens, Dublin on April 28th 2007.

The main prize at National level is a £1500 travel bursary sponsored by the Shropshire Horticultural Society who manage a trust fund set up by Percy Thrower to encourage young people to come into horticulture.

This new money will allow organisers to give £700 to the second place winner in return for a 5000 word report on the modern technology and growing techniques being used at a large nursery of their choosing. The report must include discussion on the good and bad environmental practices of the nursery as compared with other in the sector. The money will be used for travel, accommodation and the purchase of any necessary equipment and materials to complete the report. The report must be produced within one year of the date of the National Final and will then be published through the IOH and HDC websites and journals.

The third placed winner will receive £300 prize money in return for a 2500 word report on one of the NCCPG National Collections of plants and how its plants are valued and used by the commercial industry. The money will be used for travel, accommodation and the purchase of any necessary equipment and materials to complete the report. The report must be produced within one year of the date of the National Final and will then be published through the IOH and HDC websites and journals.

For more details of the Institute of Horticulture visit the web site at www.horticulture.org.uk . Visit the Young Horticulturist of the Year web page for more details of the competition.

For more details of the Horticultural Development Council visit their web site at www.hdc.org.uk.

Institute of Horticulture,
Institute of Biology, 9 Red Lion Court, London EC4A 3EF
Tel: 020 7936 5957, Fax: 020 7936 5958
Email: info@horticulture.org.uk.