All the latest news
December 10 2008
2009 YOUNG HORTICULTURIST OF THE YEAR COMPETITION GETS UNDERWAY
Over 1500 horticultural students from all parts of Britain and Ireland will be battling it out over the next few months for the coveted crown of Young Horticulturist of the Year. They will be looking to repeat the success of Patrick Wiltshire, who won the 2008 National Final at The Eden Project last May. He is now planning to spend the travel bursary he won travelling North America in search of both native and cultivated American plants.
The 2009 competition promises to be bigger and better than ever with more than £10,000 worth of prizes on offer from a wide variety of sponsors, the competition is set to attract the highest calibre of horticultural students.
December 10 2008
DATE SET FOR RELAUNCH OF IoH WEBSITE
The IoH website will be re-launched on Friday 30 January 2009.
The site is being re-designed, re-structured and re-written. Following the decision taken by members not to merge the Institute with another organisation, the site will reflect the renewed vigour of the Institute to pursue an independent agenda as the only organisation bringing together all professionals working in the horticulture industry. The banner adopted for the new site is: “Uniting a growing profession”.
“We are aiming to produce a site which will be attractive and easily accessible and have content which is of interest to both members and non-members,” said Jim Deen who is working with John Harris of Harris Digital and Angela Evans, the IoH Administration Manager to produce the new site.
December 10 2008
RHS Wisley Student wins 2008 Young Horticulturist of the Year National Final
Patrick Wiltshire is third time lucky. After three years of trying, Patrick Wiltshire, currently studying at RHS Wisley, but originally from East Yorkshire, has won the 2008 National Final of the Young Horticulturist of the Year (YHoY) competition and hopes to use his £2000 travel bursary, sponsored by the Percy Thrower Trust, to travel in the USA to study native and cultivated plants. Patrick’s success was more assured as each of the eleven rounds went past and he cranked up his impressive score. It was only in the last rapid fire buzzer round that Ed Miles, from the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh, was able to eat away a little at his impressive 10 point lead.
September 30 2008
REPORT ON PROVISION OF HORTICULTURE R&D
A report on the provision of UK Horticultural R&D commissioned by the National Horticultural Forum has been presented by Brian Jamieson & Associates. The IoH is a member of the Forum and a copy of the report can be viewed HERE
The report identifies the changes in Defra research funding away from crop science and towards research on public policy issues such as climate change and biodiversity which could have a major impact on the research base for growers. The result could be a loss of valuable crop-based research teams.
The report suggests that there needs to be some positive and creative thinking on the part of research providers and R&D funders such as HDC to minimise the impact of these funding changes on the R&D that underpins the industry.
September 30 2008
NEW IOH BUSINESS PLAN PRESENTED TO AGM
A group of IoH officers led by the Institute’s incoming President, Dr Heather Barrett-Mold has produced a comprehensive business plan for the Institute which sets out a road-plan for re-structuring the Institute’s finances, administration and member services. The Business Plan is the culmination of a far-reaching consultation process which followed the rejection by members of a move to merge the IoH which the SCI at the end of 2007.
The full Business Plan can be viewed by IoH members only on the Institute’s new discussion forum at http://www.theioh.org.uk/forum
September 30 2008
DAVID BARKER MIHort COLLECTS YORKSHIRE IN BLOOM GOLD MEDAL
David Barker MIHort, Head Gardener at Middlethorpe Hall, York, collected a prestigious Gold Medal at the recent Yorkshire in Bloom Awards Ceremony held at the Metrodome in Barnsley. David and his team won the award in the Large Hotels category.
The judges commented: “A very interesting entry containing many specimens of horticultural interest. The Head Gardener, David Barker, and his fantastic knowledge and enthusiasm, is very evident to the visitor. The planting is largely permanent and maintained to a high standard. “
Maurice Baren FIHort, chairman of Yorkshire in Bloom, congratulated all the entrants on the high standards they had maintained despite the poor weather during the summer: "Yorkshire people have been determined to do their best and provide the county with wonderful floral displays, as well as caring for their natural habitats and other environmental areas.”
September 30 2008
CONTRIBUTIONS INVITED FOR URBAN HORTICULTURE CONFERENCE
The 2nd International Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture is to be held under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) at the Universitá di Bologna, Italy from 9 - 13 June 2009
The organisers are calling for abstracts of scientific contributions with a deadline of October 13. Contributions are welcome, concerning a wide range of topics: From ecophysiology and plant management in urban environment, through psychological and social aspects of gardening, plant use and garden design - including transversal views where landscape architecture meets functional horticultural management in the cities – to urban agriculture. Contributions dealing with innovative solutions for garden design and management, including ecological engineering and technologies, are warmly welcome.
Abstracts should be submitted electronically only, to dista.luh2009@unibo.it before 13 October 2008. The abstract in English of about 300 words should be presented on a single A4 page. Full details of the structure and presentations of the abstract can be obtained from the conference website http://www.luh2009.org
July 27 2008
NEW EDITOR FOR IOH WEBSITE
Jim Deen FI Hort has taken over responsibility for editing and updating the Institute’s website. He succeeds Graham Porter who has had the role for the last year.
Jim recognises that the website design is outdated and the structure of the site can be hard to follow, but is hopeful that a re-vamp will be given a high priority by Council and those working on a way forward for the Institute.
In the meantime, he will be posting news in this area of the site and updating and correcting other areas of the site as it stands.
News items, updates to pages, additions and corrections should be addressed to him at jimdeen@btinternet.com
Please indicate clearly what section you are referring to and if possible give the URL of the page e.g. http://www.horticulture.org.uk/news
July 27 2008
NORTHERN BRANCH: COMMENDATIONS FOR JOE MAIDEN AND ANDREW JACKSON
At the Branch Annual Meeting of the Institute of Horticulture’s Northern Branch on Saturday June 14th, two branch commendations were presented by the retiring Chairman, Graham Porter.
Branch members heard from Joe Maiden, about his 40 years as the gardening expert on BBC Radio Leeds and how, as a young man he had ridden on the back of a motorbike to Askham Bryan College to apply for a place as a student. Joe subsequently held a number of posts with Leeds City Council before his retirement a few years ago but he still provides the gardeners of West Yorkshire with his encyclopaedic knowledge every week, as he has done since the Radio station began in 1968. His Branch Commendation is presented to him for his dedication to the industry over a lifetime. During the day at The Lakeland Horticultural Society’s gardens at Holehird near Windermere, Joe was able to meet up with Henry Noblett, who began the development of Holehird in the 1960’s- Joe was taught by Henry as a young man and this meeting provided the perfect link for both.
Retiring IOH Northern Branch Treasurer, Andrew Jackson gave the meeting a pocket history of his time with the IOH Northern Branch Committee over 19 years and his career. Andrew’s final words were that the professional of horticulture and the IOH had given him far more than he could ever give them and this has typified Andrew’s approach to his roles as Vice Chairman, Chairman and Treasurer over the last 19 years. Andrew’s award was given for his unstinting dedication to the IOH Northern Branch.
The IOH Northern Branch Commendations are presented annually to people within the IOH Northern Branch boundaries who, it is felt by the Branch, have contributed something to the industry or the IOH that is above and beyond the call of duty.
July 27 2008
GARDEN MEDIA GUILD 2008 AWARDS - CALL FOR ENTRIES
The Garden Media Guild (formerly Garden Writers' Guild) is inviting entries from authors, journalists, publishers, broadcasters and photographers for its 2008 Awards.
To be announced and presented at the Guild's annual Awards Lunch on November 20 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, the 19 garden media 'Oscars' will spotlight the highest standards of creative communications in books, magazines, newspapers, photographs, television, radio and digital media categories.
Three new Awards will recognise the year's best news story, best local radio broadcast and the best young gardener initiative.
Every new gardening article, book, programme, image, DVD and website published or broadcast since September 8, 2007 is eligible to win and entrants do not need to be members of the Guild. The closing date for all Award nominations is September 5, 2008 and entry forms can be found online at www.gardenmediaguild.co.uk.
Guild chairman, Valerie McBride-Munro said: "The Awards scheme celebrates the best in technical and creative gardening communications. We are pleased that we have a record number of Award categories this year with three additional Awards to extend the scheme to new specialisms.
"It is particularly gratifying to have the support of the RHS in launching the Young Gardener Initiative Award which will encourage the media to seek out and promote projects which develop and nurture horticultural talent within the educational system or wider community."
The full list of Awards for 2008 is:
BOOKS
Practical Book of the Year
Reference Book of the Year
Inspirational Book of the Year
PRESS
Newspaper of the Year
News Story of the Year
Magazine of the Year
ournalist of the Year
Practical Journalist of the Year
Trade Journalist of the Year
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photographer of the Year
Features Photographer of the Year
Single Image of the Year
BROADCASTING
Television Broadcast of the Year
Radio Broadcasts of the Year
(a) National Radio
(b) Local Radio
MULTIMEDIA
Environmental Award
New Writer Award
Digital Media Award
Young Gardener Initiative
For further information, contact Gill Hinton of The Garden Media Guild
at admin@gardenmediaguid.co.uk or on 01989 567393.