National AGM 2015

Our President, Roy Lancaster CBE was present and the opening talk was given by Dr John Grimshaw, a gardening botanist and author who now works as Director of the Yorkshire Arboretum, a partnership between the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew and Castle Howard. John has been widely published, co-authoring ‘Snowdrops’ (the Galanthophile’s bible!) and writing ‘New Trees, Recent Introduction to Cultivation’. His garden blog, enjoyed by thousands of people, is considered to be one of the very best. His lectures are well received around the world.

In the afternoon, we heard from Bleddyn Wynn-Jones of Crûg Farm Plants (who, with his wife Sue, also ran a plant stall). Bleddyn and Sue are both renowned plant hunters as well as Chelsea Gold medallists and President’s Award winners. They also lecture around the world, although this is a first for Mansfield!