An illustrated talk by Horticulturist and Veitch Historian, Caradoc Doy
After arriving in Devon in the late 1700s to lay out the new grounds at Killerton House for the Acland family, the Scottish horticulturist John Veitch set up his own nursery and established what was to become one of the most remarkable horticultural dynasties in Britain. Owing to the pioneering work of his son James, the firm sent 23 plant collectors around the globe, on often dangerous journeys in search of new and exotic plants that would be in high demand with the Victorian gardening elite. Five generations of the Veitch family took charge of the nursery business, which was also involved in advising and creating fine designed landscapes and gardens. They introduced many hundreds of new plants, created the first official orchid hybrid and oversaw the arrival of the Wellingtonia tree. In this illustrated talk Caradoc Doy will summarise the story of this remarkable firm, giving an account of the rise of the Veitch Nurseries from the early days in Exeter, and describing some of the South West landscapes influenced by Veitch.
Caradoc Doy is a Devon-based horticulturist with a passion for plant conservation and a keen interest in gardens and the designed landscape. He was trained at Bicton College of Agriculture and Pershore College of Horticulture before embarking on a career in the nursery and gardening trade. Caradoc is an expert on the Veitch Nurseries of Exeter and Chelsea and has been researching the firm for many years. For more information on his work, please visit his website.
Admission £5 per person
To book please contact Abi Gray on 01548 830832 or email office@dra.uk.net. To secure your booking advance payment is required either in cash, by cheque payable to 'The Fenwick Charitable Trust', or by card over the phone. Payments are non-refundable. Any unsold tickets will be available to purchase at the door on the evening.
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