Comments
from Mr. PGC: Throughout
history, many people have made lasting contributions to the
world of plants. In these pages, we hope to pay tribute to
some of them. Our concentration will be primarily on those
who have introduced plants to the gardening world, those who
have helped spread the word about gardening and those who
have made significant contributions to landscaping and
landscaping design around the world.
This list will be constantly growing as we add
new names. If you have someone who you think should be on
the list, please send us an
Email.
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Joseph
Paxton |
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English author of The
Education of a Gardener, Russell Page's garden designs were
used at
Leeds Castle (Kent), Port Lympne (Kent), the Frick Gallery
in New York and The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Garden at Pepsi
Cola's World Headquarters in Purchase, New York. His work is also
to be found in
France, Italy and Spain.
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The genus,
Parrotia, was
named for this German naturalist. Plants with this name
include the Persian Parrotia (Persian Ironwood, Irontree).
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A Dutch princess noted
for her passion for botany, she was daughter of the Czar of
Russia. The genus,
Paulownia (Empress Tree), was
named for her.
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One of the greatest gardeners of the nineteenth century, Sir
Joseph started as an assistant gardener at Chatsworth (Derbyshire),
England
and ultimately became head gardener. He designed a magnificent
Palm House there which later was the inspiration for the The Crystal Palace
famous at the
Great Exhibition of 1851. Creation of that structure
secured him his knighthood.
Sir Joseph's designs may be seen at Somerleyton Hall (Suffolk), the formal Italian gardens at Tatton
Park (Cheshire), Birkenhead Park (Cheshire), parks in Glasgow,
Dundee and Halifax and
Lisemore Castle (Co Waterford).
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Count
Perovsky was a Russian general and statesman. The plant genus,
Perovskia
(Russian sage), is named for him.
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Owner of Perry's Hardy Plant Farm in
Enfield, Middlesex,
England known for producing a large number of new varieties
of herbaceous perennials. He was awarded the
Victoria Medal of Honour (V.M.H.) from the
Royal
Horticultural Society in
1935 primarily for his work in hybridizing
Iris.
Plants associated with Perry and his
nursery include
Achillea ptarmica 'Perry's White',
Erysimum 'Perry's Peculiar',
Geranium
himalayense 'Frances Perry',
Iris sibirica
'Perry's Blue',
Meconopsis cambrica 'Frances Perry',
Papaver orientale 'Perry's White',
Papaver
orientale 'Mrs Perry', and
Viola 'Frances
Perry'.
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Harold
Peto was one of the most successful landscape
designers of the Edwardian period (1901-1911). He is credited with
reintroducing the
Italianate style into British gardening. He also had an active
practice in the South of
France, where he designed several villas
and their gardens.
Harold Peto's designs were used at Buscot Park (Oxfordshire),
Heale House (Wiltshire), Easton Lodge (Essex), Wayford Manor
(Somerset),
Iford Manor, West Dean (West Sussex) and
Garnish (Ilnacullin Island) Gardens in Bantry Bay,
Ireland .
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This English plantsman worked closely with
William
Robinson and other influential gardeners of his day. In
his later years, he was known as a lecturer and television
horticulturist.
Plants associated with his name include
several Michaelmas daisies (Asters),
Clematis
'Hagley Hybrid',
Clematis
'Picton's Variety',
Clematis
'Joan Picton', and
Ranunculus ficaria 'Picton's
Double'
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Hugh Plat was an enthusiastic
gardener who was also a member of
Queen Elizabeth's royal court. He
created gardens at Bishop's Hat, Bethnal Green and Kirkby Castle
in
England.
Plat was also well known as an
author with such books as The Jewel House of Art and Nature, Floraes Paradise
(1608) and Garden of Eden (1655). He was interested
in herb gardens resulting in the book, Delights for Ladies,
which contained herb recipes.
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She is chiefly known for
working to popularize the use of plants with extremely dark or "black"
foliage and for encouraging younger people to
have an interest in gardening. Her books include 'Black Magic
and Purple Passion' the only comprehensive book on black plants.
She founded the International Black Plant Society in 2002
and also started the International Society for Green Flowers.
Both
organizations are based in Sheffield,
England but are
international in nature.
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A French botanist, after
whom the genus,
Plumeria, or Frangipani (originally named
Plumiera) is named.
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He was the "minister" to
Mexico in the early
1800's where he noticed the lovely plant that turned bright red
around the Christmas season. As a botanist, he recognized
the potential value of
Euphorbia pulcherrima and sent
samples back to the U.S. where it became known as the
poinsettia.
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