Sad loss of a great Czech Gardener - Ota Vlasák

[Maggi Young]

It is my sad duty to advise of the death on 23rd October 2015  of Ota Vlasák, one of the many great Czech rock and alpine growers, who has died, aged 70 after a long illness.

 Ota had been ill for some time  but was determined in 2013 to meet visitors to his garden- even managing, having just come from treatment in hospital, to talk to visitors from the 2nd Czech Rock Garden Conference in his beautiful garden.
He was well-known, too, for his work with the famous Prague Alpine plant exhibitions.

Ota Vlasák will be sadly missed by his family and friends, to whom we extend our condolences.

[Tim Ingram]

I thought Ota Vlasák's garden, and the nursery along with it, was a real highlight of the Czech tour of gardens in May 2013 - and that's saying something along with all the other gardens we were privileged to see. This is a picture I took then and there are a few more pictures here:

http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/diaries/Kent/+April+/558/

A real inspiration, such a fine garden.

[Maggi Young]

Ota's colleagues in the Prague RGC have posted this comment to the SRGC  condolences  on his loss :

 "Klub skalničkářů Praha Thanks for your support!
We are preparing article about him and post it in the evening with some pictures of him and his work."

[mark smyth]

Here he is on the day the AGS Ulster Group visited

Ota and his pointing stick

[ruweiss]

At the Czech autumn conference we heared at first about Ota's illness,
but did not think, that he passes away so soon.
We knew him since our first visit to Prague and ZZ more than 30 years ago.
His garden looked to us like the paradise and many plants were unknown
to us rockgardening greenhorns.
A generous gift of rare plants and a tasty meal made this day unforgetable.

We extend our sympathies to Ruzena and her family.