Scottish Rock Garden Club : Membership and a chance to make a donation

[Maggi Young]

Scottish Rock Garden Club

Do you regularly read the Forum , the Bulb Log or the International Rock Gardener ?
Do you really enjoy visiting the Forum and have registered to enable you to take part?  Do you just come here as a happy "Lurker" to read and enjoy the Forum?
Here is a request to those of you reading this who are not fully paid up members of the Scottish Rock Garden Club, but who nevertheless are able to search these pages and benefit from them:
Please seriously consider joining the SRGC....  it is easily achieved online, see here: http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/join-renew 

As part of the remit of the SRGC to encourage the interest in  and knowledge of rock garden plants, the website and forum is (with the exception of a tiny area only for registered forum members) open to all to read, enjoy, register and contribute to the Forum.
Provision of this facility  does not happen by magic, however: it takes effort, and, as with most things, certain amounts of cold hard cash! While the costs of hosting the website and forum, (the payments for bandwidth and so on) are minuscule in comparison to the costs of producing the Journal  (and capable of reaching far larger numbers, it must be said)  they are still costs which must be met by the SRGC.
It is testament to the regard  in which the website is held , both as a plant  resource and as a networking arena, that the likes of Luit Van Delft donated  surplus bulbs to be sold from Cees Breed's Connoisseur Collection to make a gift to the Club in thanks for its existence.

Such individual generosity is both touching and very gratefully received by the Club.

All of the work of the SRGC is done by volunteers, of course.

I would like to urge all  of you who  appreciate this website and Forum to give thought to how, very simply, you might easily help to support its future.... Join the SRGC.... you will not only have the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to the upkeep of this place, but also you will receive the super twice yearly journal, be eligible to take part in the seed exchange, have free entry to all SRGC Shows, the chance to become a member of a local Group for those of you in the UK
.....goodness me.... how could you resist? 

Or, as an alternative:

The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed a new banner at the top of each Forum Page and also on some pages of the main website:
 
 

This enables anyone to make a donation to the Scottish Rock Garden Club, via PayPal.

We know that many folks who are not members of the SRGC do find the Forum very useful, in so many ways and this is a simple way for them to make a gift of money to the Club in appreciation of information the Club and the Forum has provided. Or you may just feel the SRGC website and Forum are an integral part of your gardening life and want to show your thanks 

For whatever reason, we hope the addition of this facility will prove useful to those of you who have asked how you might easily make a contribution to Club Funds in thanks for 'services rendered' !

The PayPal system is secure, none of your card details are passed to the Club.
You may use it to make any donation large or small.... all will be gratefully received to help support the Club in its work online.

[Maggi Young]

It is now possible to use the Paypal link to pay for a new or renewed SRGC  subscription.
See the extra option from the Membership pages.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks to those who have so far made generous donations via paypal to the SRGC.
Donations are coming from members and non-members and are most welcome.

[Maggi Young]

Six months on from the addition of the Paypal Donate button to the site I am delighted to again  extend the grateful thanks of the SRGC to those members and non-members alike who are using this facility to make donations to the running of the Club.

The ability to pay for membership subscriptions by this method is seemingly a popular choice, as well.

Thanks to all supporters 

[Maggi Young]

Some notes about SRGC Membership:

The SRGC is based in Scotland but has an international membership and offers much of interest to all gardeners and, of course, horticultural students -

SRGC Membership details:

"Postal" membership is for those who wish to receive the printed version of our twice yearly journal and SRGC communications by post.

Please note that there is a special category for postal Junior/Student Memberships- for those below the age of 18 in the relevant subscription year: £3 per annum in the UK, £8 per annum overseas. (Please give date of birth and, for students, the date of end of course of study. ) Students with a particular interest in plants can apply for a free online membership - see http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10804.msg374594#msg374594

Click here http://files.srgc.net/membership/appform.pdf to apply by post (this opens a new window with a printable application form)
Click here http://www.srgc.org.uk/member/onlineap.html to join the club on-line or to renew your current membership DIRECTLY BY CREDIT CARD
Click here http://www.srgc.org.uk/member/onlineappp.html to join the club on-line or to renew your current membership BY PAYPAL - a Paypal Account is not needed for this option.

For "Online, electronic" membership (which is for those who prefer to download the Journals in electronic form) please register from the "Register" link at the top of this web page :  http://www.srgc.net   giving your name as well as your postal and email address - following that, when you next Log In on the main page you will be taken to a special page to pay for e-subscription via Paypal (Paypal Account is needed), then when you are logged in you will have access to the latest Journals. Online subscriptions are only available for individuals.  E-subs cost £10 per annum and are valid for participation in the SRGC Seed Exchange – circa 5000 seed choices this past season –next autumn  will be our 68th seed exchange!

The SRGC Offers You:
"The Rock Garden"
Our twice yearly printed journal is one of the world's best publications written for rock gardeners. Interesting, informative and well-illustrated in colour, it contains articles on all aspects of rock gardening - cultivation and propagation of alpines, construction of rock gardens, plant portraits and plants in the wild. It is written for both expert and beginner.

Seeds Of Rock Plants And Bulbs~
Seed of more than 5000 species and varieties of plants and bulbs suitable for rock, peat and woodland gardens is listed annually. It is collected by members from all over the world and distributed in time for spring sowing. Many of the seeds are unavailable commercially.

Meetings and Talks
There are LOCAL GROUPS in: ABERDEEN, AYR, BELFORD, DUNDEE. EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, INVERNESS (Highland), KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE, MORAY, NEWCASTLE, PENRITH, PERTH, RENFREW and STIRLING . These groups organise meetings, illustrated lectures, garden visits and demonstrations. The SRGC holds regular conferences which are open to all members.

Plant Shows
Members are admitted FREE to the 11 SRGC Plant Shows and Displays in Scotland and Northern England. Here you will see a wide range of interesting and beautiful plants, grown to high standards by expert and novice exhibitors alongside displays of photographs and paintings. Plants, seeds and books can be bought from the SRGC and SPECIALIST NURSERIES at the Shows.

Expert Advice
on the cultivation of alpines and rock garden plants is available free to members.

Interactive Website
There is a wealth of information in the SRGC Website, including access to the weekly diary of Ian Young, the “Bulb Log”; the monthly e-magazine the “International Rock Gardener”; The Archibald Archive of the plant hunter James Cartledge Archibald; Show reports; the fully updated “Crocus Pages”; and much more besides- including all but the most recent issues of our twice yearly Journal “The Rock Garden”  to download free. The SRGC Forum – probably the largest source of plant information provided and exchanged by plantsfolk and gardeners from amateur specialists to world experts in the field of alpines, bulbs and woodland plants of all kinds. What better place for beginners to learn more? Help is only a question away from a huge community of friendly gardeners and passionate plant enthusiasts.  The forum is contributed to by hundreds each day and accessed by thousands more beyond that!

The SRGC operates various GRANT schemes, including the Diana Aitchison Fund which offers grant aid for  horticultural students – read more here: http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/grants

Join online via the SRGC website, or you can print out a form to apply by post: http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/extensions/join-renew

Feel free to get in touch via the contact button on the srgc.net website or any forum page

The SRGC sends  grateful thanks to all those making a donation to the work of the Club via our Paypal Donate buttons.

[Diane Whitehead]

Maggi,

Does it cost less in PayPal fees if one makes one big donation rather than a series
of small ones?  In other words, is there a standard fee per transaction or are the
fees a percentage of the amount given?

[Maggi Young]

It's a percentage fee, Diane so it makes no difference if gifts are large or small.

All are most gratefully received, I assure you!

[latestart]

For Dinosaurs like me who think I have arrived because I now pay my membership by DD and who shy away from internet transactions of any kind would it be possible to have a donations box at one of the shows or at club meetings, specifically for donations to be made. I note many of the donors choose to be anonymous. I'm sure for younger members paypal is a normal way of transacting business wherever they are in the world and will no doubt become the norm but does it have to be now. 

[Maggi Young]

The provision of donation boxes may well be a possibility - which I hope Council will consider.
The suggestion for  Paypal as a method  is because it can be used by anyone, anywhere, with a credit card  ( which covers a LOT of people!) and is a quick, secure method. Of course, it is the choice of the  individual to use it or not.

Meantime, there is always the choice for anyone to send a donation to the SRGC Treasurer, Richard Green, by post  to :

Richard Green (SRGC)
Cedar Cottage
Balfron Station
Glasgow
G63 0SQ
United Kingdom
 
I assure you that Richard will be delighted to accept  on behalf of the Club, any donations by that method.

[latestart]

Thank you Maggie. I hope Council will consider donation boxes . Having been brought up on the 'Every mickle makes a muckle'  and anonymous should mean exactly that with no intermediary there is the added advantage of promoting to people who come to the shows both the website and Forum. They may have heard they exist but they may not know that they can access parts of them.

[Maggi Young]

A few words of thanks to all those  thoughtful  folk who  are generous enough to make a donation to help  support the costs of the  SRGC in providing all our online services. This  support is a great help and  most gratefully received. 
Any donation, whether through the online  donation route or  direct to Treasure Richard Green (see details to contact Richard in post #8   of this page) is very much appreciated  by the SRGC.  You are most welcome to  add a note to Richard should you swish your  donation to be  allocated to a particular facet of the SRGC ' work be that online work, exploration grants and so on.

Kind thanks to you all! 

[Maggi Young]

As the year draws to a close I want to  send  thanks to all who have  kindly made a donation to the  SRGC forum, to help our work  online, whether  made by the  dedicated Forum donation route or the general donation button on the website.

Your support  of the Club and  help towards the  costs of  keeping the  SRGC's  website online and functioning is greatly appreciated - not least by your volunteer Web Team and SRGC  members but also by the many thousands of readers who benefit from our  sharing of all the  valuable  information held  on this  site and in these pages. 

To every one  of our supporters and readers, thank you! We are proud to work with you!

[Maggi Young]

I wrote the following in 2018 - now, in 2024, the same sentiment is just as valid.

As the year draws to a close I want to  send  thanks to all who have  kindly made a donation to the  SRGC forum, to help our work  online, whether  made by the  dedicated Forum donation route or the general donation button on the website.

Your support  of the Club and  help towards the  costs of  keeping the  SRGC's  website online and functioning is greatly appreciated - not least by your volunteer Web Team and SRGC  members but also by the many thousands of readers who benefit from our  sharing of all the  valuable  information held  on this  site and in these pages. 

To every one  of our supporters and readers, thank you! We are proud to work with you!

The SRGC  is delighted to receive donations in support of our work ( all done by volunteers, I remind you) to provide both a "home" for plantlovers  and an almost entirely open resource for those interested in alpine and rock garden plants around the world.  Such donations are received by various means and are all very greatfully received.

I would also mention that "donations" in the terms of volunteer work and the submission of articles for the print journal- 'The Rock Garden' - and the online monthly 'International Rock Gardener'  as well as posts and shares for  forum and other SRGC social media outlets are equally valued and gratefully received!
Also, membership of SRGC is available free to students of horticulture or botanic sciences and for everyone for only £11 per annum.

We are such a marvelous community - well done to you all!