News of the death of Mrs Kath Dryden VMH; a great loss to the Alpine world

[Maggi Young]

Dear Sarah,
The messages left here are but a small number of those we have heard from Members all over the world who held your Grandmother in the highest esteem, both as a Friend and a Plantswoman.
It is a matter of great regret to many of us that we will not be able to attend Kath's funeral service to pay our last respects to her and to pass on to you and your brother Andrew, and your Father and Sue, our sincere condolences on your loss.
Please know that you will be fondly in our thoughts on that day.
Maggi and Ian

[Paul Cumbleton]

Kath was genuinely one of those "one of a kind" people who once met would never be forgotten. She was particularly kind and helpful to me at many points in my life. In particular I owe it to her for being directly responsible for my gaining the post I am so fortunate to have, looking after the alpines at Wisley Garden. She was also extremely supportive to me and my civil partner, Colin, who together she affectionately reffered to simply as "The Boys", a title that has stuck with us everywhere we go. We will both miss her greatly.

Paul Cumbleton

[mark smyth]

I really enjoyed talking with her at the annual bulb sales in East Anglia and on the phone at other times of the year.

[tonyg]

One memory that returns is the comments Kath made on seeing Jacinta and the children at Wymondham AGS show a couple of years ago.  Although she hardly knew us she came up with: "Another couple of years and you'll be able to take over as Show Secretary with them to help you"   Never afraid to voice an opinion but with a very warm heart, as has been said already, she was one of a kind.  RIP

[Maggi Young]

After the rather unseemly comments  from the presenters about the Victoria Medal of Honour on Monday evenings' Chelsea coverage, it was good to hear Alan Titchmarsh, himself the holder of the VHM,  make kind mention of Kath last night.

After a discussion about Anne Scott James, which also mentioned Elizabeth David, speaking of those ladies as " two legends",  Alan Titchmarsh said ( and I have re-listened to the piece so I hope I have the words nearly verbatim) :

"We have lost a third legend sadly this week; a lady called Kathleen Dryden, who I knew well, a great great alpine grower with an outrageous sense of humour and a wonderful laugh. You know she used to call me :"Titchy, what are you doing?". She was lovely, she would have been 84 this coming Saturday. We will miss her, miss her terribly, and her laugh; and she taught us that you need more than one lifetime to learn about gardening. Two lovely women" ((meaning Kath and Anne Scott James)

[ichristie]

Dear All, I manged to get to Kath Drydens funeral today and thanks to Lynne and Doug Joyce who made a super effort to drive me. John Kaths son took me to Kaths garden for one last look this really knocked me out as i just imagined her being round the next corner. John was so thankful to evryone for all the support given here on the forum and all the family spoke highly of the SRGC. I met the great and the good of horticulture such was the respect held by our friend Kath. The minister said at the end 'I never realised that a flower could mean so much to someone and that someone could mean so much to a flower. Kath Dryden. VMH.

[Maggi Young]

So many of us who would dearly have loved to be able to pay our last respects to dear Kath are heartened to hear that her funeral was so well attended by so many friends from the plant world - I hope it would have pleased Kath and that it has given comfort to  her family.
A bunch of Scottish Rock folks are off to Gothenburg on Thursday.... what's the betting that a toast to Kath will be the first made in the potting shed ?   

[J.B.Wyllie]

There will be toasts to lots of folks at the Potting Shed. All absent friends your ears will be bussing.

Cheers Jean and the gang.

[ichristie]

Hi all as Kath would have said 'fancy a back stiffener?' any time i visited at 5pm she would appear with a huge glass of whisky for me I always slept well at The Berries,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.