SCOTTISH ROCK GARDEN CLUB 75th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

[Ian Y]

We kicked off the SCOTTISH ROCK GARDEN CLUB's  75th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS yesterday when over 200 invited Members and Guests gathered for a Garden Party at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.

Over the coming weeks we will post a number of the party pictures showing the people of the Club as all too often we record the plants but not the people behind them.


President Ian Christie looks nervous as he waits to open the proceedings beside him is AGS President Frank Tindall and Bette Ivey, Honorary President of the SRGC


David Rae of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh addresses the assembled Scottish Rockers.


AGS President Frank Tindall brings congratulations from our sister society the AGS as well as adding his own warm congratulations to the SRGC as a member for over forty years.


Frank presents Ian with a painting from the AGS which will be given as an annual award .



David Mitchell of the RBGE, here representing the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, of which he is Vice President, says some very kind and encouraging words about the SRGC.


Ian Christe is presented with a quaich from the Ulster Alpine Garden Society by Pat Crossley.


Honorary President Bette Ivey says a few words.


Ian presents Bette with a specially commissioned print.


A sign of genuine affection which typifies the friendships formed within the SRGC.


Ian gives John Mitchell of the RBGE a thank you gift for organising this special day out at the RBG.

Ian Christie and John Mitchell

[mark smyth]

Congratulations Scottish Rockers!! 

I had to Google Quaich because I hadnt a clue what it is. So from Rampant Scotland I borrowed this

Background
The Quaich (pronounced "quake", from the Gaelic word "cuach") has a rich heritage in Scotland - indeed, they are a uniquely Scottish invention, having no apparent connection to any other European drinking vessel. A traditional Scottish drinking vessel to offer a guest a cup of welcome and also as a farewell drink, usually a dram of whisky. Travellers were known to carry a quaich with them.

Origins
They were used for whisky and brandy but there was also larger quaichs which were used for ale.
(The largest surviving examples having capacity of about 1.5 pints).

It is believed that one of their ancestors was the scallop shell, in which drams of whisky were taken in the Highlands and Islands.

Like the shells, quaichs were always wide and shallow. The distinctive shape has been fixed now for possibly more than four hundred years.

How Were They Made?
Traditionally made of wood, it is a shallow circular-drinking vessel for whisky, with a pair of small lug handles projecting horizontally from opposite sides of the rim. The lugs, though functional, are of a unique carved style giving the quaich much of its special character.

The making of these cups was an intricate art by which the quaich was either turned from the solid or built up with tiny staves. The best quaichs, considered to be masterpieces, were built up with light and dark wood staves and bound round with withies or metal bands. The dozen or so staves of alternating woods such as plane-tree and laburnum were coopered together and also 'feathered' into each other; this was a technique in which small slivers of wood were split away from the sides of the staves and slotted into equivalent parings cut in the opposite direction.

The centre of the bowl was usually decorated with a silver coin or an engraved disc or 'print', with coat-of-arms, initials, motto or familiar phrase such as squab as e, 'drink up'. The disc served the function of masking and sealing the centre of the bowl where the points of the staves met.

[Ian Y]

A big surprise to us was a presentation to the 'Couples' of the SRGC.
Sandy and Anne Leven, Winnie and Harley Milne, Bette Ivey, Margaret and Ian Young, Carole and Ian Bainbridge, Margaret and Henry Taylor. Picture taken by John Mitchell
Someone pointed out that this group represents 400 years of service to the SRGC.









The Scottish Rockers enjoy the ceremony.





The assembled Scottish Rockers.




The President Ian Christie with past Presidents, Sandy Leven,Ian Young, Bette Ivey, Glassford Sprunt,Ian Bainbridge, Peter Semple and Harley Milne. Picture by John Mitchell...who was the only one who could work the President's camera!!

[ranunculus]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO THE SCOTTISH ROCK GARDEN CLUB.

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL MEMBERS SOUTH OF THE BORDER AND BEYOND.

[ChrisB]

Great pictures, and a happy memory of a wonderful day!  As others have done such a smashing job of showing the crowds, I thought I'd just post a few pics from the rock garden, which I spent a lot of time looking at.  If you haven't been, make a date to go now, its really worth it!


Ariseama-urashima
 Armeria-castellana
 Armeria-maritima-'Bloodston'
 Delosperma-lavisiae
 Dianthus-turkestanica
 Geranium-brycei-
 Iris-songarica-
 Mesembrianthemum-'Basutoland'
 RBG-Rock-Gardens-01
 RBG-Rock-Gardens-02

[ChrisB]

Just a few more pics:

 Richea-scoparia-
 Senecio-candidans-
 Senna-arnottiana-
 Silene-pusilla-

[Maggi Young]

The day was so busy I hardly was able to say more than "hello" to Christine!
You have chosen to picture quite a lot of the plants which took my eye, too, Christine.... particularly the
 Delosperma lavisiae and  Dianthus-turkestanica
The Delosperma was just sparkling in the bright sunlight and was much darker and richer a colour when seen by the eye....... did your heart good just to see it. Love the feathery edging to the Dianthus flowers, so dainty.
The Senecio candicans was SO WHITE in the sun that dark glasses were needed to see  it properly!
Has anyone got a photo of the  pink and white coloured Crinidendron hookerianum? I think Sandy may have "snapped" it. I had  never seen it before, Frank Tindall said he knew os a "white" version which had been found and introduced, but he wasn't too sure if this very pretty bi-coloured version was that one.

[Maggi Young]

Particular thanks for making this day such a success must go President Ian and Ann Christie, who, with Liz Mills and Sandy and Anne Leven, were the organisers of the whole day.... and what a great job they made of it all  Can't think of a happier day in ages, thanks to their hard work.

[Maggi Young]

Some more folks on "the Day"....
at the extreme left of this shot, in dark glasses, Davie Sharp, chairman of conveners' committee, centre, Ronnie Loveland, Moray Group Convener, John Graham from Speyside, and, about to exit right side of photo, looking very worried indeed.... Christine Boulby!

[Maggi Young]

As you MUST know,good food is important to the enjoyment of any party and this day was no exception; thanks to the super picnic lunch prepared and served for us by these ladies of the Inner Wheel (of the Stirling Rotary Club), whose pet charities will benefit from their efforts and our happy tummies!
As I have said before, there is often a clue and the clue ..... and connection....in this pic is second from the right.... Anne Leven, SRGC stalwart and present President of said Inner wheel!!

OOPS! forgot photo first time!

[ichristie]

I was so proud to be President of The Scottish Rock Garden Club at this our 75th Year, we were able to share this milestone with so many members but I do not forgrt our happy group across the world via this forum and I thank each and every one of you for just being members and for everything we share together via this forum, I and everyone are indeed proud to be 'Scottish Rockers' cheers President Ian the Christie kind.

[Maggi Young]

President Ian, you showed in your every word your pride and love for the SRGC and it is beyond doubt that the feeling towards yourself and your terrific First Lady, Ann, from the Members is just the same. You made us all proud.....and not just because the two of you were outright winners of the Best -Dressed Folks Award!!

President Ian and First Lady, Ann, showing presidential style of the highest order



Ian and Ann Christie, another of the SRGC's fabulous double acts.....looking very happy on this auspicious day.
Ann is doing sterling work as Acting Honorary Treasurer of the Club, in addition to supporting her husband....for which we are all grateful.  When President Ian said in his address that he wanted to thank his wife... the gracious lady declared, sotto voce, that there was a first time for everything 

[Maggi Young]

some more pix from the "garden party".....

Members of the Aberdeen Group committee, Carol Marriott, Helen and Bill McGregor, Angelaand Derek Townsley


Agnes and Jim Sutherland of Ardfearn Nursery... Jim was convener of the Inverness Group for  many years


Anton and Margaret Edwards ( Anton is editor of our acclaimed journal "The Rock Garden") Carol Marriott and Maggi Y


amongst the throng, centre of shot, half turned away, Jane and Alan Thompson from Edinburgh


more chat... Former President Glassford and Deirdre Sprunt (centre) with former President Harley Milne and AGS President and long time SRGC member, Frank Tindall


Dr David Rae of the RBG  with Kate Mitchell, and her husband David Mithcell, curator of RBE, Vice President of the Royal Caledonian Hort. Soc. and happy SRGC Member!


Dougal Phillip of Hopetoun House Gardens with his wfe, BBC Beechgrove Garden presenter, Lesley Watson, with Jim Jermyn, formerly of Edrom nursery and now manager of Gardening Scotland Show


Felicity and Bob Mitchell with Winnie Milne


Broadcaster Frieda Morrison, presenter of radio programme The Beechgrove Potting Shed.  behind Frieda are former First Ladies Deirdre Sprunt, Lis Semple and SRGC Secretary, and Forumist, Carol Shaw.
Carol and David Shaw were celebrating ( I only learned as the day drew to a close) their 38th wedding Anniversary!! Congrats to them both for hanging in there!!


Frieda interviews John Mitchell of RBGE and President Ian Christie for BBC radio.....this may be on tomorrow's show, listen on www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland , live on Sunday 15th at 12.05pm or at the BBC "listen again" facility.

[Maggi Young]

The day owed a lot of its success to our dear Liz Mills, former Secretary of the Club, hill-walker, member of the Stirling group and "all round good egg"  Everyone likes Liz, can you tell?!


Stella Rankin of Kevock Gardens, (recent Best in Show winner for the third time at Gardening Scotland Show) has a laugh with Frieda Morrison of the BBC


Another shot of the former and present presidents... a happy bunch of leaders!


 Our leaders are ever helpful to the membership.... here Bette Ivey considers helping Maggi  up from the ground with a prod of her trusty shooting stick!


Maggi is distressed.... ah, we see why, her plate appears to be empty


Jim McColl, chairman of Gardening Scotland and long time presenter of the BBC television programme The Beechgrove Garden, with Alice Hunt, her husband Fred will be about here somewhere....


Here are Julia Corden from Pitlochry and Jim Divers,( former SRGC Treasurer) native of Aberdeen but now living again in Gloucestershire... showing that pink is in vogue


Ken East and Betty Craig from the Edinburgh group chat in the sunshine

[Maggi Young]

In the background, James Cobb, meconopsis expert takes the sun while Magnus Liden,Sweden corydalis expert, speaks to Harry Jans from the Netherlands Alpine Club.


Maggie and Davie Sharp from the Moray Group  with Susan Band, forumist, nurserywoman and Perth Group committee member


Mike Dale AGS/SRGC show Secretary at Ponteland show had driven up from Northumberland with wife, Pearl,  while  Frank Tindall had flown up from West Yorkshire since he had family committments later in the day.


AGS/SRGC Blackpool show secretary. Lionel Clarkson with RBGE alpinists and SRGC member Elspeth Mackintosh


Jim Divers and Ian Bainbridge  at rest