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JOAN AND ROBIN GROUT
GardenerSuze
Posts: 5,692
in Plants
Having just read the thread on Fred Streeter MBE I would like to mention two other unsung gardening heros Joan and Robin Grout.
They were members of the Hardy Plant Society in the 1970's they found supplies of hardy herbaceous plants were restricted. Together with other members they took steps to preserve stocks. In 1975 the first edition of' Hardy Plant Directory' was published by Joan and Robin.
The directory listed plants and nurseries all over the country and the purchase price.
Other editions followed, the directory grew it was a badly needed source of information and sold out quickly. It was an enormous task for all involved.
I worked for the Grout's at the end of their lives, I recall them showing me reams of paper relating to their hard work. This information was passed on to form The Plantfinder we know today. Joan did tell me she felt that they didn't get the recognition for all their hard work. Their involvement is questioned by the RHS I understand to this day. I think every opportunity needs to be taken to tell their story.
They were members of the Hardy Plant Society in the 1970's they found supplies of hardy herbaceous plants were restricted. Together with other members they took steps to preserve stocks. In 1975 the first edition of' Hardy Plant Directory' was published by Joan and Robin.
The directory listed plants and nurseries all over the country and the purchase price.
Other editions followed, the directory grew it was a badly needed source of information and sold out quickly. It was an enormous task for all involved.
I worked for the Grout's at the end of their lives, I recall them showing me reams of paper relating to their hard work. This information was passed on to form The Plantfinder we know today. Joan did tell me she felt that they didn't get the recognition for all their hard work. Their involvement is questioned by the RHS I understand to this day. I think every opportunity needs to be taken to tell their story.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
10
Posts
In the sticks near Peterborough
They had a small garden which they opened for the NGS it was packed with plants as you can imagine. They were also very involved with Plant Heritage as it is known today. Their hard work helped to preserve plants we buy today.
Geoff Hamilton and Roy Lancaster both filmed in Joan and Robin's 'Quart in a Pint Pot' garden as it was known. I visited after they passed, Joan's mustard gardening coat was on a chair and a thousand happy memories came flooding back.
They had a large collection of Galanthus which were in flower at the time. A friend was able to ID them with the help of Robin's records. They were sold with proceeds to Pershore Collage which was their wish.
Both I and my sister have Galanthus Brabaram dwarf in our gardens
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.