Professional horticulturists from across the North of England gathered at Thorp Perrow Arboretum near Bedale to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.
How else would an Institute of horticulturists mark such an occasion then with a ceremonial tree planting to add to Thorp Perrow’s remarkable collection of trees which covers 100 acres and is currently home to 5 National Plant Collections and 51 Champion Trees. The chosen specimen was a flowering cherry: ‘Tai-haku’, the great white cherry which was once extinct in its native Japan but is once again thriving thanks to the foresight and ingenuity of horticulturists.
Leading the celebrations were Northern Branch Chairperson Clive Parker, who demonstrated proper tree-planting technique to the gathered guests which included horticultural students from Askham Bryan College and apprentices from RHS Garden Harlow Carr.
“We are delighted that Sir Henry granted permission for us to use the magnificent Thorp Perrow to host our celebration. Now in its 40th year, one of the key objectives of the Institute is to promote careers in horticulture and support those working in our industry, it’s great to have the next generation of horticulturists join this celebration” Clive Parker, Chairman Chartered Institute of Horticulture Northern Branch.
The celebration was timed to coincide not just with the Institute’s 40th anniversary but also National Tree Week which runs until the 1st of December. In addition to the ceremonial planting, students were involved in planting a range of saplings on the estate. Students tried their hand at ‘slit’ and ‘notch’ planting techniques which can be used to plant large numbers of saplings quickly.
Guests then enjoyed a guided tour of the seasonal highlights with Curator Faith Douglas:
“Trees are so important to human health and well-being and horticulturists have an important role in managing their growth and establishment. It’s been a pleasure to have so many colleagues and students join us today to celebrate not only Institute’s 40th anniversary but also the unique contribution trees make to our landscapes and lives.” Faith Douglas, Curator, Thorp Perrow Arboretum.
Rounding off the day, the educational content continued with a lecture on ‘Tree Sizing and Specifications’ provided by Adam Smith, General Manager of Wykeham Mature Plants, a specialist mature tree nursery based near Scarborough. Adam focussed on the essential criteria required when choosing trees for a range of planting scenarios, incredibly useful information given the government’s ambitious targets for tree planting for climate change mitigation and habitat restoration. “It’s been a really enjoyable day to not only visit the arboretum, but also learning new skills and learn about trees in more depth. I’m currently an apprentice at RHS Harlow Carr. Events like today are a great way to meet other professionals working in the industry and learn about the role of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture”Ben Rushworth – apprentice RHS Harlow Carr .
Photo: Members of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture with the specimen ‘Tai-haku’ cherry planted at Thorp Perrow Arboretum.