Society News archive

A new Erica species, Erica x triparentalis and a first cultivar ‘New Horizon’ has been published. Click here to read a full description of the species, or here to see the cultivar

The N.E. Local Group of The Heather Society (THS) have regrettably announced that they have had to wind up their organisation. Like the other local groups the NE Group was a vibrant organisation with a Committee which arranged meetings and visits to local gardens and attractions giving the opportunity for THS members to meet face to face. Sadly many of the THS members on the Committee have passed on and there has been no interest from younger members to take over the reins, a sign of the times. The THS Council thank in particular Dorothy Warner for heading up the Group for many years and thank those other members who made a valiant attempt to keep the organisation going.
The balance of the funds, belonging to the Group, have been donated to Holehird Gardens for use with their various heather projects.

Saturday, 19^th September 2020

Holehird Gardens, Windermere, Cumbria

Further details will be announced on this website and within the Spring 2020 Newsletter.

The 2019 AGM will be held at RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Ln
Harrogate, Yorkshire HG3 1QB UK on Saturday 14^th September at 1:30pm

Provisional programme for Saturday 14^th September

• 10:00 Assemble at the entrance
• 10:30 Morning coffee
• 11:00 Guided Tour of the Garden
• 12:30 Lunch
• 13:30 AGM
• 14:30 Talk: “Harlow Carr Heathers” given by the  Curator of the Garden, Paul Cook
• 15:30 Afternoon tea
• 16:30 Depart

The morning coffee, AGM, talk and afternoon tea will be held in the Jubilee Room in the Bramall Learning Centre within the Garden. Members should make their own arrangements for lunch. Catering at Harlow Carr is provided by Betty’s Tea Rooms.

There are many visitor attractions in the area around RHS Garden Harlow Carr and members may wish to make a weekend visit to the area, if so members requiring overnight accommodation are requested to make their own arrangements.

It would be helpful if members can indicate their interest in attending the event by contacting the Hon. Secretary by e-mail [email protected] or by phone to 023 8086 4336. Entrance to the gardens will be free for participating members.

1. Curtis’s Botanical Magazine 36 (1) April 2019.

plate 905 Erica erigena watercolour and graphite by Deborah Lambkin (E. erigena at Blacksod Bay, Mayo), pen and ink by Joanna Langhorne, text by Charles Nelson

Actually both images are reprinted from Hardy Heathers of the Northern Hemisphere, by Charles Nelson, with re-edited text (with additional information).

1. 2. Priscilla Burgoyne, 10 new southern Cape treasures. Veld & Flora 105 (June 2019): 32–33. 

Illustrated (photo figure D) is Erica viscosissima “listed as vulnerable, was another plant discovered quite by accident – this time on a Sunday afternoon stroll around hills near the Gouritz Mouth. this re-seeder benefitted from burning in 2018. This population is now flourishing with a quick population count of 45 seedlings per two square metres.” 

[A “Minor”, renamed in 2000 by Ted Oliver.]

A new hybrid species has recently been registered, Erica x mercatoris, along with a new cultivar ‘Glockenspiel’. See details here.

If anyone knows who is growing Calluna vulgaris ‘Andrew Proudley’ could they please contact the website via the contact page here or via the Heather society Facebook page.

Trustee’s Annual Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 31st December 2o17 are now available in the members area. Click here to view them.

Log into the members area Newsletters section to read the latest Summer 2018 Newsletter