Specific Families and Genera > Saxifraga

Sad loss of a great friend of Saxifrages

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Maggi Young:

Peter and Beryl Bland  at a Show in 2018.

We are very sorry to learn of the death of Mrs Beryl Bland.  Beryl was a staunch supporter of the SRGC and was often in demand for her talks on the Silver Saxifragas of which she was so fond.  We send or kindest condolences to her husband Peter and all their family.
 
Beryl wrote the book "Silver Saxifrages. A Guide To Encrusted Saxifrages For Gardeners And Botantists" -
a guide to Ligulate Saxifrages and their Cultivars which was published by  AGS in 2000.




A complicated hybrid where is S. columnaris involved as pollen parent (mother is S. stribrnyi) named for S. x ´Beryl Bland´. This hybrid  is from Karel Lang's breeding effort.

Naturally, Beryl was given other accolades too....

From "NCCPG"   on the award to Beryl Bland of the Brickell Award in 2008 :

"The fifth Brickell Award for the top NCCPG National Plant Collection® Holder was presented to Beryl Bland, for her work on the Ligulatae Group of the genus Saxifraga,  better known to gardeners as Silver Saxifrages. The Award recognises the extensive and vital work undertaken by Collection Holders in conservation, nomenclature, education and horticultural practice.  It Instituted 2003 as part of the NCCPG’s jubilee, the Award is given for excellence in cultivated plant conservation, and is presented by Dr   Christopher Brickell, a founding member of NCCPG* and currently one of its vice-presidents.
 
In presenting Beryl Bland with her silver medal and certificate, Dr Brickell commented:  “Beryl's work on this group of plants is very widely recognised and appreciated by growers of these very attractive rock garden plants and she has achieved this award not only for her skill in cultivation but also for her excellent research and field work on the group as well as her meticulous plant records and the quality of her publications on Silver Saxifrages.  In addition she continues to expand and develop the collection and freely provides advice to gardeners on cultivation and nomenclature as the International Registrar for the genus Saxifraga. My warmest congratulations to her as a very worthy fifth recipient of the Brickell Award.”

Darren:
A very, very sad loss. Susan spoke with Peter briefly on Wednesday when he rang with the news. Beryl and Peter were the first to take us under their wing when we started going to group meetings as youngsters still in our twenties and we probably wouldn't have been so involved for 25 years if it were not for their friendship and encouragement. They were largely responsible for our visits to Discussion Weekends and for my trip to Alpines 2001 where I met yourself Maggi, and Ian for the first time. Our hearts go out to Peter. 

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