Dactylorhiza "Eskimo Nell"

[brianw]

Sorry Kristof I missed your request.
This excellent article lists many of Gerry's plants, but apart from The Pleione named after him and maybe the sedge Tinney's Princess I rarely see any of his plants now. Many of them are very specialised. Gerry had a very dry sense of humour, hence Eskimo Nell, a name from a ballad. Google it. Although living in the warm south of the UK the micro-climate of the new forest allowed him to grow many things that are better grown in Scotland. I remember the caravan and bulldozer well, and fish and chips with him in a cafe after one of the early RHS shows that I visited. Sadly missed.

[K Andrzejewski]

Maggi - Brian, thank you for explanation, pdf and all other information. I have no time now (I start holidays soon) but I will definitely try to find more details about G.Mundey's Dactylorhiza  (not only about Eskimo).
Kristof

[Maren]

More about Gerry Mundey:

About the man
Those of us who love pleiones are quite familiar with Pleione Gerry Mundey ‘Tinney’s Firs’, (Pleione forrestii x Tongariro), registered in 1990 by Ian Butterfield (with G Mundey). But not much information is available about the man who inspired this name. Who better to ask than Ian Butterfield who tells an extraordinary story:
“Gerry Mundey was an accomplished underwater photographer, who worked with Jacques Cousteau, the renowned oceanic explorer and conservationist. Rumour has it that he seldom wore shorts because he did not want to expose a huge scar on his leg sustained from a shark bite.
In 1980 Gerry retired from diving and bought 60 acres of woodand in the New Forest (Tinney’s Firs).  After a lengthy battle with the local authorities, he obtained permission to build a house and a large greenhouse for growing orchids (pleiones, disas etc.). He used the acid forest environment to grow many woodland plants, including primulas, erythroniums, shortias etc. Growing beds were not laid out as a nursery but instead scattered around the property, wherever he could find the right environment to make the plants flourish - sphagnum patches, sides of ditches etc.
Ian recalls: “Gerry Munday turned up at my nursery, quite out of the blue, to have a good look around. He was a great grower, the first to grow Disas in this country.” They got on well from the start and Gerry gave his disas to Ian to look after before he had his own greenhouse built in the New Forest. Gerry also showed Ian how to make hybrids, and that was the start to Ian’s successful career as hybridiser of pleiones. Gerry was a prolific hybridiser himself. His motto was: “If you make lots of crosses you will eventually get something good”. Ian proved him right many times.
Although a bit of a loner, a fair group of friends assembled at Gerry’s funeral, Ian recalls. Everyone knew something different to tell about him and his endeavours. In his will, Gerry requested to be buried in the wood beside his cat, in a plywood coffin. Subsequent owners of the property have carefully maintained his burial place. It lies beneath a natural sarsen stone on which is engraved: "Here lies George Mundey and his cat. In life and death they guard the woods."
Times move on. After Gerry’s death, the house became derelict and was eventually sold. The new owners gutted and re-built it. Today the property is for sale for £1.5million, complete with helicopter pad, swimming pool and Harley Davidson bike. No mention of greenhouse or garden.

Pleiones named after Gerry Mundey
After Gerry’s death, Ian took care of his pleione seedlings. He selected the best and called it Pleione Gerry Mundey ‘Tinney’s Firs’. Ian also named the clone Pleione pleionoides ‘Gerry Mundey’. This was a plant given to him, which he recognised as something rather special and distinctive.

[K Andrzejewski]

“Gerry Mundey was an accomplished underwater photographer, who worked with Jacques Cousteau, the renowned oceanic explorer and conservationist. Rumour has it that he seldom wore shorts because he did not want to expose a huge scar on his leg sustained from a shark bite.

- As a child I read about travels & expeditions (Thor Heyerdahl) and watched all possible movies about the nature from all countries "behind the iron curtains" (for example, series about volcanoes of Katia & Maurice Krafft and "Life on Earth" of David Attenborough were presented in Polish television). And of course - films of Jacques "Commandant" Cousteau too...Many thanks Maren - what a story!

[Anthony Darby]

I grew up on Hans and Lotte Hass and their boat Xariffa. I believe they are still with us, with Hans Hass now 94 and Lotte 84!

[Anthony Darby]

Very good. Yes, still with us and still together.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

So happy with this one !! 

Dactylorhiza 'Eskimo Nell'

[Rob]

My Dactylorhiza 'Eskimo Nell' is at the same stage, but your photos are better.

[Graham Catlow]

So happy with this one !! 

Dactylorhiza 'Eskimo Nell'

Me too Luc

[Brian Ellis]

'Eskimo Nell' looks to be a real sweetie!

[Maggi Young]

'Eskimo Nell' is not nearly so far advanced here....... in the frozen north.....

[Brian Ellis]

'Eskimo Nell' is not nearly so far advanced here....... in the frozen north.....

...and you'd think she would be at home with you up there!

[Rob]

A couple more photos for the thread.

The leaves might not look their best because I moved the plants apart at the beginning of the year after they had started growing.

[Yann]

Anyone having some spares? i've Ophrys to exchange.