SRGC Grants for Students- The Diana Aitchison Fund

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Maggi Young:
FUND FOR ASPIRING ALPINE AND ROCK GARDEN STUDENTS

THE DIANA AITCHISON FUND

The Scottish Rock Garden Club has administered, for some years, a fund to provide grants and bursaries to support young people who want to pursue a career in horticulture, and especially in alpine and rock garden plants.

The Diana Aitchison Fund is intended to help young gardeners further their knowledge of rock and alpine plants and their cultivation. The Scottish Rock Garden Club was enabled to launch the fund thanks to a very generous sum being made available from the estate of the late Diana Aitchison.

Diana Aitchison was a keen gardener and plantswoman who set up and ran her own nursery at Spindlestone, near Belford, Northumberland.

Grants from the Diana Aitchison Fund will be available each year.
Priority will be given to students following horticultural courses lasting one or more years and might go towards fees, living costs or travel expenses, either on a full-time course or at another location, such as summer work experience at a botanic garden or nursery. A personal contribution toward the cost of any course would be expected from any recipient.
Reports to SRGC Council from Grant recipients are also appreciated.

For full details on how to apply for a Diana Aitchison Grant see this page on the main website :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/fund/fund.html

The following table shows the level of grants and the purposes for which they were given, over the years 2006 to 2009.

Year Awarded Course/work Placement Awarded 2009

2009 Study at RBG and other Nurseries/gardens 1,500
2009 Study at RBG and other Nurseries/gardens 1,500
2009 Work Experience at Explorers, Pitcairn Alpines 1,000
2009 Fund books for College work 2,000
2009 Help with Expenses whilst getting work experience

   at RBG Kew Alpine Dept. 800

2008

2008 Study at RBG and other Nurseries/gardens 1,500

2008 Study at RBG and other Nurseries/gardens 1,500

2008 Towards Expenses whilst studying for RHS

   Advance Certificate 600

2008 Herbarium Training – Horticultural experience

   relating to Meconopsis at RBGE 400

2008 Work Experience at Explorers, Pitcairn Alpines

   And RBGE 1,500

2007

2007 Placement at Istanbul Botanic Garden 650

2007 Placement at Istanbul Botanic Garden 650
2007 Help with expenses whilst at Dunedin Bot Gdn, NZ for 1 yr 1,750
2007 Work experience at Kevock Gardens 1,250


2006

2006 Towards Expenses whilst studying for RHS

   Cert in Hort 300
2006 Higher HND in Plantsmanship – Mec seed storage 2,000
2006 Work experience at Harlow Carr 300

2006 Study at RBG and other Nurseries/gardens 1,000
2006 Study at RBG and other Nurseries/gardens 1,000

Maggi Young:
It was a delight to receive today this message from a recipient of an SRGC grant:

2008 Diana Aitchison Fund Recipient :Atsuko Akabane

Hello,
My name is Atsuko (Akabane) Gibson. I received The Diana Aitchison Fund in 2008 and completed an internship in the summer of 2008.
I am originally from Japan, and I was a student at the University of Arkansas in the US back then. I worked for The Scottish Plant Hunters Explores Garden, Pitcairn Alpines, and RBGE over the course of 12 weeks. I just wanted to let you know that how the fund helped me to get where I am right now and once again say thank you.

I graduated the University of Arkansas in May 2010 and got a job at Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way, Washington. I have worked there as a horticultural assistant since June.
I was surprised that the climate here in western Washington is very much similar to the climate in Scotland. This is one of the few parts of the US that Meconopsis can be grown. In fact, there is a Meconopsis meadow at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and it draws a lot of people every spring.

What I experienced in Scotland helped me a lot to decide which horticulture field I wanted to be in. I loved all the three accomodates I worked for, and Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden is a place that combined all three. It's a small operational garden (22 acre) like The Scottish Plant Hunters Explores Garden, there is a nursery (we have spring and fall catalogs and plant sales), and it's a botanical garden (scientific research). I truly enjoy what I do and this is because of what I experienced in Scotland in 2008. Without the fund, I would not have been able to complete the internship in Scotland. I am so grateful that you chose me as a recipient. Once again, thank you so much.

There is an alpine garden at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden. I am very eager to maintain, add more plants, and get ready for the spring. Should you ever visit Washington state, please come see us.

Atsuko (Akabane) Gibson.

Liz Mills:
I was delighted and proud to see how a grant from the Diana Aitchison Fund and her internship in Scotland have helped Atsuko in her career and have written to her personally to congratulate her and wish her good luck for the future. She is just the sort of student that the Fund was set up to help.

I'd love to visit the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Washington to see what's happening there and to meet Atsuko.

Edit by Maggi to add url for RSF Garden: http://www.rhodygarden.org

Susann:
Please tell Atsuko Akabane that we are delighted to hear from her. 2008...long time ago and Scotland is still in her mind! I totally understand it.

Maggi Young:
Most SRGC Grant News is in the Notice Board Section, but I thought I'd add this here as well.

Explorers' Garden, Pitlochry
The Explorers' Garden has asked if we have spotted Katie MacColl in and around the garden? Katie is joining the garden from Perth for a five month placement in Explorers with thanks to The Diana Aitchison Fund run by the Scottish Rock Garden Club.

It's great to see Katie enjoying a placement aided by an SRGC Grant. Good luck, Katie MacColl!

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