THE PERCY PICTON MEMORIAL FUND - GRANTS TO STUDENTS OF HORTICULTURECharity Number 518787
Are you interested in a career in horticulture? This could help! 
Percy W. Picton - in his youth
PERCY PICTON, 1904-1985, was a well-known plantsman, gardener, nurseryman, lecturer and broadcaster whose name is remembered today by
the gardens and plants which bear his name.
In 1987 a Charity, the Percy Picton Memorial Fund, was established by The Wyche and Colwall Horticultural Society as a lasting memorial to their late president, who had a special interest in encouraging people to learn more about the world of plants.
Percy always encouraged young people to further their interest in plants, evident from his grand-daughter Helen, who works in the nursery today, continuing his legacy with her parents Meriel and Paul and her husband, Ross Barbour.
Percy Picton inspired John Massey of Ashwood Nurseries and John Richards of Mathon, both of whom are now well known and respected in the horticultural world.
You can read something of the interesting life of Percy Picton, written by his son Paul:
click on this web link. 
When Percy Picton died his friends wished to create a fitting memorial and the Wyche and Colwall Horticultural Society began a fund, to provide grants to students of horticulture. Over the years many students have received aid with expenses connected with their courses, such as books and tools. With the widespread use of the internet theoretical knowledge is widely available via the computer. The trustees of the fund ascertained that a number of students needed help to gain “hands on experience” and have been fortunate to co-operate with Ashwood Nurseries, Great Dixter Gardens, John Richards Nurseries and Chris Pattison with short term working/learning placements.
Each year, at Pershore College, the student who presents the best dissertation receives an award of £50 from the Percy Picton Memorial Fund.
The society organise an annual lecture to raise funds for the charity. In addition the members of the Society raise money from plant sales and other activities, such as the PERCY PICTON MEMORIAL LECTURE which this year will be held on 1st October 2018 with a talk “Succession Planting in the Mixed Border” given by Fergus Garrett of Great Dixter.
The trustees of the charity express their most sincere gratitude to the members of The Wyche and Colwall Horticultural Society for their continued, generous support of the charity through the annual lecture and various other events and call now for applicants for grant aid from the Percy Picton Memorial Fund from horticulture students.
Funds are available now. Applications are welcome and should be sent to the trustees at the address below.Apply to:
Mr. David Hodgson, Trustees of Percy Picton Fund,
Phelps Cottage, Coddington, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 1JHemail dhodgson363@btinternet.com
telephone 01531 640622
Charitable objects of the Percy Picton Memorial Fund
a)To promote the study of horticulture.
b) At the beginning of each academic year to make a monetary grant to one or more students (preference being given in the first instance but not exclusively, to those studying at Pershore College)
c) To promote excellence in horticulture and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the above) to award an annual prize to be called the Percy Picton Prize to the best student at Pershore College of Horticulture at the end of the course leading to Master of Horticulture (RHS) or equivalent.
Clematis montana Picton's Variety
Rich colour across the Picton Garden
