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Jim Gardiner

Jim Gardiner Curator, RHS Wisley Gardens RHS Garden Wisley

Jim Gardiner is the Curator of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden at Wisley, a position he has held for over twenty years. Before that he was Curator at the Hillier Gardens and Arboretum. His primary interest is in woody plants, in particular Magnolias on which he has written two books, “Magnolias, their Care and Cultivation” and “Magnolias, A Gardener’s Guide”.

  • Date Joined: 12 Jul 2007

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  • Going Bananas!!!

    Jim Gardiner on 23 Jul 2008 at 04:15 PM

    Over the last few months regular visitors to the Glasshouse would have been watching with interest the gradual formation of a big bunch of bananas. In the middle of the Tropical Zone a banana plant flowered a few months ago and Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ (AAA Group) AGM has been growing bananas... Read More...

  • Your invitation to see the 'secret' science side of Wisley.

    Jim Gardiner on 16 Jul 2008 at 04:29 PM

    A visit to Wisley is a visit to a truly inspirational garden. There is so much to see here. But there is also so much that our visitors generally don’t see and that is the behind-the-scenes science that we carry out in the Laboratory, the beautiful 'country house' (actually purpose built as a... Read More...

  • Street Party

    Jim Gardiner on 09 Jul 2008 at 02:33 PM

    We had a street party last Thursday evening. Witan Street is a development of 8 very small gardens up beside the Orchards Café, opposite this year’s Maize Maze (on the site of the old Glasshouse). The 7th and 8th gardens have just been completed, so we had a ‘party’ to celebrate and commemorate the official... Read More...

  • Outside Glass

    Jim Gardiner on 18 Jun 2008 at 03:59 PM

    Over at the Glasshouse the team have been busy potting up and moving large planters for outside display. On the eastern side, bananas and angel’s trumpets (Brugmansia) are included, reflecting the tropical nature of the Glasshouse inside. Over on the western, drier side they include dry temperate plants... Read More...

  • Goodbye Glasshouse

    Jim Gardiner on 29 Jan 2008 at 04:51 PM

    Gradually we have seen the parts of the old display glasshouse being dismantled and relocated, reused and recylced over the recent weeks and months. By last Friday, 25th January, there wasn't much left of the structure that had served us so admirably for nearly 40 years. On Monday morning it really... Read More...

  • Glasshouse New, Glasshouse Old

    Jim Gardiner on 16 Jan 2008 at 04:28 PM

    16 th January 2008 On Monday this week the Floral Department, including Rupert Lambert and Bernard Boardman, were accompanied by James Hitchmough from Sheffield University in sowing seed on the western flank of the new Glasshouse. James came up with the plan of what exactly should go in the prairie-type... Read More...

  • Reflections

    Jim Gardiner on 12 Dec 2007 at 03:32 PM

    This morning, 12th December, the air was so still. The Glasshouse was reflected so pristinely in the lake it barely looked real. Read More...

  • Pouting poinsettias

    Jim Gardiner on 12 Dec 2007 at 03:19 PM

    It's that time of year again when the Glasshouse turns a shade of vibrant red. And pink. And cream. And green. And many other colours. And everything feels Christmassy. This is our first Christmas in the new Glasshouse and this year we're putting on a big poinsettia display. Woking on the display... Read More...