Lilies and Related Plants - RHS Lily Group

Dr Nuala Sterling, a niece of the market gardener and author Ethelind Fearon, almost chose
Horticulture in place of Medicine. A short spell at Rohamsted was followed by a lifetime in
medicine. Nuala enjoys growing plants from seed (bulbs to trees) and found joining the RHS
Lily Group, in 2004, a revelation, inspiration and education.
Kimito Uchikawa retired in 1999. Thereafter, his interest in lilies led him to attempt to
cultivate all of the indigenous lily species of Japan from seed. His love for his native lily
species overcame his lack of botanical knowledge, and the scepticism of his botanical friends,
and enabled him to raise almost all of Japan’s lily species within a period of five years.
Susann de Vries first became interested in lilies when she discovered that the meaning
of her name was lily. When her husband became interested in gardening she encouraged
him to grow lilies, partly because they were her namesake, but mostly because of their
spectacular beauty.
Alan Mitchell is an optimistic amateur gardener with a passion for growing lilies. He finds
their difficulty a challenge and their diversity and beauty engaging and therapeutic.
Caroline Boisset is Secretary of the RHS Lily Group, having edited Lilies and Related Plants
from 1997 until 2007. She is currently Editor of the International Dendrology Society’s
yearbook and is constructing a new garden in Bradford-on-Avon, in Wiltshire.
Madeleine Tinson describes lilies as the perfect plant, in that they are diverse, intriguingly
beautiful, a challenge to grow and can fill the air with wonderful perfume.
Br˘etislav Mic˘ulka became interested in lilies when he moved into his own house in 1970.
He was intrigued by their beauty and the possibilities of hybridization, so he soon started
crossing lilies even when few lilies were available to him. He was also interested in the
nomenclature of cultivated plants, which allowed him to organize the registration of the
variety names of lilies in the RHS register.
Jim McKenney was in his teens when an older friend gave him her copy of the original 1939
edition of America’s Garden Book by Louise and James Bush-Brown. The chapter on lilies
nourished his enthusiasm and guided his early efforts. His first lilies were L . regale, L . henryi,
L . candidum and the tiger lily. Now, more than half a century later, Jim still remembers with
great fondness that friend and wishes that she were still here so that he might thank her for
the gift of his love of lilies.
Paige Woodward is the co-proprietor of Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery in British
Columbia, Canada(www.hillkeep.ca). She grows species from around the temperate world
and occasionally organizes study tours led by prominent botanists.
Harris Howland, a past chairman of the Lily Group, has been interested in lilies for over
40 years and now maintains a relatively good collection of lilies and fritillaries. He also
collaborated with Michael Jefferson-Brown, on the authorship of the book entitled The
Gardeners Guide to Growing Lilies.
Dr Johnny Randall is the Assistant Director for Natural Areas and Conservation at North
Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina. He is particularly interested in
ecosystem rehabilitation and restoration.
Mohammad Sadegh loves all plants and finds their green colour and vibrancy delightful. He
is especially attracted to lilies and would like to breed a hybrid lily, which would be suitable
for gardeners in Iran, using Lilium ledebourii.
Pontus Wallstén has been growing lilies in Switzerland since 1999. After completing his first
degree he is now studying for a Masters Degree in Journalism. He has a small nursery – Pontus
Wallstén Plants – where he focuses on growing and propagating lilies and south African
bulbs. Photography has been one of his main passions since the age of 8.
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