WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menosery; following one's nose (a not-so Fractured Fryday Hairy Tale!)

Over at Murphy and Stanley's place it is last Friday of the month story day... click to read more!!!

Normally I use a photo to prompt my stories and this is no exception, though this time it is a TRUE STORY; we are also given a sentence by M&S which we have to highlight in the story.

This month it is "I knew I needed a good excuse..."
______________________________________________________________________________________

Last Friday I shared a small adventure which revealed itself to me in the Benmore Gardens.

At the Golden Gates, we heard a speech from 'Sir Peter', who was not introduced any further than this. Assumption was, apparently, that all present knew exactly who the man is. He came up after the ceremony and greeted several folk, including myself, inviting us all to refreshments. Of course, I had been present by sheer dint of 'fate' so made my excuses and moved on.

However, I was struck by the warmth and erudition of Sir Peter. It was all very spontaneous and natural, but underlying it all, I knew I needed a good excuse to go 'ferreting' for info. Being the inquisitive YAMarazzi that I am (and I have a suspicion that I was included so readily due the presence of the Fudge; there were three other Large Cameras present who were firing away and am thinking I may have been mistaken for someone with influence!  Well... blogging has it's own sphere...) Digression.  Back to it YAM.... the minute I got home I was onto YAMspetoo and researching Benmore + Sir Peter? + Debrett's Register.

Correction; the minute I got home it was out with the heat packs for the hips and back, then onto Y2. Here's the skinny.

Sir Peter Craft Hutchison of Rossie, 2nd Bt, CBE. (That's Baronet and Commander, Order of the British Empire.) The baronetcy was formed for Sir James Riley Holt Hutchison in 1956, a distinguished officer of the British army with interesting war history and who was a Conservative member of parliament for Glasgow Central. The family background is that of shipping and ship builders.

Sir Peter was a graduate of Eton College and Magdelene College, Cambridge. He also gave army service, then was chairman of Glasgow insurance brokers, Hutchison & Craft. However, his great love and contribution to life, it appears, is in the natural environment.  He was chairman of the Forestry Commission 1994-1998. Sir Peter was also chair of the working committee, and has continued service for, the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Benmore Gardens sit within the borders of that park. He was also the first Chairman of Trustees at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Sir Peter and his wife, Virginia (nee Colville), are passionate about their own private gardens, which are open to the public once a year. He has travelled widely throughout China and the Himalayas, researching and bringing back specimens of plants from those regions, with a particular emphasis on rhododendrons (a love I share!). He and his 'partner in plants' have produced a book (click here), in which their adventures in search of the rare and the endangered are given. Many of the plants at Benmore are present purely from Sir Peter's efforts.

Notable on my visit were the carpets of Himalayan primrose and poppy. Clearly a man passionate about nature, the environment and preservation. No wonder I liked him.






























11 comments:

  1. Hello Yamini, I would like this man too. Anyone who is passionate about the environment and conservation is great to me. I wish there were more notable people like him who cared about our earth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hari Om
      Oh I am sure there are many such as Sir Peter who, like him, are unsung and in the background. It was sheer serendipity that I 'discovered' him! Yxx

      Delete
  2. He does sound like a very nice man.
    Do Baronets get to wear tiaras?
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hari Om
      Not even a coronet, I believe... though all this aristocracy thing is a bit of a maze!!! Yxx

      Delete
  3. We love knowing the FULL and SUPER WONDERFUL story behind this gate and Pawson.

    WELL DONE.... FFHT... VERY WELL DONE.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's great that you can enjoy wonderful plants from far away in this beautiful garden... I like the idea to open the gates once a year :o) and to be invited for fresh drinks is a super idea too :o)
    easy rider

    ReplyDelete
  5. Every spring there is a garden tour of many homes in our area with well established gardens of beauty.
    Hugs madi your bfff

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey Yamini!
    Wow, what a super FFHT today! In my house, we love it when we learn cool new things about peeps, places, history etc. This fellow sounds really interesting since he's a nature lover. Thanks for sharing this with us!
    Grr and Woof,
    Sarge, Police Commish

    ReplyDelete
  7. No excuse needed to go ferreting for info, I say!
    Cheers, Gail (at Gatwick airport).

    ReplyDelete
  8. We love visiting gardens, this was a very interesting post just purrfect for FFHT.

    ReplyDelete

Inquiry and debate are encouraged.
Be grown-ups, please, and play nice.
🙏