Moving down the garden, the Herb garden is next, starting with the Medicinal herbs followed by the Decorative section.  I always check the plant name using the RHS Plant Finder; it gives a consistent source of naming and I can copy and paste the names into the labelling machine, which helps to eradicate typos.

On the list was Thymus x citriodorus ‘Lemon Queen’ and the Plant Finder drew a blank on this one.  However, the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) for Thyme is National Plant Collection Holder, Margaret Easter, so a quick call to her soon sorted out the name.

The citriodorus part of the name is misapplied, an error that crept in many decades ago and has been perpetuated.  There were three possible candidates for the name and Margaret gave me clear pointers to look for in order to identify the plant.
‘Golden King’, variegated.
‘Golden Queen’, variegated but with some green parts.
‘Golden Lemon’,  strongly lemon scented

Thymus 'Golden Queen'

Peter, one of the gardeners, helped me to find the plant in question and between us decided that it was the mostly variegated ‘Golden Queen’.  Now I will move on to the Household and Culinary sections of the herb garden and no doubt learn some more about herbs while doing so.

However our first celebration was the conferring of the Brickell Award, Plant Heritage’s most prestigious honour, on Margaret Easter for her work on the genus Thymus. Margaret’s work has researched the nomenclature of thyme down to the DNA level and she has written a monograph on her work.

Margaret Easter and Chris Brickell

 Mike Alder, our chairman, then introduced Alan Titchmarsh with some friendly banter only a longstanding friend can get away with.  Alan told us how he had greatly admired our past president Robin Compton and why Plant Heritage is like “The Devil Wears Prada”.  But the most pertinent comment was about specialisation leading to extinction which is true unless you are talking about Plant Heritage, where it leads to conservation.

Alan Titchmarsh opens the 2011 PH Marquee

Alan was on a tight schedule, so he was wisked around the marquee to meet some of the Collection Holders.

Vicky Fox from Plantagogo with her Heuchera.

Barry Clarke from Hilliers talking about their display

Jim Marshal and his Malmaison Carnations.

Alan meets Lady Corinna Hamilton, Lady Jennifer Butler, and Sheila Alder.

Finally Alan lined up with the staff for a photo. 

Genevieve, Gillian, Alan, Mercy, Joanna, Nichola, Gill