Veitch & Sons: Exeter's Plant Hunting Adventurers

Part of RAMM's Global Gardeners. This fascinating exhibition charts the adventures of intrepid plant hunters of the Exeter and Chelsea firm of Veitch & Sons.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Veitch & Sons sent fearless plant hunters all over the world to collect new species of plants. As well as the plants they collected the travellers also brought back objects as souvenirs from the countries they visited. The Veitch family donated many of these items to RAMM in the 1880s and they now form part of the Museum's World Cultures collection. These items provide a fascinating link between plants,collecting and empire.

Global Gardeners offers visitors the chance to gain a better understanding of the influence of Veitch & Sons plant collectors on our planted environment in a variety of Veitch-related settings.

Bicton College garden is listed as Grade 1 in the English Heritage register of parks and gardens of special historic interest and is also of national importance as a plant collection. It includes two walled gardens, historic parkland, formal gardens, amenity planting and a mature and well stocked Arboretum which was originally laid out under the guidance of the Veitch Nursery with many examples of plants introduced to this country by the Veitch plant hunters.

The exhibition will be housed in the Plant Centre where a range of more unusual plants are on sale, including Veitch varieties. Free entry to exhibition and plant centre (entry to gardens £2.50)

Dates

Weekdays 10am - 4pm 08/09/2008 - 26/09/2008