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The beginning
In 1992 the British journal Hortus published 'Letter from Attica' by Derek Toms, in which he complained about the problems of gardening in the Mediterranean. This prompted a letter from Trevor Nottle, the Australian garden consultant and writer, who pointed out that the problems faced by Mediterranean gardeners tended to be shared by others in similar climate zones elsewhere in the world. He had just begun to write a book on the subject and asked whether he could send Derek a questionnaire. Derek subsequently placed a letter in The European newspaper inviting other Mediterranean gardeners to participate, and copies of the questionnaire were sent out some 30 people.
From their responses and ensuing correspondence it became clear that gardeners throughout the region faced broadly similar problems, namely:
- Climate: summer drought, high temperatures, high winds, salt-laden winds on the coasts, frost risk at higher altitudes.
- Soils: often poor in nutrients, stony, alkaline, frequently only a thin covering over rock.
- Plants: a limited selection of plants suitable for local conditions available from nurseries, plants often imported and suitable only for temperate climates, inadequately labelled, many plants of Mediterranean origin not commercially available.
- Labour: a lack of horticultural training at all levels and hence a shortage of qualified labour.
- Information: very few books written specifically on Mediterranean gardening, the information in books written for temperate Europe and America being rarely applicable.
- Design: the conventions of temperate landscape design are not always appropriate to the Mediterranean and new approaches to an indigenous garden style need to be explored.
- Contact: many gardeners struggle by trial and error in isolation.
All this suggested that some kind of regional network to share information and experience would be welcome. The idea was tentatively proposed to one or two people and evoked a favourable response. Then, early in 1994, Caroline Harbouri (one of the respondents to Trevor's questionnaire) took Derek to see the garden at Sparoza. This garden, created by Jaqueline Tyrwhitt nearly 30 years earlier and now the property of the Goulandris Natural History Museum, had been very much a pioneering effort; moreover she had kept a record of her experiences with a view to publishing them. Sally Razelou, custodian at Sparoza and herself a keen gardener, supported Derek's idea enthusiastically. Sparoza seemed a natural home for a regional gardening society.
The infant society was christened and a bulletin prepared setting out its aims. The next task was to publicise the project. This was a slow process but it was accelerated by the visit of Professor William Stearn to Sparoza that summer. Professor Stearn took back news of the nascent society to Hugh Johnson at The Garden and its publication in that journal brought in a wave of enquiries. No money was available for advertising but the newly founded MGS was generously given mentions in a number of publications, including Hortus, Pacific Horticulture, Gardens Illustrated, The American Garden Journal, Giardini and The European.
In the meantime, we had embarked on the lengthy process of registering the society in Greece as a non-profit-making association. Twenty founder members were co-opted to sign the application, plus others whose contributions were needed to help meet expenses. In addition to founder members resident in Greece, the final total of 27 included Heidi Gildemeister, Trevor Nottle and Marina Adams, the UK-based landscape architect whose first commission on qualifying in 1963 had been the design of the garden at Sparoza. A constitution was drawn up in June 1994. The society finally received official notice of registration in December 1994. On the 1st of January, 1995, the MGS opened its subscription membership.
The Journal
Starting life without financial backing or sponsorship, the MGS was very much a case of creating something from nothing. After issuing two 8-page newsletters, it was felt that the time had come to publish a quarterly journal and in the summer of 1995 the first issue of The Mediterranean Garden appeared, despite the society's precarious finances. The bank account was emptied to print and dispatch the first two journals - it was only in the second year that membership grew sufficiently to ensure a running surplus of cash over expenses. The first two issues were edited jointly by Derek Toms and Caroline Harbouri; thereafter Caroline was persuaded to take over as sole editor.
Growth
By the end of 1995 there were 241 MGS members in 18 countries around the world. A year later membership stood at just over 500, and passed the 1500 mark in the year 2005 with members in 40 countries. Membership has not been confined to individuals: through affiliation the MGS has reached botanic gardens as far apart as Adelaide and Santa Barbara in California.
During the first months of the society’s existence the various administrative roles were undertaken by Derek Toms and Sally Razelou but in December 1995, in accordance with our legal obligations, a five-person Administrative Committee was elected and Sally became the society’s first President. Heidi Gildemeister (Spain) took over as President in October 1997, Katherine Greenberg (USA) in January 2001 and Cali Doxiadis (Greece) in October 2004.
Since the MGS is an international society whose members are widely scattered geographically, the development of local branches was the next logical step. From 1997 to date MGS branches have been set up in Australia (South Australia and Victoria), Cyprus, France (Languedoc and Provence), Germany & Austria, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain (Andalucia, Balearic Islands, Castilla, Catalonia, Central and Costa Blanca), Switzerland, the UK and the USA (Northern, Central and Southern California). Each branch has its own programme of meetings, garden visits etc., and some have their own newsletters. Details of these branches’ activities are to be found on the MGS web pages.
The MGS has participated in various garden fairs, for example Primavera alla Landriana (1996), BBC Gardener’s World Live (1998), Les Journées des Plantes de Courson (1999), the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show (2000), and the Kifissia Flower Show, Greece (2005, 2006, 2007). The society was a co-sponsor of the ‘Gardening Under Mediterranean Skies’ Symposium in Northern and Southern California in 2002 and 2004. Representing the society, its UK Branch organized an exhibition entitled ‘The Mediterranean Garden’ accompanied by lectures at the RHS Lindley Library, London in 2004, while in 2007 it put on a display for the March Flower Show of the Royal Horticultural Society, which had a Mediterranean theme.
The MGS has made donations to the Adelaide Botanic Garden (2006) and the Herbarium of the University of Montpellier’s Institute of Botany (2007), in token of its support for the work carried out at these institutions.
Caroline Harbouri 2007 |
