Blooming shame!
How gardening society could have to disband after 212 years
FOR more than two centuries it has built up its green-fingered expertise.
But one of Scotland’s oldest horticultural societies may have to disband because its membership is slowly dying out.
Four out of five members of the Royal Horticultural Society of Perthshire, founded in 1806, are aged 70 or over.
The society fears that a lack of youngsters with an interest in gardening may spell the end of the group.
Chairman Gillian Sharp said: ‘I am very concerned about the future. When we were celebrating the bi-centenary we had a lot of older male members, but sadly they have passed.’
She added: ‘What was the younger generation has become the older generation – but who will replace us? Gardening does not seem to interest younger people.
‘We have just under 100 members but 90 per cent of them are over 60 and 80 per cent are over 70.
‘It’s now at the point that we don’t know if we can keep the society going following our annual general meeting in December.’
Founded 212 years ago by Major Murray Belshes, of Scone, Perthshire, the group is behind a programme of activities to promote the cultivation of flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables.
Despite high attendances at its twice-yearly shows, membership numbers have begun to dwindle.
The Perthshire society was one of the first in its kind in the UK, formed two years after the Royal Horticultural Society in London.
For its first 100 years the society’s exhibitors and directors were exclusively male and the only involvement of women was to provide refreshments.
Also in its early days, meetings of the society – now based in the Bridge of Earn Institute, Perth – were concluded by the passing round of a ram’s horn snuff box.
Miss Sharp said the society urgently needs help with physical work such as setting up displays and IT help such as promoting the group on its website and Facebook page, set up to attract younger members. She added: ‘We have support from exhibitors and visitors to our shows but we are struggling with running the shows.
‘As people have left I have absorbed their roles but I can’t do any more than I already am.
‘We have a strong floral art section and they sometimes get involved with the main body.
‘But I’m wondering, where are all the gardeners in Perth? We could really use them.’