Poignant plant is star of Montrose open gardens event.

CENTREPIECE: Flower saved from Iranian Embassy attack to go on show in Montrose

A plant rescued as a “symbol of hope” in the aftermath of an embassy siege in London that killed seven people more than 25 years ago will be the centrepiece of an open garden event in Montrose this weekend.

On April 30 1980, six armed men stormed the Iranian Embassy in South Kensington in London, demanding the release of a number of prisoners in foreign jails.

It marked the beginning of a six-day siege that would lead to the deaths of five gunmen and two hostages.

It only ended when special forces stormed the building in a dramatic operation lasting just 17 minutes.

The Royal College of General Practitioners was based in the building next door. Dr James Smith was working there and had been accompanied to London by his wife Margaret, who now lives at Dorward House in Montrose.

She said: “After the sound of gunfire, police came to the building and instructed everyone to leave as best they could. The police were marvellous and escorted everyone out.

“After the evacuation, the security services used this building as a base and carefully removed bricks from the adjoining wall, leaving just the wallpaper so they could listen to what was going on in the embassy.

“Of course, we followed events carefully on the news as the siege progressed and knew just how serious it was after one of the hostages was killed.”

She added: “I think it was after this that the prime minister ordered the SAS to take control and everyone could see them storm the embassy on television.

“It was all over very quickly but the embassy had caught fire and was very badly damaged.”

It was after all the carnage that Mrs Smith spotted the “symbol of hope”.

She said: “It was a year later when we went back to the Royal College of GPS to look at the damage.

“The small garden at the back was communal and was piled up with burned material and debris from the embassy.

“The wreckage had killed off almost all of the vegetation but a beautiful, small flower remained and I undertook to save it.

“Someone provided me with paper and I wrapped it up and took it back to Edinburgh and replanted it, and when we moved to Montrose, it came with us.

“The plant was quite a celebrity and for a time people would knock on our door and ask to see it.”

She added: “The siege was a terrible event and, for me, keeping the plant alive all these years is a symbol of hope after such a tragedy and I hope people will enjoy seeing it.”

Tickets and maps for the Montrose Gardens event, which takes place on Sunday, are available from Stratton House, Castle Place, Montrose, and cost £5, with access to five local gardens and proceeds going to charity.

Teas and refreshments will be available at Dorward House.

Margaret Smith holding the plant she found a year after the embassy siege in London, which was eventually ended by special forces.