Who are we?

We are a largely Scottish-based study group, founded in 1998. For study purposes we organise members’ meetings twice a year at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. We have a Plant Assessment subcommittee and operate a Seed Exchange for our 250 members worldwide.

The group is affiliated to the Scottish Rock Garden Club and the Royal Horticultural Society and supported by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).

Elected committee managing The Group

Chairman: Jim Jermyn (Branklyn Garden, Perth).

Vice-chairman: Ian Christie (Nursery Proprietor)
Secretary: Sharon Bradley
Treasurer: Dr. Peggy Anderson
Seed-exchange Manager: Dr. Ian Scott
Reports & Newsletter Co-ordinator: Alice Bremner
Minutes Secretary: Pat Murphy (National Collection, Lakeland Horticultural Society, Holehird Garden, Windermere)
Joint Co-ordinators: Margaret Thorne (Explorer) and Dr. Alan Elliot
Members of committee: John Mitchell (Garden Supervisor, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh), Alistair Chalmers (Branklyn Garden, Perth), David Thorne (Explorer), David Rankin (Nursery Proprietor), Julia Cordon (National Collection, Explorers’ Garden, Pitlochry)
Webmaster: Matt Heasman (Scottish Rhododendron Society & Rhododendron Species Conservation Group)

Aims of the Group

• To clarify the identities and nomenclature of the big perennial blue poppies in cultivation.
• To study the taxonomy of other members of the genus.
• To study the cultural needs of the various members of the genus.
• Conservation of the species and cultivars in cultivation and in the wild.

Benefits of Membership

• Access to the Members’ Area of the web site that contains a complete documented archive of the Group. See link on the left menu bar.
• Attendance at Group meetings and access to reports of the meetings.
• Participation in the Group’s Meconopsis seed exchange.
• Opportunities to purchase less common species and cultivars.
• Contact with like-minded enthusiasts.