We are lucky to have a well-known local horticulturist as the first speaker of the season. Ian has delivered talks on a wide variety of topics in many parts of the world. Over 40 years, he and his wife Maggi have cultivated a wonderful garden in Aberdeen with many of the plants grown from seed. Bulbous plants are one of his specialisms and in his lecture he will guide us through the art and science of culturing bulbs from seed. The talk will cover bulbous species he has grown himself and thus will be suited to north-east Scotland.
Biography:
Ian Young has had a lifelong interest in plants and along with his wife Margaret has developed a well-stocked garden in Aberdeen. Over more than forty years the trees and shrubs have matured and Ian has developed a rich under planting of bulbs and woodland plants which provides a progression of seasonal colour, texture and form. Most of the plants have been raised from seed.
Ian is also experienced in alpines and rock gardens having developed various innovative ways of making troughs including the method of turning polystyrene (Styrofoam) fish boxes into troughs that mimic the appearance of real stone; the Scottish Rock Garden Society (SRGC) has won many Gold Medals and Best in Show Awards at National Shows using these troughs and this method has been taken up widely, with demonstrations of the technique being given across the UK, in New Zealand, Canada and America by all sorts of different alpine groups.
For nineteen years Ian has written a weekly online diary, the Bulb Log, where he shares his enthusiasm for plants and their garden. In 2015 he also started a YouTube channel where there are over 100 videos from the garden.
He has published an electronic book ‘Erythroniums in Cultivation’ which is available for free download at SRGC.net
Ian has lectured widely in the UK, Europe, Scandinavia, New Zealand, USA and Canada and for over 15 years was for regular broadcaster on BBC Radio Scotland.
Ian is also an artist and photographer and uses both these skills in the garden and his presentations.
In 2007 he and Margaret were honoured to be (jointly) awarded the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Medal by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society for outstanding service to Scottish horticulture.
In 2008 Ian was awarded the SRGC Golden Jubilee Salver for outstanding service to the SRGC.
In 2020 Ian was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society for ‘exceptional involvement in the advancement of the science art and practice of horticulture’.
In 2025 Ian and Margaret (Maggi) received the Sir Daniel Hall Award by the Bulb Expert Group of the Royal Horticultural Society ‘in recognition of their continued promotion of bulbs and their work to further knowledge and the global conversation about growing and conserving them’.