News
Jonathon-Chevenix Trench retires
Johnathon -Chevenix Trench retired as a Trustee, with effect from July 2011, after serving many years in the post. The Trustees would like to record their thanks for his outstanding contribution to the work of the Trust and, in particular, for his advice on financial matters.
AGS Tours information
The Merlin Trust, together with the Alpine Garden Society, offers grants for a limited number of places on tours run by AGS Tours Ltd. For details contact either the Trust or AGS (click here to go to the AGS web site).
Fiona Crumley retires
Fiona Crumley the Trust’s long-serving secretary retired in July. Her tenure of the post ensured that over 500 Merlins were able to undertake their projects secure in the knowledge that their objectives were properly represented. Chairman, Brent Elliott , thanked Fiona for her in-put and that the invitation extended to her to join the Board of Trustees, indicated the value of continuity.
New Secretary Appointed
Joanne Everson is appointed as the new secretary of the Merlin Trust. After leaving Writtle College with a horticultural degree, Joanne spent 3 years with the National Trust as a gardener in Kent, following on from a sandwich year working for them in Buckinghamshire.
For nearly the past ten years she has worked at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew where she is the Team Leader of the Rock Garden. During this time she has been a recipient of two Merlin Awards, in 2002 trekking in the mountains of Bhutan and in 2009 visiting various mountains habitats in Yunnan, China.
The Chairman welcomed Joanne Everson’s appointment as Secretary, adding that having the first-hand experience of a past Merlin as part of the Administrative team, would be of immense benefit to the Trust.
Royalties received
The trust has now receieved royalties from the sale in Europe of Cercis canadensis Lavender Twist' and is grateful to the grower, Tim Brotzman for this generous donation.
Merlins benefit from generous gift
Since 1990 The Merlin Trust has assisted over 550 young gardeners, plants–people and horticulturists to travel 
and experience plants in the wild and in cultivation all over the world as well as in the UK. As a small charity the Merlin Trust is very fortunate to receive royalties from the European sales of Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’ Lavender Twist ® and is grateful to Tim Brotzman the grower, for this generous donation.
Valerie Finnis and her husband Sir David Scott befriended many young horticulturists over the years and Tim Brotzman was one such student, an American nurseryman who met the Scotts when he was studying in the UK. To mark his appreciation of their friendship he offered the Trust the royalties from the European sales of a new plant, Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’ Plant Patent No. 10328, also marketed as LAVENDER TWIST® or the Weeping Redbud.
Tim first successfully propagated this unique new form of Cercis canadensis in 1991 after having been made aware of the parent plant’s existence in the garden of Miss Connie Covey in Westfield, New York. Miss Covey’s specimen was approximately 35 years old and pendulous in habit reaching a height of 4.5 feet tall by 7 feet wide and with a trunk diameter of over 6 inches. This specimen had a unique pendulous habit and zigzagging branches causing Tim to comment that it was covered in Lavender Twists.
Tim bought the propagation rights to the tree and transplanted the parent plant to his family nursery in Madison, Ohio. Unlike most redbud which can grow late into the autumn, Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’ typically goes dormant before the first frost, thus enhancing winter hardiness. Leaves are dark green, slightly larger than normal and are held in such a way to make the plant appear to have been “shingled.” Lavender flowers are typical of the specie and are borne profusely on young plants. When staked, one year old whips can reach 6 to 7 feet and young branched plants vigorously develop into fine specimens.
To read more about Brotzman’s Nursery and Cercis canadensis ‘Covey’ follow the links www.lavendertwist.com and www.brotzmansnursery.com
Support future Merlins
The Trust is grateful to all who support its work by making donations. Should you feel that you would like to add your support by contributing to the Trust's excellent record in providing grant opportunities to young people, please contact the secretary.
Click here to email the secretary or to go to our contact page instead just click here.
Peter Feilen, Merlin 542 Botanising on the flanks of Mount Kenya, June 2011
Chloe Wells and Kate Barnard, Merlins 534 & 535 taking part in an Alpine Garden Society trip to The Peloponnese, April 2011
Donations
The Trust is grateful to all who support its work by making donations. Should you feel that you would like to add your support by contributing to the Trust's excellent record in providing grant opportunities to young people, please contact the secretary.
Click here to email the secretary or to go to our contact page instead just click here.
