Sir Harry Veitch

A day in Exeter. We spent quite a bit of time in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. I was interested in the history of Veitch Nurseries of Exeter and Chelsea, my interest sparked by reading a novel called At the Edge of the Orchard, a novel by Tracey Chevalier. 
https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/3139246784077890361 It is about plant hunters employed by Veitch and sent around the world to find plants and trees. There are several places associated with Veitch in Exeter and Devon, and I’m going to look for them gradually. In the Museum there is a bust of Sir Harry Veitch. Occasionally there are Veitch lectures and the bust is garlanded with flowers.
The Exeter firm of Veitch & Sons became one of Britain’s most important horticultural firms. Employees travelled the world in search of botanical specimens. Between 1840 and 1880 they went to South America, South-east Asia, India, Japan, China, the Pacific Islands and Africa. In amongst the carefully packed botanical specimens were sometimes placed ethnographic objects, which were later to find a home at RAMM.
Henry, later Sir Harry Veitch, was born and went to school in Exeter. He travelled to France and Germany before joining his father at a new branch of the nursery opened on King’s Road, Chelsea, in 1853. Henry was to become one of the leading horticulturalists of his day. He is most famous for promoting the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition of 1912 – the first Chelsea Flower Show. This earned him his Knighthood.
In the evening we went to Waterstones for a talk, harp recital, and book signing by Hazel Prior. Hazel is a best selling author of uplifting fiction, and her new book is a novel featuring otters - Life and Otter Miracles. A lovely evening. 
It was National Poetry Day, and in the Oxfam bookshop I met a poet I know, who I haven’t seen for a while. 
We started the day with coffee at the Exploding Bakery and the day burst forth from there.