Imagine searching for plants in the Tibet mountains at an elevation of 16,000 feet.
Such was the adventure of a lifetime according to plant collector and specialist Bill Terry.
He and his wife Rosemary joined a group of British and Dutch plant hunters on a journey that began in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in southwest China and finished 2700 km away at Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region.
Travelling by jeep over some extremely rough terrain, the group paused along the way to hunt for rare and unusual plants. Primarily, they stopped in the high passes at elevations ranging from 10,000 to 16,000 feet. The members of the expedition were astounded at the flora variety in that part of the world and at such high elevations.
Terry took over 1,000 pictures throughout the trip, of which he promises to share a representative portion as the guest speaker at the general meeting March 21 of the Comox Valley Horticultural Society.
A life-long gardener, Terry retired to the Sunshine Coast after a 35-year career working in production and management with CBC Radio and Television. Returning to the coast has allowed Terry to pursue his passion and specialize in the Asiatic poppies, including the seductive blue poppy.
He grows hundreds of plants from seed every year and is the proud owner of the most diverse collection of Meconopsis species and hybrids in the country. Much of his knowledge has been included in his book Blue Heaven: Encounters with the Blue Poppy, Touchwood Editions, Victoria BC, 2009.
Everyone is welcome to join us on March 21 in the Conference Hall at the Florence Filberg Centre at 411 Anderton Rd. in Courtenay. Meet and Greet begins at 7 p.m. with coffee, tea and goodies available. Admission is $5 for non-members.
For more information, call Leslie at 250-337-8051 or e-mail growingconcern@telus.net.
鈥� Comox Valley Horticultural Society
