PLANTS FOR THE CONNOISSEUR - informal photographic magazine

Having specialised in the wild and cultivated flora of the Himalaya for nearly 40 years, Chris has decided to LAUNCH A NEW INFORMAL, LIGHT-HEARTED MAGAZINE - A CELEBRATION OF PLANTS, to share his accumulated expertise in growing and exploring for plants in other parts the world. He shall concentrate upon all non-Himalayan plants likely to prove hardy or require a minimum of protection in temperate, through to arctic gardens, inviting fellow plant enthusiasts around the world to both subscribe and contribute photos, snippets of information and full-blown articles themselves. 'PLANTS' provides something different to the existing journals of specialist horticultural societies (without the need to finding a committee to run it) or blogs by individual plants men & women - though is very happy to have features on subscribers' favourite blogs and societies. Initially, two issues a year are planned but if the level of interest is sufficient, this can increase. He would welcome your support. Not everyone will wish to join Chris' campaigns or be burdened by the 'heavy' content on his web-site, so this is designed to act as something of an antidote! His approach during digital presentations to clubs & societies is to be informative but delivered in a lively and entertaining style - it is his intention to do likewise within this magazine.

This new horticultural magazine, because it will be published digitally, being available, upon subscription, as pdfs sent by e-mail, the content shall be liberally illustrated with superb photos, reproduced to a higher standard than is achieved in most printed journals (Chris has a wide range of excellent images available).

Target publication date for first issue is by the end of September 2018 (then April 2019) and so on.

Contact Chris Chadwell: chrischadwell261@btinternet.com to join. Annual subscription for individuals (to receive two journals/year*) is £10 - representing a bargain, as it tends to cost £30 or more to join most plant-related clubs & societies. Payment methods: by cheque payable to Chris Chadwell (those with UK bank accounts only), £10 cash (or 15 Euros as notes or 15 US dollars as bills) or through pay pal (if using this method, indicate which e-mail address to use and a payment request will be sent - the cost of pay pal charge will be added usually c. 5%). .

IF this journal takes off (I would settle for 1/10th of the subscribers claimed by Dirk van der Werff's PLANTS - a journal for plant enthusiasts in 2001), I shall increase to at least three/year, possibly four. He charged £22.00 for a quarterly (albeit printed and with quite good colour images).

Who is this journal dedicated to?

In chronological order of input:

Mr Alan White B.Sc.(my rural studies teacher at secondary school, who encouraged an interest in horticulture and plants in general)

Douglas Chalk N.D.H. (my uncle, horticultural adviser, nurseryman specialising in hebes & heathers, part-time lecturer at Cannington College, Somerset; my teenage summers were spent on his nursery, where this Wisley-trained horticulturist, founder of the UK Hebe Society & author of 'Hebes & Parahebes' taught me the basics of horticulture to a high standard - an advocate of hands-on, practical gardening)

Roy Lancaster V.M.H. (has been an encouragement since I approached him for advice on my early expeditions to the Himalaya and he kindly agreed that I visit him in person at his home; when organising my first expedition as leader, to Kashmir back in 1983, he recommended a former student of his at Hilliers, who joined my team, recommending a further student of Roy's; subsequently, he encouraged me to write more, as, I had plenty of first-hand experience to draw upon, most writers just copy from other books - not all 'big' names bother to devote time to help others, so Roy deserves special credit, as I am not the only one to benefit from his benevolence; in recent year's his appearances on TV have been 'few and far between' but he has kept busy as the perfect President of 'The Hardy Plant Society'.