Alan Bloom (plantsman)
Encyclopedia
Alan Herbert Vauser Bloom (19 November 1906 – 31 March 2005) was a British Horticulturist
and steam engine
enthusiast. During his life he created over 170 new varieties of hardy perennial plant
s. These and Alpine plant
s were his specialities. He wrote some 30 books and appeared on radio and television. He was the founder of Bressingham Steam and Gardens.
. Four years later, Blooms Nurseries had become one of the largest English nurseries of its kind.
During World War II
he grew crops in the fens.
In 1946 he purchased Bressingham Hall and 228 acre (0.92268408 km²) of land at Bressingham
. In 1948 he left this for Vancouver Island
, leaving the Bressingham nursery in the hands of an agent but returned two years later.
Between 1950 and 1962 he continued to develop Bressingham Gardens.
In 1962 he began to collect steam engines, some of which had been retired from British Railways. His two sons Robert and Adrian joined him in the nursery business. In 1968 they opened the Bressingham Steam Museum alongside the nursery.
In 1985 they began the Blooms of Bressingham company. In 1995 Robert Bloom was killed in a car accident, leaving Adrian in charge of the business.
In 2007 Blooms of Bressingham was taken over and merged with the larger Wyevale
chain of garden centres.
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
enthusiast. During his life he created over 170 new varieties of hardy perennial plant
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
s. These and Alpine plant
Alpine plant
Alpine plants are plants that grow in the alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line. Alpine plants grow together as a plant community in alpine tundra.-Alpine plant diversity:...
s were his specialities. He wrote some 30 books and appeared on radio and television. He was the founder of Bressingham Steam and Gardens.
Career
Alan Bloom was himself the son of a nurseryman. Aged fifteen he left school and learned his craft working in various nurseries. In 1926 aged twenty he started his own wholesale nursery business at OakingtonOakington
Oakington is a small village 4 miles north-west of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire in England, and belongs to the administrative district of South Cambridgeshire. The village falls into the parish of Oakington and Westwick.-History:...
. Four years later, Blooms Nurseries had become one of the largest English nurseries of its kind.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he grew crops in the fens.
In 1946 he purchased Bressingham Hall and 228 acre (0.92268408 km²) of land at Bressingham
Bressingham
Bressingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 751 in 305 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of South Norfolk....
. In 1948 he left this for Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, leaving the Bressingham nursery in the hands of an agent but returned two years later.
Between 1950 and 1962 he continued to develop Bressingham Gardens.
In 1962 he began to collect steam engines, some of which had been retired from British Railways. His two sons Robert and Adrian joined him in the nursery business. In 1968 they opened the Bressingham Steam Museum alongside the nursery.
In 1985 they began the Blooms of Bressingham company. In 1995 Robert Bloom was killed in a car accident, leaving Adrian in charge of the business.
In 2007 Blooms of Bressingham was taken over and merged with the larger Wyevale
Wyevale
The Garden Centre Group is a chain of 130 garden centres in the United Kingdom. Prior to 2009, it was known as Wyevale Garden Centres.It was voted 'Best Garden Centre 2009' in an online poll by Gardeners' World Magazine.- Name change :...
chain of garden centres.
Awards
- 1997 — MBEMBEMBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
- 1971 — Victoria Medal (horticulture)
- Veitch Memorial Medal