Veitch Nurseries
Encyclopedia
The Veitch Nurseries were the largest group of family-run plant nurseries
in Europe during the 19th century. Started by John Veitch
sometime before 1808, the original nursery grew substantially over several decades and was eventually split into two separate businesses - based at Chelsea
and Exeter
- as it became unfeasible to run the whole operation from one location. Famous plant hunters in the Victorian period employed by the Veitch family include Thomas Lobb
and William Lobb
from Cornwall.
The Veitch's ability to rear exotic plants is noted in William Jackson Hooker
's description of Verticordia nitens
, and they were able to supply a specimen for its illustration.
The firm had, by the outbreak of the First World War, introduced 1281 plants into cultivation, which were either previously unknown or newly bred varieties (see cultivars). These included 498 greenhouse
plants, 232 orchids, 153 deciduous
trees, shrubs and climbing plants, 122 herbaceous
plants, 118 exotic fern
s, 72 evergreen
and climbing plants, 49 conifers and 37 bulbous plants. In the years to come, more plants followed. The nurseries were most famous for their orchids, although they also introduced several famous plants from other families, such as Nepenthes rajah
and Nepenthes northiana
. The pitcher plant
species N. veitchii
is named in honour of the Veitch dynasty.
The Chelsea business ceased to trade in 1914, whilst the Exeter business continued under Peter Veitch
and later his daughter Mildred
. She in turn sold the firm in 1969, when it was bought by St Bridget Nurseries. The business was run as a separate business for a further 20 years, but is now a non-functioning subsidiary of St Bridget.
John Veitch
, England
and Corinthian footballer was a member of the Veitch family and joined the family firm as company secretary.
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
in Europe during the 19th century. Started by John Veitch
John Veitch (horticulturist)
John Veitch was the founder of the Veitch horticulture dynasty who created the Exeter based firm of Veitch Nurseries.Veitch was born in Ancrum, near Jedburgh, Scotland, but left Scotland at an early age and walked to London to seek employment and his fortune. He found employment with the nursery...
sometime before 1808, the original nursery grew substantially over several decades and was eventually split into two separate businesses - based at Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
and Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
- as it became unfeasible to run the whole operation from one location. Famous plant hunters in the Victorian period employed by the Veitch family include Thomas Lobb
Thomas Lobb
Thomas Lobb was a British botanist and, along with his older brother, William Lobb, collected plants for the plant nursery Veitch....
and William Lobb
William Lobb
William Lobb was a Cornish plant collector, employed by Veitch Nurseries of Exeter, who was responsible for the commercial introduction to England of Araucaria araucana from Chile and the massive Sequoiadendron giganteum from North America.He and his brother, Thomas Lobb, were the first...
from Cornwall.
William Jackson Hooker
Sir William Jackson Hooker, FRS was an English systematic botanist and organiser. He held the post of Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow University, and was the first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He enjoyed the friendship and support of Sir Joseph Banks for his exploring,...
's description of Verticordia nitens
Verticordia nitens
Verticordia nitens is an upright shrub, 0.45 to 1.8 metres tall, with glistening and perfumed flower heads that appear between October and February in Southwest Australia...
, and they were able to supply a specimen for its illustration.
The firm had, by the outbreak of the First World War, introduced 1281 plants into cultivation, which were either previously unknown or newly bred varieties (see cultivars). These included 498 greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
plants, 232 orchids, 153 deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees, shrubs and climbing plants, 122 herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plants, 118 exotic fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s, 72 evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
and climbing plants, 49 conifers and 37 bulbous plants. In the years to come, more plants followed. The nurseries were most famous for their orchids, although they also introduced several famous plants from other families, such as Nepenthes rajah
Nepenthes rajah
Nepenthes rajah is an insectivorous pitcher plant species of the Nepenthaceae family. It is endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Nepenthes rajah grows exclusively on serpentine substrates, particularly in areas of seeping ground water where the...
and Nepenthes northiana
Nepenthes northiana
Nepenthes northiana , or Miss North's Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo, where it grows at elevations ranging from 0 to 500 m above sea level. The specific epithet northiana honours Marianne North, who first illustrated the species...
. The pitcher plant
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
species N. veitchii
Nepenthes veitchii
Nepenthes veitchii |James Veitch]], nurseryman of the Veitch Nurseries), or Veitch's Pitcher-Plant, is a Nepenthes species from the island of Borneo. The plant is widespread in north-western Borneo and can also be found in parts of Kalimantan. N...
is named in honour of the Veitch dynasty.
The Chelsea business ceased to trade in 1914, whilst the Exeter business continued under Peter Veitch
Peter Veitch
Peter Christian Massyn Veitch was a member of the family of horticulturists who established the renowned family business Veitch Nurseries.-Early days:...
and later his daughter Mildred
Mildred Veitch
Anna Mildred Veitch B.A. was the last member of the Veitch family of horticulturists to manage the family business of Veitch Nurseries....
. She in turn sold the firm in 1969, when it was bought by St Bridget Nurseries. The business was run as a separate business for a further 20 years, but is now a non-functioning subsidiary of St Bridget.
John Veitch
John Veitch (footballer)
John Gould Veitch was an English amateur footballer, who played for the Corinthian club in the 1890s. He made one appearance for England playing at inside left in 1894, in which he scored a hat trick.-Family and education:...
, England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Corinthian footballer was a member of the Veitch family and joined the family firm as company secretary.