It is amazing where you see connections to Shrewsbury and The Lion Hotel.
I was reading my Mum’s National Trust for Scotland magazine when I came across this picture of Percy Thrower, pictured below.
Percy Thrower was Shrewsbury’s Parks Superintendent from 1946-74 and his responsibilities included the famous Dingle in the centre of the town’s Quarry.
He has been described as Britain’s first celebrity gardener appearing on Blue Peter, the BBC Gardening Club in 1956 and then the BBC Gardeners’ World from 1969-76.
The Lion Hotel honoured him by naming one of their bedrooms after him and guests today can still stay in the Thrower Room.
Of the picture the National Trust for Scotland magazine said: “The director’s collar-length hair, flared cords and suede boots date this charming picture to around 1970, though the star of the show, gardening hero Percy Thrower, clearly has no truck with such fads.
“Resplendent in neat cardigan, tie and shiny shoes, he is examining a bed of alchemilla at Crathes Castle at Banchory, Aberdeenshire, during the filming of an episode of Gardeners’ World.
“Oddly, his garb now looks far less dated than that of his colleague, and certainly less so than the heavy BBC camera that towers above him, or even the slimline Super 8 camera also being used to record the event.
“The team would have been welcomed to Crathes by the then head gardener Douglas MacDonald, who died in August this year aged 93 and worked in the castle garden for very nearly 50 years, retiring in 1985.
“The shot is taken in late summer, looking north towards the castle from the Camel Garden, so called because of its distinctive hump.
“Today’s head gardener, Chris Wardle, said: ‘It’s a lovely picture and an interesting one because that area has since been completely remodelled. Even the castle itself looks different – those down pipes have gone. But most of the plants shown, such as hemerocallis, philadelphus, astilbe and alstroemeria, can still be seen at Crathes.’
“Over the years, the garden has hosted visits from a procession of well-known broadcasters.
“Alan Titchmarsh, Gloria Hunniford, Chris Beardshaw and Roy Lancaster are just some of those ho have enthused to the nation from among the iconic Crathes yew hedge.”
To find out more about Crathes Castle go to www.nts.org.uk/Property/Crathes-Castle-Garden-Estate/
There’s more about Percy Thrower and the other rooms in Four Centuries at The Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury. To buy a signed copy email John@jbutterworth.plus.com
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