Iris Bannochie
Encyclopedia
Iris Bannochie was a Barbadian
horticulturalist who was the leading expert on horticulture
on the island of Barbados
. With her second husband, John, she created and owned Andromeda Gardens
, a scenic park with strikingly attractive flowering plant
s and tropical trees in the village of Bathsheba
, Saint Joseph in Barbados
. Bannochie founded the garden around 1954 on 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) of land that had been in her family since 1740. On Bannochie's death, Andromeda Gardens was left to the Barbados National Trust
.
Bannochie was born in Grenada
in 1914 and, apart from her early childhood, lived all her life in Barbados. She married John Mackie Bannochie on 1964-04-13. She was a founding member of the Barbados National Trust. In 1977, she was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal
by the Royal Horticultural Society
for her contribution to tropical horticulture. Bannochie suffered a stroke
in the summer of 1988 and died shortly afterwards. She was 73 years old.
A heliconia
cultivar
is named after Bannochie - Heliconia stricta
'Iris Bannochie'.
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
horticulturalist who was the leading expert on horticulture
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...
on the island of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. With her second husband, John, she created and owned Andromeda Gardens
Andromeda Gardens
Andromeda Gardens is a botanical garden and attractive tourist attraction in the village of Bathsheba, Saint Joseph in Barbados. It is a beautiful scenic park with strikingly attractive flowering plants and tropical trees and along with Flower Forest it is one of the most alluring parks on the...
, a scenic park with strikingly attractive flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s and tropical trees in the village of Bathsheba
Bathsheba (Barbados)
Bathsheba is the main fishing village in the parish of Saint Joseph with some 5,000 inhabitants on the east coastline of Barbados. The town has a number of quaint churches; Saint Joseph Anglican Church was built on Horse Hill in the town as early as 1640 but was rebuilt in 1839 following a...
, Saint Joseph in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. Bannochie founded the garden around 1954 on 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) of land that had been in her family since 1740. On Bannochie's death, Andromeda Gardens was left to the Barbados National Trust
Barbados National Trust
The Barbados National Trust, founded in 1960, is an organisation which works to preserve and protect the natural and artistic heritage of Barbados and to increase public awareness of Barbados' historic and architectural treasures...
.
Bannochie was born in Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
in 1914 and, apart from her early childhood, lived all her life in Barbados. She married John Mackie Bannochie on 1964-04-13. She was a founding member of the Barbados National Trust. In 1977, she was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal
The Veitch Memorial Medal
The Veitch Memorial Medal, is a prestigious international prize issued annually by the Royal Horticultural Society .-Goal:The prize is awarded to "persons of any nationality who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement and improvement of the science and practice of horticulture"...
by the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
for her contribution to tropical horticulture. Bannochie suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in the summer of 1988 and died shortly afterwards. She was 73 years old.
A heliconia
Heliconia
Heliconia, derived from the Greek word helikonios, is a genus of about 100 to 200 species of flowering plants native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions...
cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
is named after Bannochie - Heliconia stricta
Heliconia stricta
Heliconia stricta is a "clumping" species of Heliconia, commonly found in the Caribbean islands, Central America and South America.Some common cultivated varieties are:*Bucky*Dwarf Jamaican*Fire Bird*Iris Bannochie*Oliveira's Sharonii*Tagami...
'Iris Bannochie'.
