Spring's brightest jewel

Our gardens should, now, be dripping with the gold of Forsythia, one of the most popular of the spring-flowering shrubs. But did you realise there is a strong Scottish connection with the jewel in the crown of spring gardens?

Forsythia was named after an Aberdonian gentleman called William Forsyth, who was born in Oldmeldrum just 260 years ago in 1737, and like so many Scottish professional gardeners made his way south to England at an early age.

He was employed initially at the Apothecaries Garden in Chelsea which we know better now as the Chelsea Physic Garden. At that time the eighteenth-century gardening world was dominated by Philip Miller who was in charge of the Chelsea gardens. Although Miller had been born in England, his father was a Scot and the son always said he would never employ any gardener who was not Scottish.

The garden had been founded in 1673 and, by 1712, Sir Hans Sloane had purchased the freehold on the Manor of Chelsea which included the garden. In 1722 he conveyed the garden by deed to the Society of Apothecaries to be used as a Physick Garden.

Forsyth moved to Syon and worked for the Duke of Northumberland before returning to Chelsea in charge of the garden where he took Miller's place. He completely reorganised the layout and began to exchange seeds internationally.

In 1774 he developed at Chelsea what is considered to be the first rock garden in England making use of stones from the Tower of London. Also incorporated in the rockery was decorative lava which had been brought back from an expedition to Iceland by Sir Joseph Banks who was based at Kew.

The next move for Forsyth was into royal service with George III at Kensington Palace. In 1801, while at Kensington, he received a letter from John Wedgwood, son of the famous potter, suggesting the establishment of a Horticultural Society, the organisation we now know as the world-renowned Royal Horticultural Society.

After this phase in his life, Forsyth's reputation became a bit muddled as a result of a so-called wonder material he dreamt up. Shipping materials had been very much tied up in the Napoleonic Wars and the actual oak wood for shipbuilding was in short supply.

Forsyth told everyone he had discovered what he called a ''Plaister'' that would render faulty oak into sound material. Unfortunately, after a long time and a lot of private and public investment, it was found to be completely useless.

All in all though, he was a good gardener and we remember him when we grow the shrub named for him by Danish botanist Martin Vahl. And, of course, anyone who had anything to do with the setting-up of the Royal Horticultural Society, which is promoting the new Scottish Flower Show at Strathclyde Park in May, deserves our thanks.

My advice on buying a Forsythia would be to buy one now with plenty of flowerbuds on it. Or, if you are accepting cuttings from a friend, say no thank you, unless it is a specimen that produces lots of flowers.

Forsythis Intermedia Spectabilis is probably the best for us to look for although if you want larger flowers than the normal, Lynwood is a good Irish variety.

If you want one to spread over a low wall, ask for Forsythis Suspensa which has a spreading habit. And if you are short of space look out for a compact variety which has the unusual name of Forsythia Weekend.