15th ANNUAL STEELE LECTURE

Kenneth Cox

Sunday, 30 September 2001, 3:00 pm
Auditorium, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Summer Street, Halifax

“The Riddle of the Tsang Po Gorges”

Kenneth Cox and his father Peter are probably the world’s leading authorities on the genus Rhododendron. Based in Perth, Scotland, they run Glendoick Gardens, the renowned nursery specializing in rhododendron species and hybrids. The nursery was started by Kenneth’s grandfather Euan Cox, who accompanied Farrer on his last trip to the Orient in the early part of the 1900′s. Both have led numerous expeditions to China, the Himalayas, Sikkim and other rhododendron centres in search of rhododendrons. Both Kenneth and Peter have made numerous trips to China to collect and observe rhododendron species in the wild. The duo has produced the best books on the genus rhododendron:

– The Dwarf Rhododendrons, Peter Cox
– The Smaller Rhododendrons, Peter Cox
– The Larger Species of Rhododendrons, Peter Cox
– The Encyclopedia of Rhododendron Species, Peter & Kenneth Cox
– The Cultivation of Rhododendrons, Peter Cox
– Rhododendrons: A Care Manual, Kenneth Cox
– The Riddle of the Tsang Po Gorges, updated by Kenneth Cox and others.

They have also written numerous articles about rhododendrons and their plant hunting expeditions in many major horticultural journals.

They are breeding new and exciting rhododendron and azalea hybrids and many of the more dwarf types are proving to be excellent performers in coastal Nova Scotia. Their knowledge of all choice gardens plants is also legendary. We are fortunate indeed to have Kenneth Cox come to give the Annual Steele Lecture this year.