Peter
Boardman
An
internationally-recognised holly grower, plantsman and Norfolk garden
enthusiast, Peter Boardman, has died aged 84.
His
garden at How Hill Farm, Ludham, was a “gem of Broadland” and he was also known
as the “King of Holly” for his work over more than half a century.
He
was the first grower in Britain to win the Holly Society
of America’s most prestigious award in 2005.
Chairman
of the Norfolk & Norwich Horticultural Society in 1997, Mr Boardman was a
great ambassador for holly and opened his three-acre garden for charity for 35
years.
In
2003, he was presented with a silver trowel by the National Gardens’
Scheme for 21 years’ continuous opening. In the late 1960s, he bought some land
opposite his house to create a riverside garden and dig a new broad as a
conservation project. At that time, the River Ant, had been described as one of
the most heavily polluted in Broadland, mainly from the upstream sewage
treatment plant at Stalham.
The
water in the broad, isolated from the river, was “gin-clear” and plants,
including rare azaleas and rhododendrons from a family friend of his late
uncle, thrived.
To
his enormous regret, his hope of building a thatched retirement home
overlooking what he jokingly called “Peter’s Broad” was thwarted by planners in
1991. Today, a stone window arch overlooking the Ant and marshes stands as a
reminder of his dream project.
Born
in June 1932, Peter David Stuart Boardman went to Town Close and then Malvern
before studying agriculture at Writtle College.
His
father, Stuart, had taken on a rather run-down How Hill Farm at Michaelmas 1926
and planted fruit trees - more than 60 acres of apples, cherries and pears and
blackcurrants, gooseberries and strawberries. A founder of Norfolk Fruit
Growers, the pioneering marketing co-operative, he became a director in 1935,
and was secretary to Stalham Farmers’ Club.
By
1938, the fruit venture including Norfolk Royal apples had become a success and
his father planted four acres of holly. A captain in the Royal Norfolk
Regiment, he was killed in action in Malaya in 1942.
Peter,
who became a director of Norfolk Fruit Growers, had taken over the farm in
1953. Years later, he spotted a branch on a tree with exceptionally “red”
fruit, which he propagated. Norfolk Royal Red apples, grown today, will be on
his coffin.
In
1968, he increased the holly area to about five acres, planting more varieties.
Eventually more than 100 types were grown – and about five tonnes of holly was
cut for the Christmas trade, mainly sent to London.
Every
December, he delivered huge bundles of colourful hollies to decorate Norwich
Cathedral, said Sally Mitchell, secretary to the flower guild. “It was always a
very colourful display with so many different colours of berries too and he was
so generous too,” she added.
A
world authority on holly, Susyn (SUSYN) Andrews, then
of London’s Kew Gardens, nominated him for the Holly Society
of America’s Wolf-Fenton Award. Her citation said: “How Hill is a gem
lying in the middle of the Norfolk Broads.”
Mr
Boardman was “a tremendous ambassador for ilex (holly)” and “a quiet gentleman,
he has always been helpful and willing with his advice,” she added.
Sir
Nicholas Bacon, president of the Royal Horticultural Society, said that Peter
was a highly-respected plantsman, enthusiast, and that he had been a great
advocate for gardens, fruit and especially holly.
President
of the Friends of How Hill, he was a trustee of the neighbouring How Hill
Trust, which had been established on April 1, 1984. His grandfather, Edward,
had built How Hill in 1903 – later it became an educational centre as it
remains today.
When
his farmers’ club celebrated its 175th anniversary, Mr Boardman
was delighted to welcome about 300 fellow members and guests to a glorious
summer drinks party this June.
A
member of the City Livery Company, the Fruiterers, he was a director of Aylsham
Grain, and also a shareholder in Cox’s Boatyard, of Barton Turf. Only last
Monday, he had enjoyed his visit to Aylsham Show but had been taken ill three
days later and died on September 2.
He
leaves a sister, Cecilia, nephews Richard and Nicholas, and a much-loved partner,
Elizabeth.
A
funeral service will be held at Ludham Church on Friday,
September 23, 2pm, and afterwards at How Hill Farm.