Mark Watson and Jim McColl

Mark Watson has been awarded the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society’s Dr Patrick Neill Medal 2013 for his contribution to botany.

Mark Watson is Editor in Chief of the Flora of Nepal and a specialist in both Himalayan botany and the Apiaceae.  The  Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society is the national horticultural society of Scotland and Dr Patrick Neill Memorial Medal is awarded annually to a Scottish botanist or cultivator for contributions to the subject. Patrick Neill (1776–1851) was one of the seventeen founding members of the society in 1809 and its secretary for forty one years.

Mark was presented with his medal by Jim McColl of Beechgrove Garden fame.

This is a very prestigious award and well deserved recognition of Mark’s work. Congratulations Mark!

This occasion also provides a rare opportunity to use the verb ‘medalled‘ in a headline – which I know will annoy many readers.