Newsletter
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From Newsletter 76 - September 2014
Care for our plants
Friends,
Luckily it doesn't happen very often but sometimes after a sudden, unexpected death, the next of kin or the executors don't know what to do with the plant collection. Nothing seems to have been settled about it in advance. The death notice or obituary does often reach the board of a relevant plant society in time and the executors can then, should they so wish, be helped by society volunteers to move the plant collection elsewhere and arrange care. The collection itself may be substantial, both in size and in monetary and/or scientific value; think, for example, of rare and today endangered species.
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Unfortunately, occasionally the family, in their grief, leave things like the greenhouse at the back of the house to look after itself, only (much) later, when the house has to be emptied, to realise that "that greenhouse full of plants" needs clearing out too. Many a plant is by then already dead or dying and there is little that volunteers from the society can do other than, miserably, toss it in the garbage bin.
Dear friends, we must not let things go so far. Nobody likes to discuss the possibility of their own sudden death but, after all, we do all run the risk. So spell out clearly to your next of kin or executor(s) what you want to happen to your plants in the event. For example, they could notify the board of your plant society who could arrange for volunteers to help move your plants to a place of safety. Then the plants could be divided by lot between your fellow hobbyists or perhaps auctioned or raffled with the proceeds going to a good cause, as you direct.
 Fig. 3 DBG Schutzsammlung, foto's R.Tomassen |
So do put your wishes for your plants down on paper and, depending on your personal situation, put them with your funeral papers or even add a codicil to your will. In the past there have been situations where the deceased had no family left at all and neither friends nor neighbours had any idea of his or her last wishes. Then someone, anyone, just had guess what should happen to that big greenhouse at the back, full of plants . |
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So organise the future of your favorite plants, don't leave them in limbo. As members of a plant society we are, after all, there to help one another at these times too.
Roel Tomassen, on behalf of the Board.
Roel Tomassen
Eric Gouda, layout
Translation: MaryRose Hoare
Bijgewerkt: 20150217, 1685 keer bekeken
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