The Merlin Trust

a Fund for Young Horticulturists

Abstract

In 1990, the renowned plantswoman Valerie Finnis VMH founded the Merlin Trust, a charity that awards travel grants to young horticulturists. Ten years after her death in 2006, the Merlin Trust remains true to her vision, and the ever-growing band of ‘Merlins’ enrich the horticultural world with the knowledge and skills they have gained on their travels. Many of these horticulturists have
gone on to work in botanic and physic gardens and this paper gives some examples of these.