New Year Honour for Raymond Evison
Clematis breeder, Raymond Evison, has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), in recognition of his achievements and services to the horticultural industry.
The honour bestowed in His Majesty the King’s New Years honours list was a complete surprise with Raymond saying “To become a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) is a tremendous honour for our family, The Guernsey Clematis Team, for Horticulture, for Guernsey and for myself”.
A renowned clematis breeder and nurseryman Raymond has won many awards and honours for his achievements and services to horticulture, such as the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour, the OBE, the RHS Reginald Cory Memorial Cup, the Garden Media Guild award, and now the CBE. He has also exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show for over 50 years, winning several gold medals and launching new clematis varieties.
Raymond started his horticultural career in Shropshire before moving to Guernsey to set up The Guernsey Clematis Nursery, which produces and distributes clematis plants worldwide. He has introduced over 200 clematis species and cultivars.
He has written several books and articles on clematis, such as “Making the Most of Clematis”, “The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Clematis”, and “Clematis for Small Spaces”.
He has also been involved in numerous horticultural bodies and societies, such as the International Plants Propagators Society, the National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens, the International Clematis Society, and the Royal Horticultural Society, for which he is a Vice President.