David Robinson (horticulturist)

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David Willis Robinson (2 April 1928 – 28 March 2004) was a

Born in 1928, Robinson said later that he decided on a career in horticulture at the age of 10.[2] His father was a building contractor.

Robinson obtained his bachelor's degree in horticulture from

Robinson had been invited down south to the Republic of Ireland on a number of occasions to give advice. For example, John Daly, agricultural instructor and later father of the RTÉ gardening expert Gerry Daly, had invited him several times, starting in 1959, to come and lecture to the fruit growers in County Wexford on his research into weed control. As a result of these trips he was offered in October 1963 a post as Director of Horticultural Research at the Kinsealy Research Centre, a facility of the Agricultural Research Institute (now a Teagasc facility), at Kinsealy north of Dublin, Ireland. He had won a Fulbright Grant to spend some further time in the US, but despite this and ongoing projects, he eventually accepted the offer, taking up the new post in May 1964, moving to live in Ard na Mara, Malahide.^[1]

Robinson remained in the Kinsealy post for almost 25 years (1964–88).^[1] His work included projects on commercial production of soft fruits among others, at centres of the Agricultural Research Institute at Ballygagin and Clonroche, and work on his no-hoe / no-till technique of low-maintenance cultivation.

Robinson represented Ireland on the Council of the International Society for Horticultural Science from 1964 to 1990, and was President of the Horticultural Education Association of Great Britain and Ireland from 1971 to 1972.

Earlscliffe House and Garden

The Robinsons bought Earlscliffe House and gardens at the Baily, Howth, just outside Dublin, in 1969. Robinson's 7-acre (28,000 m²) garden there, maintained with minimal outside help, has been designated one of Ireland's National Plant Heritage Gardens and was awarded the highest accolade (two stars) in the 1999 Good Gardens Guide (Ebury Press).^[4] It benefits from a sheltered location with a warm microclimate, and plants growing there include bananas, tree ferns, South African Erica and a range of palms, all flourishing outside without any winter protection. At times it was available for garden tours by groups.^[1] Robinson also supported some research interests on a private basis from the garden, for example sending foliage of New Zealand-originated plants to a New Zealand entomologist in France, who was testing attraction for certain garden pests, such as the fall web worm and an Asian moth.

Several notable individuals have lived at or owned Earslcliffe including;

• Captain William Bunbury McClintock Bunbury (1864–1878)
• Sir John Pentland Mahaffy (1901–1922)
• Very Rev. CT Ovenden and Dr Ella Webb MBE (1922 -1930)
• Sir John Lumsden (1930 -1945)
• Augusta, Lady Gregory
  (1949–1950)
• Arthur Stanley-Clarke (1950 -1952)
• Dr Robert Rowan Woods (1952 -1961)

Media, journalism and public appearances

Robinson was a regular panel member on the Irish RTÉ Radio One Ask About Gardening show led by Gerry Daly, answering impromptu gardening questions phoned in by listeners. For a four-year period, he was also a presenter on the Green Fingers television programme, which was transmitted by BBC Northern Ireland, and RTÉ.^[5] He wrote on gardening topics for a number of Irish and UK newspapers, journals and magazines, including Ireland's most-read agricultural newspaper, the Farmers Journal, and the top-selling gardening magazine, The Irish Garden.

Publications and editorial work

Robinson was the author of over 120 scientific publications, mainly on weed control, and joint editor of three books on horticultural science.^[1]

Robinson was on the editorial board of Scientia Horticulturae (1970–89), Associate Editor of Crops Research Journal (1982–89) and on the editorial board of Chronica Horticulturae (1992–95).

Recognition

Robinson's work in horticulture was recognised by the

Robinson died in March 2004 and was survived by his wife, Muriel (1929–2016),[1] daughter Karen, son Ivan and their families.^[6] In 2005, the year after his death, the Annual College Lecture for students of horticulture in Ireland, organised and sponsored by Bord Bia, was renamed as the David Robinson Memorial Lecture in his honour, and continues to be given annually under that name.^[1]

See also

• James Bayley Butler – botanist who lived at Glenlion also in Baily area of Howth

References