I was brought up on our family farm ‘Woodchester’, near Waiau, in the South Island of New Zealand, where I was introduced to rhododendrons by my mother, June Gardiner. Early education was supervised at home by Mum via the Correspondence school, and then it was off boarding school in Christchurch, and finally to University. I completed my PhD in Biochemistry at Otago University, where I came to love the peace of the Rhododendron Dell during exam time.
I headed off to Freiburg in Germany to undertake two years of post-doctoral research and finally started work in 1980 in Palmerston North, in the North Island, as a Scientist at the Plant Physiology Division (PPD) of the then Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Several restructurings later, I retired from Plant & Food Research Ltd in 2019 as a Principal Scientist. My area of work involved developing DNA based tools for fruit tree breeders, to increase the efficiency of developing new varieties of yummy fruit with genetic resistance to pests and diseases.
I met my husband Lindsay during my first year at work at PPD and we now live and garden at our 10 acre property ‘Omahuri’, which features an extensive collection of rhododendron species, mostly self -propagated. I have been a member of the NZRA Council for many years and am now serving my second term as President.
I am a Member of the Board of the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust. I value my long term relationship with the RSBG and position as an International Member of its Board. I have recently been honoured by election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and the International Society of Horticultural Science.
In my retirement, I am able to pursue my interests in the genus Rhododendron, its conservation and genetics.