John Sedan ( 1840 - 1921 )

To every lover of orchids the names of John Dominy and John Seden signify the dawn of orchid hybridization . Both worked together for many years in the employ of James Veitch & Sons ,and both were pioneers in the field .The hundreds of new orchid hybrids created by them formed a great share of the world renown the Veitch firm enjoyed .

John Seden was born 10 July 1840,at Dedham ,in Essex ,England ,and he began his career as a gardener early in life.

I first fell in love with orchids ,etc., in 1859, when I lived in a private place next door to the late Dr .Butler , who had at that time a good selection of the best orchids in cultivation , adn exhibited very successfully at Regent's Park and the Crystal Palace . The late Mr. Robert Bullen , late curator of the Botanic Gardens , Glasgow ,was the grower . In 1860 Mr.Bullen went to Chelsea as orchid grower, and recommended me also to the late Mr. James Veitch . I started work there in January , 1861....

In the fall of that year Mr. Veitch transferred Seden to the Exeter nursery , and it was under John Dominy's tutelage that he was first initiated into the practice of hybridization .Mr. Dominy's results in plant breeding had attracted wide attention and it was not surprising , therefore, that Seden should become interested in that line of work.

After the death of James Veitch in 1862,Seden was asked to return to the Chelsea branch to take charge of the orchids, stove plants,and nepenthes. There he continued further experiments in hybridization and cross- fertilization .Not only did he raise new orchid hybrids ,but nepenthes , caladiums, begonias ,alocasias , gloxinias ,and amaryllis were crossed , and many notable hybrid progeny resulted .

His first orchid of hybrid origin ,Paphiopedilum Sedenii, flowered in 1873 ,and form that time he raised 150 hybrid paphiopedilusms , 140 laeliocattleyas , sixty -five cattleyas , forty dendrobiums , twenty-five laelias , sixteen phalaenopsis ,twenty epidendrums ,twelve masdevallias , nine calanthes,eight sophrocattleyas, five phiocalanthes ,six disas, four zygopetalums ,and other miscellaneous hybrids such as Chysis Chelsoni, Chysis Sedei ,Chysis Langleyensis, Thunia Veitchii, Sobralia Veitchii, Cymbidium , Eburneolowianum , Phaius Amabilis , Phaius Maculato-grandifolus , Epilaelia Radico-Purpurata ,Epilaelia Eros,Leptolaelia Veitchii,Angraecum Veitchii,Miltonia Bleuana Splendens ,Odontoglossum Excellens , Anguloa Intermedia ,and many others . His own name is commemorated -in addition to his hybrids -by the species Cyrtorchis sedenii and Phragmipedium sedenii.

In 1867 the younger James Veitch moved to Stanley House , next to the Chelsea nursery .He requested Seden to enter into his service in a private capacity ,which he did .

So that he might have the advantage of some outside work ,Sir Harry Veitch invited Seden to the firm's nursery at Langley in 1889.There it was that he expanded his hybridizing by raising various fruits ,including strawberries , apples , and gooseberries , all of which received awards from the Royal Horticultural Society 's Fruit and Vegetable Committee. In all ,Seden made over 490 crosses , the majority of which yielded plants , fruits ,and flowers of great merit. In recognition of his contributions to horticulture , in 1897 he was chosen as one of teh original recipients of the Victoria Medal of Honour by the Royal Horticultural Society .

In 1905, at the age of sixty -five,John Seden retired and went to live at Worthing where , due to the liberal beneficence of his former employers,he was able to spend the remainder of his life in leisure and happiness.He died there on 24 February 1921.

References

Gardeners'Chronicle . 1899.Hybrids and Their Raisers. Vol . 26,no. 655.

Gardeners' Chronicle. 1921. Obituary .Vol. 69,no. 1784.

Veitch ,James H. 1906.Hortus Veitchii Chelsea , London: James Veitch & Sons Ltd.