Meeting:

March 12, 2009

Guest Presenter:

Martin Grantham

Program:

Deep Flora – A Few Gems from South Africa’s Botanical Treasure Trove

Martin Grantham’s talk focused on growing the woody irids (plants in the iris family) and restios (grass-like plants) that are part of the treasure trove of South African flora. Many avid gardeners and professional plantsmen, including Martin, are advocates for adding these gems to the home garden. He discussed current industry efforts to make them available to the public.

Born and raised in the Santa Clara Valley of California, as it was transformed from a sea of orchards into a technological hub, Martin Grantham studied botany at UC Davis where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Graduate studies in Mycology at UC Berkeley led to a ten year stint at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden where he planned and planted the Mexican and Central American Section and created the Xerophytic Fern Display. Additionally, he served as an Assistant to the Curator and Coordinator of the Volunteer Propagators.

Currently, and for the past ten years, Martin has served as Greenhouse Manager for San Francisco State University’s Biology Department. As a recipient of the Bruce Briggs Travel/Study Award from IPPS, Martin spent three months working at South Africa’s Vegetable/Ornamental Plant Research Institute and Kirstenbosch in 1994 and 1995, where he studied the woody irids, restios and other native plants of the region.

Additionally, for the past three years, Martin has led projects on South African flora as a Garden Scholar at UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. He lives and gardens in Emeryville, California.