Within weeks this September, the Royal Botanical Gardens lost two of its longtime esteemed scientists.
Their names may not be household ones, but decades of meticulous work and research in their respective fields earned them international recognition, the admiration of their peers and lasting legacies at the RBG. Visitors who annually flock to the popular and renowned national historic site are also the beneficiaries of the botanist and the horticulturalist’s expertise.
Both were hired in the 1960s, a time of expansion at the RBG that meant the addition of professional staff which included Hamilton’s Dr. James Pringle and Charles Holetich, the latter known around the RBG and at the International Lilac Society (ILS) as the Lilac King.
During this decade, Hendrie Park was built, the Rose Garden opened and the Lilac Collection, was dedicated.
“RBG was intending to be a significant centre for knowledge about plants and gardens and these professionals were part of that intention,” said Dr. David Galbraith, RBG’s director of science.
Holetich, whose former ILS listing gives his address as 5th Concession East in Waterdown, was a horticulturist with an interest in woody plants who played an integral part in the establishment of the RBG rhododendron and lilac collections, the latter, one of the world’s largest and most diverse.
In retirement, Holetich followed his passion of seeking out lilac diversity, and spent time searching for wild lilacs in eastern Europe.
Charles Holetich, centre, guiding a tour at the RBG. . Photo courtesy of RBG archives
“His interests were not just confined to lilacs by any means. He joined RBG in the aftermath of the construction of Highway 403, which destroyed our first lilac garden but which resulted in donations from a wealthy family that allowed a brand new lilac garden to be developed in the RBG Arboretum, and staffing to be increased to oversee its development and associated research.”
A funeral mass was held at St. Thomas Church in Waterdown for Holetich, who died Sept. 24 at the age of 89, followed by a Celebration of Life held by his family at the RBG.
Pringle’s research was in plant genetics and plant taxonomy - the assigning of scientific names to species and studying the relationships among species - “what he is known for now”, said Galbraith.
“He (Pringle) represented an aspiration for RBG that it would one day be a research centre like other major botanical gardens.”
He was particularly passionate about the Gentian family of plants for which he is credited with establishing the taxonomy of more than 80 species, sub-species and sub-families.
Two plant species have been named in his honour: the Kuepferia pringlei, found in the eastern Himalayas and the Macrocarpaea pringleana, found in the wet, tropical regions of Ecuador, according to a write-up honouring him as a recipient of the prestigious Lawson Medal for Botany for his “outstanding” contribution to botanical knowledge.
The distinguished botanist Dr. James Pringle with the plaque for the Gentian garden named in his honour at the RBG. Photo courtesy of RBG archives
Pringle “carried RBG’s name out into the world,” said Galbraith.
He also mentored and guided several of his younger colleagues who went on to pursue PhDs and university faculty jobs.
He was also widely regarded as an expert on the natural lands of RBG and of the plants and birds in the region, said Galbraith.
Pringle was working on his research projects until two months before his death on Sept. 3 at the age of 87.
Both men had immense institutional and local knowledge which is always something precious, said Galbraith.
“Both represented a focus on what biologists call whole organism knowledge that is hard to find now. Many academic researchers are going in different kinds of directions such as molecular biology. It’s a time of transitions.”
