CHRIS CHADWELL Modern-day Plant Hunter, Freelance Lecturer, Travel Photographer, Proprietor of Chadwell Seeds since 1984, Botanist and Leader of 28 expeditions to the Himalaya E-mail: chrischadwell261@btinternet.com  Chris beside stunning SALVIA HIANS in the NW Himalaya AUTHENTIC seed for DISCERNING and ADVENTUROUS gardeners ENTERTAINING, INFORMATIVE digital presentations for clubs and societies BOTANICAL STUDIES and PLANT CONSERVATION projects CORRECT IDENTIFICATION of HIMALAYAN plants in the wild and cultivation SUPPORT for GENUINE CHARITIES operating in the Himalaya *Advice for individuals travelling to and organisations undertaking projects in, the Himalaya
Chris with Lamas (Buddhist monks) at a Monastery in Little Tibet
'West Himalayan Blue-Poppy' (MECONOPSIS ACULEATA) 
'Snow-Bed Buttercup' (RANUNCULUS COOLEYAE) in Juneau, Alaska  Dhaulagiri - the 'White Mountain', Nepal Himalaya
Local man playing whistle in Kulu Valley, Western Himalaya WELCOME TO MY WEBSITE Please take your time to browse through the different sections highlighting my varied activities and what I offer - YOU CAN EASILY NAVIGATE AROUND THIS SITE BY USING THE TOPIC HEADINGS ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE-BAR; THE MOST RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE SITE ARE LISTED AT THE BOTTOM Enjoy and savour the images taken during my recent travels, which celebrate wild flowers, the pristine environments where they are found, combined with the best of gardens and garden flowers - not forgetting the peoples of the Himalaya and borderlands of Tibet and their fine mountains..............  'The Sacred Lotus of India' (NELUMBO NUCIFERA) adorning a Kashmir lake Operating as I do, on a freelance, "not-for-profit" basis, your support and encouragement is invaluable for me to continue with my on-going research visits, especially those in the borderlands of Tibet - almost all of which are undertaken on a voluntary basis. After devoting more than 30 years to the study of Himalayan flora, I am in a unique position to contribute further in a variety of ways, including my FLOWERS FIT FOR A DALAI LAMA Plant Conservation Project, an up-to-date FLORA for 'Little Tibet', the REFERENCE material on this site and providing advice to others. Professor Norm Deno stated that "TO SOW A SEED IS A NOBLE DEED" and "PROPAGATION IS CONSERVATION" within his 'Seed Germination, Theory and Practise" publications. I totally agree. My own 'seed' sowing is not limited to plants: one of the objectives of sharing with you such a 'personal and very much, private' glimpse of my life on this site, is to encourage and inspire others to respect our remaining un-spoilt places and the people who live there. Such a 'seed' urgently needs sowing in the minds of as many people as possible....... the environment of the Himalaya needs to be treated better! Sections of this web-site are being compiled as a reliable REFERENCE source, of Himalayan flora in the wild and cultivation. This is a much-needed resource, towards botanical studies, ecological surveys, scientific publications and conservation projects. Too high a proportion of 'Himalayan' species are being misidentified, in the wild, private gardens and even botanical gardens.
'Hooker's Iris' (IRIS HOOKERIANA) in Kashmir
'Alpine Azalea' (LOISELEURIA PROCUMEBENS) - in Alaska SEEDS As Proprietor of CHADWELL SEEDS (Established in 1984) I offer, in association with P.Kohli & Co., India (Established in 1928), an exceptional range of rarely available seed of rockery subjects, herbaceous perennials, climbers, shrubs and trees from various parts of the world for discerning and adventurous gardeners. (See CHADWELL SEEDS section of this web-site to request a copy of this catalogue)
Pages from a past Chadwell Seeds Catalogue
'The Golden Kashmir Iris' (IRIS CROCEA) flourishing in Chris' front garden in Slough!
The REAL 'Himalayan Peony' (PAEONIA EMODI) - doing rather well in Slough...
Gardeners for P.Kohli & Co., in Kashmir in 2012 In addition to the seed offered on a per packet basis within my catalogues, I have led 28 plant-hunting and scientific expeditions to different regions of the Himalaya. During these expeditions, seed of a fascinating range of species, not available from other sources is allocated to those who take out a "share" in advance.  THE PROSPECTUS FOR CHRIS CHADWELL'S AUTUMN 2014 SEED-GATHERING AND SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO THE HIMALAYA, IS NOW AVAILABLE - REQUEST YOUR COPY, WHICH EXPLAINS WHICH CATEGORIES OF SHARE YOU CAN TAKE OUT AND PAYMENT OPTIONS (SEE http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/prospectus for further details)
Tibetan Larkspur (DELPHINIUM BRUNONIANUM) in Little Tibet (2011 Expedition) TALKS/PRESENTATIONS Chris has proven to be a popular and versatile public-speaker, having delivered hundreds of entertaining and informative lectures around the UK. His latest digital presentations appeal to garden clubs, specialist horticultural societies along with more general audiences such as National Trust Centres and U3A groups. He has undertaken lecture tours and speaking engagements in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, France, Ireland and India. Audiences now regularly remark that the images he shows at his lectures are amongst the best they have ever seen. Why not suggest him as a speaker to the programme secretary of a society you belong to? (See DIGITAL PRESENTATIONS FOR CLUBS and SOCIETIES section of this web-site for details of the topics he offers, his availability and fees)
Title slide of two of Chris' digital presentations
SCIENTIFIC and CONSERVATION PROJECTS In 2010 Chris established the FLOWERS FIT FOR A DALAI LAMA Plant Conservation Project, offering long-term advice on the cultivation and identification of Himalayan plants used in Tibetan Medicine. SEE: https://sites.google.com/a/chadwellseeds.co.uk/main/introduction Through awards of the KOHLI MEMORIAL GOLD MEDAL, on behalf of the Himalayan Plant Association, recognition is brought to individuals (past and present-day), along with Institutions in the Himalaya, who have made a significant contribution to the study, cultivation or conservation of Himalayan flora. SEE: https://sites.google.com/a/chadwellseeds.co.uk/main/introduction-1  Chris honouring Prem Nath KOHLI during commemorative event in Delhi, India in 2009 Chris has undertaken intensive research on the plants of Ladakh over a period of more than 30 years, with a view to producing a FLORA and assorted guides to the flowers of the region. The A-Z of Himalayan Flowers section of this web-site is designed as a REFERENCE resource of correctly identified species within each genus. At some point a similar section on Himalayan flowers in cultivation may also be compiled. Chris has recently begun collaborating with Krishnan Lal, with a view to helping him with the publication of an illustrated flora and various guides, to the wild flowers of the Indian State of Himachal Pradesh SEE: https://sites.google.com/a/chadwellseeds.co.uk/main/introduction-7 A selection of Krishnan's fine images of Western Himalayan flowers can be viewed within BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS OF HIMACHAL HIMALAYA: http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/plant-portraits
Chris with family of Amchi (Doctor of traditional Tibetan Medicine) in Ladakh CHARITIES Chris has raised money over a period of more than twenty years for a number of organisations and charities operating in the Himalaya, particularly The Britain-Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT) and wishes to draw attention to others which he judges to be worth supporting. Funds should be directed towards the best operating in the Himalaya, with a proven record.
Matthew Chadwell, Chris' eldest son visiting the BNMT's Kathmandu HQ in 2010 WILD FLOWERS OF BRITAIN It is not just plants in the Himalaya or North America which Chris values. Very much a field botanist at heart, he undertook surveys of riverside vegetation and potential sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wales in the 1980s for The University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology and then Wales Field Unit of The Nature Conservancy Council. He is currently Botanical Recorder for Iver & District Countryside Association, compiling a check-list of local flora and intends to produce a series of CDs covering local flowers. (SEE http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/introduction-4) and images of flowers arranged by habitats such as http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/coast)
BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE.....
Chris outside a trekking lodge in Mustang District, Nepal
The admirable sentiments of India's first prime minister after Independence in 1947, inscribed below his statue in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. The world would be a better place if every nation and individual citizen in the world, adopted such a philosophy.
Let me end with images of a cute Nepali girl (highly intelligent and full of enthusiasm for life - who was rightly unimpressed that she could speak English, my Nepali was minimal) holding one of my business cards, whilst looking after her younger brother. Let us celebrate and help protect their charm and innocence. She and the people of Nepal deserve better in the future. We can do "our bit" by making sure aid monies are spent more effectively than they have been in the past.... Why not find out more about the ways I and others try to "put something back" in the Himalaya? Take a look at the different sections of this site and then help me or directly support charities I am able to recommend - which are genuine, as am I..... Be "street-wise" and support the best....
Namaste from the girl's younger brother ADVICE ABOUT PROJECTS IN THE HIMALAYA I AM REGULARLY APPROACHED FOR ADVICE ON A NUMBER OF MATTERS RELATED TO THE FLOWERS OF, AND TRAVEL IN, THE HIMALAYA. THIS CONSULTANCY SERVICE IS PROVIDED FOR FREE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUMMARIES OF A SELECTION OF RECENT INQUIRIES SENT TO ME See: http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/recent-enquiries OUT OF COURTESY AND PROFESSIONALISM I SEND A CONSIDERED RESPONSE TO EACH INQUIRY. HOWEVER, PLEASE DO, IF YOU CALL UPON MY EXPERTISE, MAKE A DONATION TO THE BRITAIN-NEPAL MEDICAL TRUST, AS A SMALL THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT EXPENDED. See: http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/britain-nepal-medical-trust MAKING A DONATION TO HELP CHRIS CHADWELL DIRECTLY IF YOU APPROVE OF MY EFFORTS WITH VARIOUS PLANT CONSERVATION, SCIENTIFIC AND OTHER PROJECTS SERVING THE HIMALAYA AND ITS PEOPLE, LOOK AT THE 'HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT CHRIS CHADWELL' SECTION OF THIS WEB-SITE, WHERE YOU CAN FIND WAYS OF HELPING ME OR HOW TO MAKE A DONATION See http://www.chadwellseeds.co.uk/making-a-donation SUCH SUPPORT REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, INDEED IS ESSENTIAL FOR ME TO CONTINUE. I AM GENUINE AND COMFORTABLE FOR MY WORK TO BE SCRUTINISED FURTHER - WHETHER BY E-MAIL OR IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING CONTRIBUTING A MAJOR AMOUNT, A MEETING IN PERSON CAN BE ARRANGED TO DISCUSS HOW THIS WOULD BE SPENT. PHOTOGRAPHS ON THIS WEB-SITE
'Arrow-leaved Balsamroot' (BALSAMORHIZA SAGITTATA) - how about this for a 'Selfie'..... Please note that I currently do not 'water-mark' the photos on this web-site, for aesthetic reasons nor do they carry an individual copyright notice. BUT they are MY photos (unless indicated otherwise and for those named photographers, they are shown 'on my behalf'). It is my expectation that EVERYONE viewing images on this site agrees to abide by this relaxed, old-fashioned approach. Permission MUST still be sought from me at: chrischadwell261@btinternet.com if you wish to utilise any of them in ANY way. In most cases I shall agree. I always TRY and behave as a gentleman, treating people with respect and trust others will do likewise.
© Chris Chadwell 2014 FLOWER OF THE DAY (June 28th 2014)
Variant of GERANIUM WALLICHIANUM from Kailash Himalaya
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