of Ramonda myconi (then called R. pyrenaica) in the second Bulletin. Although there were earlier experiments with colour printing, colour was not used in earnest until 1984. The society produced other publications from the earliest days. Initially these were obtained by reprinting material from the Bulletin as a separate work. The first was The Scree Garden in 1933. In later years, the Society supported the publication of more overtly scientific works, such as the monograph on the genus Daphne by Christopher Brickell and Brian Mathew. A subsidiary of the society, AGS Publications, was set up and had a turnover of more than £70,000 by 1989. One of the society's early scientific activities was evaluating plants which fell within its scope for their suitability for cultivation and their merits when cultivated. The society alone first issued the award of Certificate of Merit and Botanical Certificate in 1933. The Royal Horticultural Society regarded itself as the legitimate UK body to make such awards, and in 1936, a joint committee was set up, affectionately known as the "Joint Rock" (officially the Joint Rock Garden Plant Committee), which makes awards such as the Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Another activity with a scientific flavour introduced in 1936 was the three-day international conference. Local secretaries were first introduced in 1936, which later resulted in local groups, affiliated to the main AGS, but allowing a limited number of people to join the local group but not the main AGS. In 1954, founder member, Dorothy Renton, took the Royal Horticultural Society's Veitch Memorial Medal for her work in developing a garden in Scotland. References External links Alpine Garden Society website Photo gallery by the late Phil Phillips The Davies Alpine House at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Alpines at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh Horticultural organisations based in the United Kingdom Scientific societies based in the United Kingdom