Arthur Kilpin Bulley
| Arthur Bulley | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 10, 1861 New Brighton |
| Died | May 3, 1942 (aged 81) Cheshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Ness Botanic Gardens |
Arthur Kilpin Bulley (10 January 1861 - 3 May 1942) was a British cotton merchant and creator of the Ness Botanic Gardens. He also once stood for Parliament as a women's suffrage candidate.
Born in New Brighton in 1861, Bulley was one of 14 children. After leaving school he joined his family's cotton trading business, often travelling overseas where he developed an interest in uncommon plants. Bulley purchased 60 acres of land near Ness in Cheshire in 1898, in which he built a house and a plant nursery, opening parts of the garden for free to villagers. Bulley commissioned plant collectors and botanists such as George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward to obtain plants from countries including South America, China, and Africa to place in his gardens.
In 1903 Bulley opened a nursery, Bees Nursery (later Bees Ltd), at Ness where he sold plants grown from seeds originating in Europe and Asia. In 1910 Bulley stood as the Women's Suffrage candidate in the 1910 election. He finished last but the aim was not to win but to ensure that the suffrage cause was seen. Bulley's sisters included Amy Bulley and Ella Sophia Armitage whad unusually had a university education. Bulley campaigned also in 1921 to open an Alpine garden on Snowdon, receiving criticism from those concerned about introducing foreign plants to the mountain, leading to his abandonment of the plan soon after.
The plants Bulleya Schlechter Orchidaceae and Primula bulleyana are named after Bulley.
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