---
title: "Harold Basil Christian"
chunk: 3/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Basil_Christian"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:02:17.053150+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

One variety of aloe, recorded by Gilbert Reynolds as a species which Christian first collected at his farm, was named Aloe christianii in his honor, and a plant was donated to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
In 1948, he subdivided his estate, selling some portions and retaining 707 acres. On 5 June 1948, with William Daniel Gale and J. B. Richards serving as witnesses, Christian signed a codicil to his will in which he granted part of his farm, including his garden, to the state. Christian's decision to leave his garden to the state was appreciatively received by The Rhodesia Herald, which published an article on 8 June 1948 that read, "If the offer of the owner Mr. Basil Christian is accepted by the Rhodesian Government, the finest and most complete collection of aloes and cycads in the world will become the property of the Colony for all time." Christian said in an interview his work could not have been achieved and his collection could not have been expanded such were it not for the botanists at Kew and the South African government's Division of Botany, who frequently sent him new specimens. In the interview, he noted that while other gardens had a greater number of species, Ewanrigg had still made a significant contribution to science, and that the complete records of all the species would be donated to the state along with the garden.

== Death and legacy ==
After a lengthy illness, Christian died on Friday, 12 May 1950, at St Anne's Hospital in Salisbury, aged 79. He was buried the following day at Salisbury Cemetery, following a funeral liturgy at the city's Anglican cathedral. In tributes publishing following his death, Christian was remembered as a proud Old Etonian, an enthusiastic member of the Rhodesian Agricultural Union, an active member of The Salisbury Club, and a skilled horseback rider. A plaque was placed at Ewanrigg in his memory by the Botanical Society of Southern Rhodesia.
His 1921 will could not be located, nor could a 1923 codicil. However, a 1927 codicil confirming part of the original 1921 will was available, in addition to the codicil from 1948 that left his garden to the state. Some doubts existed about whether Christian had planned to donate his entire 707-acre Ewanrigg Farm, or only the 14.5 acres that were declared a national monument in 1943. The 1948 codicil was worded as such that the issue was not immediately settled. The matter was resolved amicably when his executor, his wife's lawyer, and the Minister of Internal Affairs agreed that the Christian's intention was that the entirety of Ewanrigg should be transferred to the government's Natural Resources Board and the Commission for the Preservation of Natural and Historical Monuments and Relics. It was also decided that all income of Ewanrigg should go to his wife, Annabella Roberta Kemp Saint, from whom he had been separated since 1923.
In 1950, the estate was named Ewanrigg Botanical Garden and became open to the public. In 1960, Governor Humphrey Gibbs declared it a national park. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority manage the garden today.

== See also ==
List of professional gardeners
List of Old Etonians born in the 19th century

== References ==