Breeding is a dedicated game, that much is a given: you need to know your plants, be able to spot the vigour here, the variation over there; the mottled leaf or a dainty tilt of a head, then there's the record keeping and the space required for all those little babies to become the ones that stand out. On top of this is the time it takes. To give some perspective to this, the breeding programme at Twelve Nunns Nursery spans two generations and has taken more than 20 years of careful, meticulous selection to create a three new Harvington erythroniums. And now that Harvington trio is finally ready to meet the world.
Twelve Nunns Nursery, based in Lincolnshire, is known for delightful woodlanders: the Harvington Hellebores, interesting anemones and delicate narcissus, trilliums that wow and rare roscoeas. It is owned by Penny Dawson, whose parents, Hugh and Liz Nunn, ran a much-admired nursery in the village of Harvington between 1985 and 2015. "That's where all the breeding started, explains Penny.
Penny's parents retired around the time she was starting up her own nursery and so it made sense to transfer over the breeding stock to her. "I asked my dad why exactly he started growing erythroniums and he said, 'They've got everything: grace, poise and charm. That, and their rarity value, makes them compelling to grow," says Penny. And just like that, the compulsion to create something wonderful is inherited from one generation to the next.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2023 من Gardens Illustrated.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2023 من Gardens Illustrated.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
WHY SHOULD I VOLUNTEER?
Giving your free time to volunteer in the community or as a mentor can have a big impact, and also benefit you in ways you can't imagine, says John Wyer
EARTHLY CONCERN
Weeds, slugs, birds and mice - all are welcome on Birch Farm in Devon, where Joshua Sparkes seeks to respect the local ecosystem and mimic nature in his innovative approach to growing
Gardening is good for you
In the first of his new factual column on the benefits of gardening, Dr Richard Claxton uncovers all the evidence-based ways it can help your physical health.
TANGERINE DREAM
On the edge of one of London's busiest roundabouts, Nigel Dunnett has created exciting combinations of drought-tolerant plants for a roof garden that is as unexpected as it is joyful
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT
Growing your own edible plants is a great way to boost your gut microbiome. Discover expert picks of edimentals that are both beautiful and beneficial
Waste not, nice plot
Designer Miria Harris gave herself the challenge of a no-skip, zero-waste project, giving away, recycling or reusing everything in this back garden before transforming it into a space her client could love
One for all
A new community garden designed by Sarah Price around an old library turned arts centre in southeast London is a treasured space for local residents and garden lovers alike
Meet our horticultural HEROES
Discover the stories of the extraordinary garden champions who are making a difference to places, people, plants and the planet
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE
In the culinary world, chefs and food writers sometimes closely guard their recipes, says Nigel Slater. Among gardeners, however, there is a refreshing spirit of generosity
Autumn at Sissinghurst
As the garden slips into a new season, head gardener Troy Scott Smith and his team are busy with tasks from hedge cutting and lawn work to bulb planting and sowing seeds.