Plants with an important connection.

Whilst enjoying the afternoon sunshine in the garden I started to take photos of some of the few spring plants in flower. As I listed them I began to think of why I had planted them in the garden.

William Robinson was a great Victorian gardener. We visited his garden at Gravetye a few years ago where it is still managed in his style by a Head Gardener who previously worked at Great Dixter.

Robinson bred many plants at his garden Gravetye Manor. One he described as the most beautiful of all Anemones is Anemone nemorosa Robinsoniana. It is a beautiful lilac colour now flowering in the spring bed.

His book, The Wild Garden, is probably even more influential today due in no small measure to it being a source of inspiration for Christopher Lloyds’s mother at Great Dixer where his gardening philosophy is still practised today.

Growing next to the Anemone is Ranunculus ficaria ‘Brazen Hussy’ discovered growing in a wood at Great Dixter and named by Christopher Lloyd.

Alongside these in the spring bed is the Mahonia aquifolium ‘Apollo’ it is unusual due to it being low spreading with evergreen glossy leaves which turn a purple hue in winter. I planted it following a recommendation by the garden designer Rosemary Verey, who influenced my design of the main herbaceous border here.

One of the first gardeners to inspire me was Geoff Hamilton, I have several of his books. This rose named after him had to be in the garden, besides having beautiful flowers I do like the early red foliage it produces this time of year.

This is Iris Crimson King and was given to me by a lady I used to help in her garden. She shared them with me when they needed dividing. She is not as well known as those above however she was special to those who knew her.

Do you have well-connected plants in your garden?