Constance Villiers Stuart: In Pursuit of Paradise

Constance Villiers Stuart (1876-1966) was an amazing woman who took advantage of her rather lofty position in life to write two impressive and widely praised books about gardens. One of them, Gardens of the Great Mughals, is included in the Miller Library collection. In her biography of Villiers Stuart, Mary Ann Prior explains how it all came about.

Villiers Stuart was born on the edge of British aristocracy. She had an almost astonishing ability to convince people to offer her what she wanted – information about gardens, invitations to visit, connections to influential people. One small example: she persuaded the Prince of Wales to invite her to tea at Sandringham Palace, near her own estate.

More important for our purposes, she accomplished much of the thorough research for Great Mughals and her other well-received book, Spanish Gardens: Their History, Types and Features, by simply talking to everyone she could find who knew about those gardens and recording what they told her. She included Indian and Spanish gardeners and fellow travelers on ships and trains as well as garden experts.

She received her own education from a governess and from much foreign travel with her parents. She did not go away to finishing school, as girls of her age and class usually did. How did she learn how to do all that quality research?

A major attraction of Villiers Stuart’s books and of Prior’s book about her are her sketches and watercolor paintings. English novels of the period describe painting as a desirable attribute for young ladies. In this case the painter put her skill to good practical use. She sketched and painted the multiple gardens she visited as well as their surroundings. Last year the Garden Museum in London exhibited many of her paintings.

Constance and her husband, Patrick, left England for India in January of 1911. They spent two and a half years there, often travelling around the country as his job required. They were part of the British Raj (Britain’s imperial rule over India), with all the privileges and opportunities for British travelers that involved. Constance used those opportunities to visit many ruined gardens from the Mughal period, paint what she saw, and collect the information she needed. The Mughal Empire, which was Islamic, covered most of northern and central India and what is now Pakistan between 1526 and 1857. The gardens were fabulous. When Great Mughals was published in 1913, it received rave reviews.

It’s much fun to read how Constance managed her life – her husband, her voluminous writing for Country Life magazine, her solo trip to Spain to research her second book. She very unusually used her opportunities to become a professional writer, not for cash, but because she wanted to. Prior shows very winningly the many reasons Constance deserves to be remembered.

Reviewed by Priscilla Grundy in the Leaflet, Volume 10 Issue 3, March 2023.

The Heart of Penstemon Country: A Natural History of Penstemons in the Utah Region

Penstemons are an important genus of native plants throughout the western United States. They have also been hybridized to produce some excellent garden plants, well able to tolerate droughty summer conditions

The greatest concentration of species are found in Utah and each of these is profiled in “The Heart of Penstemon Country” by Mikel Stevens et al. While this may seem a bit out of scope for western Washington, a number of these species have ranges that extend into the eastern part of our state, and many of the Utah natives have been successfully grown elsewhere, or used in creating hybrids.

Another intriguing factor of this book is that it is written by three horticulturists, including Tony McCammon, who grew up in Tacoma. This perhaps explains why in the description of each species they make a distinction between the general description for the wildflower enthusiast, and the technical description for the botanist. Other factors considered are the potential or known experience with cultivation, the conservation status, and ethnobotanical uses.

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Dwarf and Median Bearded Irises: Jewels of the Iris World

Kevin Vaughn is an active grower and breeder of iris in Oregon. His newest book, “Dwarf and Median Bearded Iris” focuses on the development of varieties smaller than the more familiar tall bearded selections. These are very useful garden plants, as they do not dominate their setting or requiring the staking often needed by their taller cousins. The history of their development may be of interest only to the most devoted iris fan (yes, I’m guilty as charged), but the author balances this with innovative planting designs and good suggestions for companion plants. He also names his favorite varieties and many are available from one of the several iris gardens in our region.

Long-time Arboretum Foundation members will remember Jean Witt (1921-2016), who was the widow of Joe Witt after whom the Winter Garden is named. Jean was also well known as an iris breeder, and especially of the medium size varieties. Until reading this book, I didn’t realize how instrumental she was in the creation of these classes that were only recognized and defined in the mid-20^th century. New varieties from her breeding have continued to be introduced on her behalf up until the last few years. One of my favorites is ‘Little White Tiger’ from 2009.

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

A Romance with the Exotic Madrona, Alias of the Arbutus

Roy Martin is a retired University of Washington professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering. He is now pursuing a very different passion, the genus Arbutus, best known locally by A. menziesii, the Pacific Madrone. Eleven species are recognized and in “A Romance with the Exotic Madrona, Alias of the Arbutus,” Martin explores them all, visiting their native ranges in Mexico, western North America, and around the Mediterranean.

This book is very engaging, reading much like a travel journal in places and a history of human culture elsewhere. The author includes a detailed discussion of the common name for our native species, concluding that there are distinction even within our region. In Washington, it is Madrona or Pacific Madrone, while in British Columbia, the name Arbutus is typical.

After exploring the other species, Martin comes home to begin searching for outstanding specimens of A. menziesii. While not abundant, there are several examples of massive trees, hundreds of years old. Martin not only tells the natural history of each tree, as best it is known, but that of the people and locales that surround each.

It is clear that Arbutus menziesii has captured Roy Martin’s heart. “It is not an aggressive tree; it does not, as some trees do, grow rapidly in order to reach the upper stratosphere of the forest and thereby capture most of the available light at the expense of its neighbors. It is, rather, an uncommonly cordial tree, often contorting itself as necessary to find open spaces, through which light falls naturally, as if to accommodate smaller trees it would otherwise effectively starve.”

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Colchicum: The Complete Guide

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has recently been producing excellent single genus books. Known historically as botanical monographs, the works of the past twenty years give equal importance to horticulture. While the many species are considered for their habitats and qualities, so are the many selected varieties or developed cultivars that are important to gardeners. Illustrations are much more prominent than in older books, and include paintings by botanical artists, contemporary and historical, and excellent photography.

An example is “Colchicum: The Complete Guide,” by Christopher Grey-Wilson and Robert Rolfe, that delves into a genus of great diversity with over 100 species and an extensive list of hybrids and cultivars. Each is stunningly shown with close-up photographs, while the text sorts out the nomenclature for the enthusiast. At over 500 pages, it is helpful for the average gardener to pick out a few key recommendations by the authors.

Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’ is “without question the finest white autumn crocus grown in gardens.” ‘Autumn Queen’ is the top choice for early-flowering and displays tessellation (a checkboard pattern on the petals), while ‘Giant’ is “extremely vigorous in the garden and quick to multiply.” Finally, the double ‘Waterlily’ “is one of the most distinctive and eagerly sought garden cultivars.” Having grown all of these, I agree with these assessments.

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

A Virgin for Eighty Years: Aucuba, an Overlooked Treasure

One of the most unusual titles in the Miller Library collection is “A Virgin for Eighty years,” by Linda Eggins, a book about the genus Aucuba, and primarily one species, A. japonica. The reason for the title? It’s complicated.

This plant was introduced from Japan to English horticulture in the 1780s and became very popular for the different color patterns of the leaves and its ability to adapt in many garden and indoor settings. However, Aucuba is dioecious, having male and female flowers on different plants, and all the English plants were female. It was known to have bright red berries in its native range, but these did not develop without a male plant nearby. Japan had closed its border to European explorers and it wasn’t until a change in diplomatic policy occurred in the 1860s that a male plant could be obtained and introduced with great fanfare into English horticulture.

Eggins tells this engaging story and other aspects of this plant’s history in science and cultivation, including its reign as a high-status plant. This is contrasted with its fall in status in the early 20^th century, and is now regarded as a plant that “languishes with an undeserved reputation as a car-park plant, a filler to bulk-out dark corners in unpromising positions.”

The last half of this book is an extraordinary effort to sort out the many cultivars that have been selected of Aucuba. Eggins, and her late husband, Howard Eggins, first established the British National Collection of this genus, which is now grown at the University of Birmingham.

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Lathyrus: the Complete Guide

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has recently been producing excellent single genus books. Known historically as botanical monographs, the works of the past twenty years give equal importance to horticulture. While the many species are considered for their habitats and qualities, so are the many selected varieties or developed cultivars that are important to gardeners. Illustrations are much more prominent than in older books, and include paintings by botanical artists, both contemporary and historical, and excellent photography.

Is this book useful if you are just looking for the most colorful and fragrant sweet peas? Yes – but there is much more, including how these plants exist within the complex biology of nature. The authors also remind us that our gardens are part of a much larger ecosystem.

“Lathyrus: The Complete Guide,” by Greg Kenicer and Roger Parsons, is primarily about sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), highlighting over 500 cultivars. Their development was especially rapid in the early 20^th century, fueled by the introduction of the first Spencer type with its longer racemes (flower stalk) and larger, wavy petals. This led to “an explosion of interest in sweet peas during the Edwardian era.” It also began an era in which many of the breeders were amateurs. A contest for home growers conducted by the Daily Mail of London in 1911 brought in 39,000 entries.

This book takes the bold step of treating the garden pea, known in most sources as Pisum sativum, as part of this genus (as L. oleraceus) based on recent DNA studies. It also briefly reviews all 150 species in the genus, including L. vernus, an excellent early-spring perennial in Seattle gardens, and L. sativus, a widely grown fodder crop with deep blue flowers that “is a worthy annual ornamental in its own right.”

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

The Genus Agapanthus

The British Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) has recently been producing excellent single genus books. Known historically as botanical monographs, the works of the past twenty years give equal importance to horticulture. While the many species are considered for their habitats and qualities, so are the many selected varieties or developed cultivars that are important to gardeners. Illustrations are much more prominent than in older books, and include paintings by botanical artists, contemporary and historical, and excellent photography.

The newest from the RBG is “The Genus Agapanthus” by Graham Duncan, a bulb specialist at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, South Africa. He brings the expertise of both a gardener and field botanist to this wholly southern Africa genus. I especially appreciated that he begins, after a brief history, with the best choices as garden cultivars. As a gardener, you might stop there, but I encourage you to keep reading as the species descriptions include tips on cultivation, more history, and the beautiful illustrations by present day South African artist Elbe Loubert.

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

Streptocarpus

About 20 years ago, I drove a very narrow roadway in northern Wales in search of Dibley’s Nursery. I had recently discovered the genus Streptocarpus, a houseplant that is closely related to African violets (now considered to be in the same genus). All my reading confirmed that Dibley’s was THE source in Britain, if not the world, for this plant. A visit was mandatory.

I was not disappointed. The complex of greenhouses was filled with Streptocarpus varieties in a rainbow of colors, everything except orange. It was a day I fondly remember. While I couldn’t transport any plants home with me, I’m now very pleased that the Miller Library has the 3^rd edition of “Streptocarpus” by Rex Dibley. This book highlights many of the varieties the firm has introduced and much more.

There are over 150 recognized species and several of these are shown with photos from their natural setting in several locations in Africa. The most unusual have only one large leaf with the inflorescence growing out of the base. Some are monocarpic, blooming once, setting seed, and then dying. While these are more challenging to grow, I encourage all to try the easier hybrids that are widely available.

Excerpted from Brian Thompson’s article in the Spring 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin

My World of Hepaticas

A couple of years ago, at a Northwest Horticultural Society spring plant sale, I succumbed to the charms of hepaticas. I bought several, but my learning curve was steep. I was expecting them to be ephemeral, leaves disappearing in the summer like their close relatives, the anemones. I was surprised when the leaves persisted through the summer, and chagrined when a couple died because of insufficient water.

Of course, I could have done more research in the Miller Library. That is much easier now with the addition of “My World of Hepaticas” by John Massey, with scientific input by Tomoo Mabuchi. Massey is the owner of Ashwood Nurseries, located near Birmingham, England.

This book is a treasure only available from Ashwood. Hundreds of sumptuous photographs demonstrate the beauty and variety of these flowers, including a myriad of hybrids and their often-delightful foliage. It is more than just a picture book, as I found guidance to ensure the well-being of future additions to my garden.

The authors recognize ten species, and Massey describes each, typically from his trips to their native places around the globe. Sections titled “field notes” chronicles these location visits, describing the ecological niches, but also his interactions with the local people who shared his passion.

“This book isn’t just about hepaticas. It is in fact a huge adventure story, traveling the globe and, most of all, meetings lots of wonderful, exciting people. I often feel I am the luckiest person in the world.”

Profiles of many of these people are in a chapter titled “The Cast (Friends & Mentors),” who like the plants, hale from many places. Throughout the book, Massey recalls fondly his visits to their specialty gardens, nurseries, and hepatica exhibits.

Another story, told by a long-time Ashwood employee, tells of the challenges of mounting a display of hepaticas for the famous Chelsea Flower Show. Held in late May, this meant the early blooming plants needed holding back, an elaborate process involving cold storage and frequent monitoring.

Fortunately, my surviving hepaticas do not need this much attention, but this book will likely entice me to buy more!

Reviewed by Brian Thompson in Garden Notes: Northwest Horticultural Society, Spring 2023