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Endangered Leopard Lilies thriving at Exbury

Leopard LiliesThe lovely Leopard Lily, endangered in its native South Africa, is thriving at Exbury Gardens in the New Forest.

Beautiful and unusual, these tender plants, collected by Nicholas de Rothschild, will be on display in Exbury’s Five Arrows Gallery until the end of March, together with a selection of other South African bulbs.

Leopard Lilies (Lachenalia) grow from bulbs which flower from late autumn through the early spring. The delicate spotting or mottling on the leaves of some species, like that of a leopard’s coat, has given rise to the popular name.

The Exbury collection, which encompasses many different species and hybrids, is comprehensive, showing a range of colour and form from the golden L. aloides through to others with magenta, coral, yellow, blue, purple and pink bell-like flowers.

Exbury Lachenalia collection grows alongside its famous collection of Nerine sarniensis, traditionally displayed during October. This year the collection is on show in the Gardens’ Five Arrows Gallery from Sat 13 until Wed 31 March.

“I’m very proud of this collection of bulbs which could become endangered in the wild,” said Nicholas de Rothschild, whose family owns Exbury Gardens.

“There are about 120 species of lachenalia, which come from southern Africa. We don’t have all the species but visitors to Exbury before the end of March will see a good variety of these lovely plants,” he said. “I believe this to be the only place where a collection of this magnitude can be viewed.”

Exbury Gardens are open daily from 13 March until November 7th, 2010.

For further information please contact:
Annie Bullen tel/fax 01264 334389 (mobile 0771 231 4274) or email anniebullen@waitrose.com
or
Nigel Philpott, Exbury Gardens, on 023 8089 1203 or email nigel.philpott@exbury.co.uk

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