Historic Nerine collection under spotlight in Exbury Gardens
Exbury’s unrivalled collection of sparkling nerine sarniensis or ‘Jewel Lilies’ will be on public show at Exbury Gardens throughout October. Not to be confused with the outdoor pink nerine bowdenii, these autumn-flowering bulbs once received the accolade as “the greatest Empress of the Flowery World”.
Lionel de Rothschild first developed and hybridised these tender greenhouse-loving Nerines at Exbury in the 1920s and ’30s, coming up with many classic blooms. The collection was dispersed in 1974 when the best bulbs were acquired by enthusiast and plantsman extraordinaire Sir Peter Smithers, one-time MP for Winchester and Secretary-General of the EU in Strasbourg, holder of 8 RHS Gold Medals for plant photography and the Veitch Gold Memorial Medal for contributions to horticulture, at his garden at Vico Morcote in Switzerland.
Sir Peter had selected only the best and most beautiful jewel lilies for his breeding programme, holding annual ‘beauty contests’ on the balcony of his house overlooking Lake Lugano. Here a selection of his friends would be asked to judge his blooms, using the sole criteria of their “beauty as a flower.”
Fourteen years ago, in 1995, Sir Peter felt he had gone as far as age and space would allow. His prodigious breeding programme had outgrown his limited greenhouse. Having always been an admirer of Exbury and having known Lionel de Rothschild personally, he felt it appropriate that the vastly improved collection came back home to Exbury in a full circle. Now Nicholas de Rothschild, Lionel’s grandson, has taken up the challenge of continuing the strain, and the glasshouse at Exbury is home to Sir Peter’s new hybrids now named the Exbury/Vico nerines.
Nicholas, president of the Nerine Society and an expert on nerines in his own right, has taken up the mantle of developing these sparkling, beautifully coloured plants with enthusiasm.
“I’m absolutely thrilled with the plants we have produced and delighted that I am able to continue where Sir Peter left off. Picking up the thread my grandfather started so many years ago is an honour and a challenge,” he said.
Originally found on Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town in South Africa, the jewel lilies flower in a spectrum of colours from their original oranges, scarlet and white through new purples, pinks, mauves, reds, scarlets, copper and bronzes where they scintillate in the sunshine with gold or silver crystalline flecks that make their petals sparkle.
The Exbury/Vico collection will be displayed throughout October in the Five Arrows Gallery at Exbury Gardens, where their extraordinary beauty will be shown off to best advantage. Alongside the exhibition will be a display of wild autumnal art by renowned artist Peter Thwaites. Peter’s paintings will be available to purchase, as will a range of nerines. Admission to the exhibitions is included with entrance to the world-famous Gardens, which will be looking spectacular with brilliant autumnal colour.
Admission to Gardens: Adults £8 / Senior Citizens £7.50 / Groups £7.00 / Children 3-15 £1.50 / U 3’s free Family ticket 2 adults and up to 3 children £18.50
The Gardens are open between 10am – 5pm daily, or dusk if earlier 7 March – 8 November 2009
www.exbury.co.uk Tel: 023 8089 1203
Exbury Gardens are in the New Forest, Hampshire, 20 mins south from Junction 2 of the M27.
