NATURAL SELECTION

1, Station Cottages,

Hullavington, Chippenham, Wilts SN 14 6ET

tel 01666 837369

e-mail martin@worldmutation.demon.co.uk

2007 LIST

This is the list of plants, seeds and publications of a very part-time nursery which operates in the time left over from being a professional gardener, parent etc. The selection of material is non-commercial, being driven towards the obscure and eccentric which otherwise might not be propagated and offered. There is also a bias towards native plants which may contribute to the genetic reservoir of the British Flora. There are no opening times but plants can be collected by arrangement. Due to continuing building work am not visitable as a nursery.

2007 additions

Bellis perennis 'Hula', the hula-skirted form of native daisy, which I tried to kill by neglect but it persisted by self-sowing in another's pot. £3

Cynosurus cristatus pseudoviviperous, native grass, crested dog's tail, with flowers replaced by plantlets

Damasonium alisma, one or two spare plants and a pinch of seed spare, please enquire in spring.

Equisetum pratensis, nicely branched but rather floppy horsetail, lovers of eccentricities only need apply (or conservationists I suppose). £4, but wait till shoots show in spring.

Lunaria annua 'Chedglow', purpling leaves in the winter. It arrived at Chedglow as a gift from Sarah Capper's mother 3 or 4 years ago, and doesn't seem to have been named by anyone else even though it comes true from seed and is probably commercial. Seed in summer, £2.

Myosotis 'Masha', a variable seed strain with sectors of white and blue to the petal. Sometimes it's only the slightest interruption, but is the more delightful for that. Named for Masha Bennet, a dear friend and Myosotis expert. It arose in a garden in Hullavington 4 or 5 years ago, and potentially from another strain I was growing there which had variegated foliage and hailed from Brinkworth. Seed in summer, £3.

Petroselinum crispum 'Hank', not new as a plant but new as a name, since I had incorrectly named the beast 'variegatum'. Hank is the name of the neighbour in whose garden, next-door it was found. Seed limited until summer, £3, but a few plants, £3.

Scandix pectin-veneris, this corn field annual turned up in Court Field Hullavington, last summer. Probably best sown in winter, £1.50

Sorbus subcuneata, nicely cut leaves on this native Sorbus with orangey/red berries. Probably pretty rare in cultivation. Seed £3.

Cichorium intybus 'Little Somerford' (v), variegated leaves with yellow or white streaks, a proportion from seed, stabilized in garden in Little Somerford, Wiltshire . One only £5.

Trifolium repens 'Harlequin' pale green background and purple feathering through the middle of the leaflet, £3.

Trifolium repens 'Stephanie' I consider the best of the numerous progeny of the purple Wheatfen and the green ice brigade, with a wedge of the green grey sometimes reaching to the edge of the leaf on a purple background. These clovers seem to do something different each year. £3

Trifolium repens 'Wheatfen', the original purple leaved cultivar, which I lost and then it turned up growing in a washing up bowl. Originally from Wheatfen Nature Reserve in Norfolk, but it had been imported there by Ted Ellis.

Veronica arvensis 'Chedglow', a yellow leaved form of this winter annual. The sport arose as a green margined form in a pot on the main patio at Chedglow. It gave rise to all yellow and all green seedlings, and these are progeny from the yellow, some selection still required. Seed later in spring, a few small plants in pots now, £3.

Urtica dioica 'Brightstone Bitch', the original erratic nettle cultivar, discovered by Jill Butcher. My material was collected from some materials thrown out by Rosemary Castle.