Kenilworth Castle

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My Son and Daughter-in-Law run Southview Nursery, specialising in Old Time Plants, particularly Old Fashioned Pinks, of which they hold the National Collection. Some of these will be used in the renewal of this garden.
He has a good story about these Pinks Dianthus caryophyllus (the parent of Carnations). These plants were grown from\ seed collected from the ruined walls of .Sherborne Castle, by the Head Gardener. This castle was leased from the Crown by Sir Walter Raleigh, whose Wife was called Elizabeth, the local people have always referred to the Pinks as ‘Lady Betty’s Pinks’
This is taken from his talk ‘The 500 year History of Growing Pinks in Briain. I was reminded of this because he wanted to check in my ’Horticulture Week’ to see if the Nursery had got a mention. It had.and in the Daily Telegraph about a fortnight ago.
Unlike Myself they don’t open their Nursery very often, the plants are grown elsewhere, as they have planted Houses instead on the Nursery land.

• 24 Oct, 2008
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