2006 Warley Place, Great Warley, Essex 18th March One Day Meeting
Let it never be said that WFS members are not a hardy and committed bunch. In bitter cold and a biting north east wind twelve members under the leadership of Stephen Clarkson did not stride out briskly in an attempt to ward off impending hypothermia. No. they took an hour to cover the first 100 yards - behaving, in other words, as though it were a typical WFS field day.
What delayed us? Snowdrops. Galanthus nivalis was distinguished from G. plicatus (Pleated Snowdrop) and G. caucasicus. Four hundred yards and two hours later we came across the distinctive green leaves (and two buds) of G. ikariae (Green snowdrop). After a further couple of hundred yards (and another hour) the beautiful G. elwesii (Greater Snowdrop) with large outer tepals and two green blotches on the inner tepals was distinguished. En route we had seen the closely related Leucojum aestivum ssp. pulchellum (Summer Snowflake). Meanwhile the ground was carpeted with Crocus tommasinianus (Early Crocus) and Narcissus pseudonarcissus (Wild Daffodil).
What explained this profusion? In the early 20th century Miss Ellen Willmott with the assistance of the successive inheritance of a handsome income and subsequent large sums of money, helped by over 100 gardeners, set about establishing a sixteen acre garden at Warley Place (and two others elsewhere in Europe). At its height it had over 100,000 flowering plant species and over 140 tree species being visited by Royalty on a regular basis. Miss Willmott died in 1934 and the house was demolished three years later suggesting that the buildings (apart from the greenhouses and cold frames) received less attention than the gardens.
The challenge for WFS members was to distinguish the plants subsequently naturalised, and suckering trees, such as Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Caucasian Wingnut), a member of the walnut family Juglandaceae from the rest. Arum italicum ssp. italicum (Italian Lords and Ladies) was clumped in several places and the broad but dull leaves of Hedera colchica (Persian Ivy), were successfully competing with H. helix (Common Ivy) and H. helix ssp. hibemica (Irish Ivy), Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape) was more widely spread than M. japonica. In the walled garden - dating from the 17th century - Scilla bifolia (Alpine Squill) was spreading in profusion as were elsewhere Allium paradoxum (Few-flowered Garlic) and Sasa palmata (Broad-leaved Bamboo). Did Miss Willmott have a penchant for monocots? Possibly not. Just outside the walled garden leaves of Aconitum lycoctonum (Wolf's-bane) were spotted near, appropriately enough to Acanthus mollis (Bear's-breech) enough to send a frisson down many a Gothic spine. A little further on Selaginella kraussiana (Krauss' Clubmoss) was overwintering nicely living up to its name, being confusable with a rather feathery bryophyte. Round the comer Trachystemon orientalis (Abraham-Isaac-Jacob) was just coming into flower. Duchesnea indica (Yellow-flowered Strawberry) was happily colonising old brickwork. Of the many Cardamine species only C. impatiens (Narrow-leaved Bittercress) was spotted at this time. Leaves of Scrophularia vernalis (Yellow Figwort) were identified with the help of last year's dead stem. Lonicera henryi (Henry's Honeysuckle) was clearly thriving. Less certain from a WFS point of view were single bushes of Berberis gagnepainii(Gagnepain's Barberry) and Buddleja globosa (Orange Ball tree) - or, if there were seedlings we did not see them.
Warley Place would repay many visits throughout the year. The leaves of Narcissus triandrus (angel's-tears) were just beginning to show among the Castanea sativa (Sweet Chestnut) reputedly planted by John Evelyn, the 17th century diarist and former owner. The garden was thus a case study of what can be transplanted from far flung countries and become naturalised. The reason for the tag 'willmottiana 'so often seen becomes evident. Steve, thank you for introducing us to this fascinating place.
RICHARD ROBINSON