THE PASSIONATE GARDENER
Stella Exley on the virtues of camassia
STELLA EXLEY SPECIALISES IN GROWING CAMASSIA at Hare Spring Cottage Plants, her nursery in the village of Alne in North Yorkshire, where she holds a National Collection of some 80 different cultivars. A chance meeting with Chris Beardshaw in 2013 and his subsequent order of camassia for his Gold Medalwinning garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has brought her to a wider audience. How did it all begin? I first saw camassia in a woodland-edge setting in a south Devon garden 20 years ago. The drift of deep blue Camassia quamash with their golden-yellow stamens made me stop and gasp at their ethereal beauty, as they swayed gently in the breeze among lush green ferns. Within days I had bought my first few and my heart was well and truly stolen.
In 2012, when my two daughters had flown the nest, it was time to put my energy into setting up a hardy plant nursery with camassia at the heart of it. So I rented a small parcel of land in the foothills of the Pennines, put up a polytunnel and set to work gathering and propagating my favourite perennials. Having no running water or vehicular access over the uneven moorland ground – on which I later fell and broke my leg – wasn’t ideal but I pressed on, working seven days a week, as I still do.
When the National Collection holder of camassia, Margaret Owen, died in 2014, I worked with respected plantsman Chris Sanders to ensure these rare plants weren’t lost, and began merging them with my own until, in 2016, I was awarded National Collection status myself. Chris Beardshaw met me at one of the smaller garden shows I was cutting my teeth at, and placed an order for 2,000 pots of camassia for his 2014 Chelsea garden, which gave me seven months of sleepless nights but I did it – I’m very determined! Last year, I mounted my own first nursery exhibit in the marquee at Chelsea and won a Silver Gilt medal – a new kid on the block at the age of 57. And on top of that we had the challenge of moving the nursery to our current site at the same time.
What is the appeal of camassia?
When they come into flower it’s like a firework display and they are so easy-going. The flower spikes open slowly from the bottom up. There’s a tremendous range of hues, from the palest ice blue of C. cusickii to the deepest indigo purpleblues of C. leichtlinii ‘Maybelle’ and C. quamash
‘Orion’, and their heights vary, too, from 30cm to 1.2 metres. There are so many spots where they can look good: in cottage plantings, by ponds and streams, in a woodland setting and especially where left to naturalise in grass, in an area that you don’t mind leaving unmown, as it’s important to let the foliage die down undisturbed. They do well in containers, too.
Where do they come from?
Camassia are hardy bulbous perennials that originate from north America, where they grow wild in great numbers alongside streams or in damp meadows. The genus name derives from the Native American Indian name of kamas or quamash and the bulbs were regarded by them as an important food source during long, cold winters, when they would roast and store them.
How are they best grown?
Unlike nearly all other bulbous perennials, camassia love moisture. It is the key to successful cultivation. Anyone with heavy soil will most likely have the perfect growing conditions for them. If your soil is free-draining you can plant them in containers instead,
with a good moisture-retaining compost – I have them in chimney pots, old tin baths, large terracotta pots, you name it. Plant bulbs in autumn, 20cm deep, or put in pot-grown plants in spring. They can take full sun but I always recommend giving them some dappled shade for part of the day – that way the flowers open more slowly and their beauty can be enjoyed for longer. At the nursery, we are creating a mini woodland walk close to a stream, allowing camassia, Solomon’s seal, lily of the valley and ferns to naturalise. A favourite combination of mine is C. leichtlinii ‘Blue Candle’ woven through Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’. Wisteria makes a wonderful companion for them, too. Do they need special treatment? Given enough moisture, camassia will grow very happily and flower well year on year, steadily increasing in number. If flowering capacity begins to slow, this is usually because they are too dry or the clump needs dividing. The best time to do this is July-august, as their growing tips start to develop from September onwards. You can propagate them by division – gently detach the bulblets and pot these on – or from collected seed in summer, although this is slow to establish and may not come true to type. Slugs and snails don’t touch them.
I feel privileged to be guardian of these amazing plants, nurturing them for future generations to enjoy. And I’m outside every day – I am very blessed.
Hare Spring Cottage Plants, Church Orchard, Alne, North Yorkshire (07792 376805; harespringcottageplants.co.uk). Open days will be on 5-6 May and 11-12 August, 11am-4pm. See the website for a list of plant fairs and shows Stella will be attending.