July 15, 2011

Finest Hour 152

LONDON, July 14th โ€” The second breed of hybrid tea rose named for Churchill, developed by Churchill College to mark its 50th anniversary last year, was planted in the garden at Ten Downing Street by Prime Minister David Cameron.

The first “Rose Sir Winston Churchill,” a pinkish orange variety with strong fragrance which blooms throughout the year, was developed in 1955 by Alexander Dickson III. The new Churchill rose, developed for Churchill College by Peter Beales Roses in Norfolk, a peach-coloured variety, debuted earlier this year at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Churchill’s daughter Lady Soames, Patron of the Churchill Centre, gave Cameron “firm instructions” on how the rose should be planted as Churchill College Master Sir David Wallace and Richard Beales of the Norfolk firm looked on.

The new rose is also now planted at Chartwell, where there is a long tradition of rose-growing in the gardens designed by Clementine Churchill and Victor Vincent. On the way up to the house from the visitor centre is the Lady Churchill Garden, devoted to hybrid tea roses. On the other side of the house is the Golden Rose Walk, bordered by spectacular yellow varieties given by their family to Winston and Clementine on their Golden Anniversary.

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Several plants and trees other than roses are named for Sir Winston, as noted by the late Douglas Hall in Finest Hour 81 (1993). “How better to keep the memory green,” Hall wrote, “than to fill your garden with a collection of plants named in honour of WSC?” We offer herewith Mr. Hall’s roster:

Chamacyparis lawsoniana Winston Churchill is a golden evergreen, one of the showiest of this huge family of conifers. Slow growing and of medium height, it reaches six feet in about ten years. It should be planted in full sun to encourage it to retain its bright golden colour, which remains spectacular on dull winter days.

Fuchsia Winston Churchill was first bred in the USA in 1942 and, after more than fifty years, remains a favourite. It is very colourful with a deep pink tube and sepals, and petals of an almost luminous lavender.
Michelmas Daisy Aster Novi-Belgii Winston S. Churchill is another old variety with rich ruby-red petals and bright yellow centre.

Narcissus Sir Winston Churchill features double creamy-white flowers with an orange-red cup. A fairly tall variety, it grows to around 16 inches and is late flowering. It is best left undisturbed to naturalise on banks, between shrubs or in not too heavily-shaded areas beneath trees. Bulbs are widely available.

Rhododendron Azalea Mollis Winston Churchill grows to five feet with a five-foot spread after ten years in a semi-shaded position, requiring acid soil.

Saxifraga Winston Churchill is a rock garden perennial, preferring partial shade which sends up soft pink flowers about 6 inches high in April and May, from a bright green mound of mossy leaves. It is widely available including by mail order.

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