Our passion for Crocosmia and South African bulbs started in the autum of 1993, some four months after we married. The passion arose because it was during the autumn of 1993 that we began designing and landscaping the garden. Because my wife had very little in the way of
gardening knowledge I decided to take her to 'The Garden House' at Buckland Monachorum, Devon, UK, because looking at pictures in gardening books had become pretty overwhelming. In a nutshell, at the 'Garden House' nursery she discovered Crocosmia, and said 'I must have those'. We ended up buying two varieties, one named 'Solfatare', the other 'Citronella' (small flowered, trade variety), soon more were to follow, and we were hooked.

  The Garden is just 17m x 15m in size and is now completely dedicated to the culture of South African flora (mainly bulbous). The garden contains 2 small greenhouses which are used to
overwinter many frost tender plants. Here is the South-west of England our main problems are unpredictable night frosts which usually occur in between days of much higher temperature. We are also on the Atlantic depression route and therefore we can have lower light levels during the winter, lower than the South-East of England for instance. Overall though we have a reasonable climate and benefit from the south facing aspect of the garden and many east - west orientated beds. Indeed sometimes it can get too hot for some of the bulbs.
     
  To date we exhibit over 200 varieties of Crocosmia and open the garden each year for the
National Gardens Scheme, raising money for extremely good causes and giving garden
visitors an insite into one our our brightest and most useful of garden flowers. Many Crocosmia are either lost to or in cultivation; we are optimistic and dedicated, and with the help of
commercial nurseries, the gardening public, feel that we may contribute to their future
identification / taxonomy, conservation and popularity.  The collection has been a NCCPG
National Collection since 1996.

  We are as dedicated to other South African bulbs as we are to Crocosmia; and our collections
include many species of Kniphofia, Tulbaghia (NCCPG National Collection Status applied for), Eucomis and  Freesia (Anomatheca); but we also collect from other plant families such as Amaryllidaceae; Iridaceae, Lilaceae and Alliaceae; and many succulent genera including
Delosperma, Drosanthemum, Carpobrotus and Aloe. Research is being carried out on many South African bulbous genera but our main remit is to conserve. Sadly my wife has disabilities; and I look after her as her full-time carer but this does give me the amount of spare time that I need to be able to look after the collection properly and use my previously gained horticultural
qualifications.

  We are always interested in talking to others with a similar interest and exchange plants with many people for mutual benefit. The collections are a labour of love and our contribution to their research a way of gaining more knowledge on them. Knowledge we are always willing to share.