The National Collection of
Mylnefield Lilies
by Madeleine Tinson
I would like to share my experience of setting up a New Collection. I have been on an incredible adventure of discovery with highs and lows
along the way. Here is my story.
Dr Christopher North 1917-2005
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
This is Dr. Christopher North, Head of Plant breeding at the then Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie, Scotland in an area known as
Mylnefield. His main area of work was with brassicas and soft fruit.
In 1966, lilies were becoming fashionable and, for some reason, were seen as exotic and hard to grow, so it was suggested that he turn his
talents to developing lilies suited to growing conditions in Britain, especially Scotland.
Orestes
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The 1st series
There was initial success using Division 1 Asiatic hybrids L. lancifolium, and some went on to be registered: Orestes, Achilles, Odysseus and
Phoebus.
My husband took me on a 4 hour round trip to collect Odysseus from Highland Liliums near Beauly where I had tracked it down. It was then that I
was told by Mr MacRitchie senior that I must be mad.
Yes, I am, but I am also passionate and charmed by all lilies. Highland Liliums were involved in trying to get some of the North lilies established
as garden plants to sell on to the public, sadly, the plan floundered.
Achilles
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Odysseus
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The Bottle Fed Lilies
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The Bottle fed lilies, as they became known.
They introduced L.lankongense to the mix and, at first, it failed. Dr. North’s years of plant breeding led him to, what I believe is his legacy to lily
breeding, the use of embryo culture. This was the eureka moment and led to the development of Ariadne and Adonis.
Ariadne
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Ariadne and Adonis were hailed as exceptional hybrids, winning awards of merit. Dr. North also received many accolades.
In 2007, during a visit to Branklyn Gardens to see their lilies, I came across Mylnefield lilies, the collective name for the North Hybrids.
The North Hybrids
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
I wanted to grow North lilies in my garden in Perth. I found it very difficult to source, let alone buy, any of these unique hybrids.
Eventually, I did find and purchase 10 cultivars. Many were marble sized or smaller and so were potted up into a gritty compost as I did not wish
to loose any in the open ground. Some flowered that summer of 2008, and you could say that was the start of the search for others.
I began researching the history of their development and by doing so, I discovered who may be able to help me find more.
The Research station still had some and they were willing to give me Achilles, Orestes and Phoebus.
Dr. Peter Waister
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
My major break was finding Dr. Peter Waister who was a former colleague of Dr. North. Later, he went on to run a lily nursery specialising in
North Hybrids.
Through his generosity, my collection was boosted to within the required 75% of known cultivars, in this case 17, to be able to apply for National
Collection status.
National Plant Collection
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My certificate from Plant Heritage.
Originally only provisional as the Plant Heritage committee felt the plants in the collection needed to mature.
This year I was successful when I applied for full status.
Europa Chris North
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Europa, a result of a cross using L. pyrenicum and L. pomponium, was registered by Dr. North. For some reason, he believed it was not allowed
as the name had been used before to register a lily.
It then began to be called Chris North or Christopher North, so the confusion started. In fact, it had been registered as Europa North in 1978.
This year, after some pestering from me, Duncan Donald, the Registrar, has stated it will be known as Europa Chris North.
My Collection – The Pots
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
The collection is in 3 parts.
Many of the originals are still pot grown. I am about half way into the annual event of turning out all the pots, removing all the bulblets and
repotting them all.
My Collection – In The Ground
Karen
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
In the ground.
I have come to know the more robust of the collection and they are now happy growing in the garden borders. This is Karen, flowering from mid
July, about the same time as the outdoor pot grown lilies flower.
My Collection – The Lily House
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In The Lily House.
Built it 2012, the Lily House houses the full collection at different stages of development. No heat, plenty of ventilation and the added bonus is
that it concentrates the delicate perfume given off by some of the lilies.
These come into flower a few weeks earlier than those outside.
Eileen North
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Eileen
The RHS lily group purchased a great deal of the series that had been developed using L. lankongense as a parent plant. This led to the
selection of 10 hybrids that were chosen for vigour and apparent disease resistance. Dr. North was asked to choose names. He selected the
names of female members of his family; the ladies were registered in 1986.
Minos
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Minos.
This was one of over 2.000 seedlings selected for their ability to stand alone, ease of propagation, vigour and freedom from disease. This first
series was named and registered by Dr. North after the Greek Gods, seems he rather enjoyed holidaying in Greece.
Marie North
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Marie.
One of the last to flower, named after Dr. North’s wife.
It is said to be on of the more precious and to flourish it requires some TLC, as do most women.
Pan
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
Pan.
Now this is one of the doers, as is Eros and Theseus, By selection, they had developed more robust hybrids at this stage of the programme.
Theseus
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Bronwen North
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Bronwen
One of the 10 ladies. I often say it’s one of my favorites, until the next North flowers.
546/1
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
546/1 was always seen as worthy of registration but never was. I had given it some though but the name eluded me.
Then, I was asked if I would supply North Lilies for the wedding bouquet of Hannah, grand-daughter of Dr. North. I said it was not possible but I
would willingly put on a small display at the wedding reception.
Rosie and Hannah North
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This is when I met Rosie.
Rosie is Dr. North’s great grand–daughter, seen here with her mum, Hannah.
Rosie North
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To the delight of her parents, and I hope the approval of Dr. North, 546/1 was registered by me in 2012 as Rosie North. So, now there are 11
ladies. It delights me so much that in the register it is stated that:
‘Its epithet continues the tradition of naming Dr. North’s hybrids after female members of his family, and alludes to his great grand-daughter
Rosie.’
Eurydice
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
The children of Ariadne.
Eurydice
Bred by Vaclav Jost of Czech Republic using Ariadne as a parent plant.
Judith Freeman, plant breeder of the Lily Garden in Vancouver, also uses Ariadne as a parent plant and has developed some stunning lilies. Yes
of course I have some!!
She states, ‘Ariadne is an enduring hybrid, after 30 years it’s a testimony to the work of Dr. North’.
Eros
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014
We were one of the 35 National Collections that held Open Days to celebrate Plant Heritage’s Anniversary.
With the support and hands-on help of the Grampian and Tayside Plant heritage group we raised £506.
It’s only an inquiry so far, but I was contacted by one of the Gardeners World researchers, with a view to making a feature of the lilies next year.
Already, we have 2 groups booked in to see the lilies in July 2014.
Now, this is hot off the press, I have been asked by Plant Heritage to take some of the lilies to Hampton Court flower show 2016. Excited? You
bet!!
What now?
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Now, what do I do?
This is only a small part of my stock, during the annual turn out.
I have long held a goal to get North lilies more widely grown. To help achieve this, I have to take lilies to the annual bulb auction of the RHS Lily
group. Grampian and Tayside Plant Heritage also hold plant sales, so I will give some to them.
I am constantly being asked if I have bulbs for sale by garden visitors, so that’s another possible outlet and once organised, I could sell by mail
order via my website. I have been asked to supply to the Explorers Garden in Pitlochry, and a specialist Scottish Nursery, they will be my first
customers.
Pandora (North)
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The elusive 3, or possibly 4.
Pandora.
I tracked it down, only to be told the fields had been grubbed up as they could not compete with the Dutch growers.
I was also told by the managing director of Grampian Growers of Montrose, it was last seen struggling in a field of weeds near Tain.
Eureka
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Eureka.
Dr. North had high hopes of this lily being used by plant breeders. Mr D.B. Fox, well known in the lily world, purchased and registered it in 1992.
Dr. Waister had saved much of the correspondence and working notes of Dr. North from the shredder. He has since passed them on to me.
Among them I came across a reference to Eureka being grown in Dr. North’s garden.
Dr. North’s Garden
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I sought permission to see if I could find it there. This is his former garden in Knapp. It was an all round disappointment. All I achieved was
getting scratched and stung by the brambles and nettles.
Adonis
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Adonis.
This may well be within my reach.
In October 2012 at The Botanic Gardens in Burlington, Canada, I found it being grown. At that time of the season, all that was on show was the
label.
My sister in law, who lives close by, went to see it in growth this year. Not yet in flower, she returned 2 weeks later, only to find all the heads of
the lilies had been eaten by deer.
In January this year, I bought 5 Adonis bulbs from Edrom Nursery, all of them turned out to be Pan. As a result, they have accepted my offer to
go and identify all their stock. Dr. Waister and I will be going there next year. I have been told they have suspended all sales until then.
Invergowrie is the other elusive cultivar and I have very little information. Registered in 1983 by Dee Simmons, as purplish pink with yellow
throat.
I am always living in hope and, going by the talk given on the long established collection of peonies, I have years ahead of me in which to search.
For more information or to
contact me, visit
www.parkheadgardens.com
© Copyright Madeleine Tinson 2014