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Ellen Willmott

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018

We, at La Mouissone, are delighted to have been invited by plant explorers Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones from Crûg Farm Plants to participate in their stand at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The Wynn-Joneses will be taking inspiration from a formidable plantswoman born 160 years ago, Miss Ellen Willmott, and the focus for the theme of the stand will be on her former renowned Mediterranean garden at the Villa Boccanegra, on the Italian Riviera.

La Mouissone is a much younger still-developing garden within an olive grove, as was Ellen Willmott’s. It has evolved, as the earlier Mediterranean gardens did, through a historical and modern day eclectic mixture of British influence. Gardens such as Serre de La Madone, the Hanbury Gardens, and Villa Boccanegra have provided inspiration and information on the choice of plants available in this difficult climate and challenging terrain.

Maggie Lockett is a keen supporter of Crûg Farm Plants and is building up displays at La Mouissone of Crûg’s plant collections. The Chelsea stand will highlight some interesting plants for the most difficult of garden environments, dry shade. Unusual forms of Ophiopogon, and newly discovered species of Aspidistra and Ruscus will be planted under the flamboyant architectural foliage of Oreopanax.