Plant breeding and the selection and development of new plants are now my paramount interest. Everything else takes second place to this activity. The garden therefore has a different look, with some plants grown in rows. Plants in the same genus may be grown together, such as geums, origanums and erythroniums. This helps natural hybridisation.
White plant labels with code numbers of planned hybridisation are everywhere.
Perforated plastic bags and discarded lady's tights are wrapped round many plants to collect the explosive seed. Likewise jam jars with coloured tops are strategically placed all over the garden to collect seeds and to store items like tweezers and coloured string, so that new hybrids can be made instantly as the pollen ripens. If a garden is full, you will have to remove an old plant to allow space for a new one. A special feature of the garden is the stream which runs through it for some 500 feet. Unfortunately, every 5-10 years there are severe scouring floods that can whisk away all newly planted and unsecured plants.