Jekyll 16 | Jekyll’s Gardening Experiments
At her home, Munstead Wood, Gertrude Jekyll carried out extensive experiments in gardening and plant breeding. Her garden became a living laboratory where she tested her ideas, improved her techniques, and developed new plant varieties. She aimed to create plants that were not only beautiful but also well-suited to her garden’s conditions. Jekyll focused on plants that offered long-lasting colour and texture throughout the year. Some of her most famous creations include:
Rose ‘Munstead Wood’
One of Jekyll’s best-known roses, Rosa ‘Munstead Wood,’ is a deep crimson rose with velvety petals. It was named after her home and is admired for its large, fragrant blooms. This hybrid rose combines the qualities of the old roses, Rosa gallica and Rosa damascena, making it a reliable, repeat-flowering rose that grows well in various conditions.
Iris Hybrids
Jekyll was an early breeder of Iris germanica (bearded iris) and created several hybrids at Munstead Wood. She crossed different varieties to produce irises with striking colours, unique shapes, and improved durability. Her irises became popular in British gardens, especially in formal and cottage-style designs.
Lavender Hybrids
Lavender was a favorite of Jekyll’s. She worked on selecting and improving varieties of Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) that were more fragrant and better suited to Britain’s cool, damp climate. Although she didn’t create new hybrids, her work helped popularize hardy and disease-resistant lavender varieties, which she often used in her garden designs.
Hellebores
Jekyll also focused on improving Helleborus niger (Christmas rose), selecting plants with stronger growth and better flowers. She valued hellebores for their early spring blooms, and her efforts made them more widely appreciated in British gardens. While she didn’t develop entirely new types, her selections influenced their popularity in garden design.
Perovskia
Jekyll helped introduce Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage) to British gardens, promoting it for its silvery leaves and lavender-blue flowers. Though she didn’t breed new varieties, her work popularized this drought-tolerant plant, which became a favourite for its long flowering season.
Phlox Hybrids
Jekyll bred and selected different varieties of Phlox paniculata (summer phlox), known for their tall, colourful flower clusters. She worked to create varieties with brighter colours and better resistance to diseases like mildew, making them a staple in English garden borders.
Daylilies
Jekyll also experimented with Hemerocallis (daylilies), aiming to develop plants with vibrant colours, stronger growth, and longer flowering periods. Though daylilies were already popular, her work influenced later breeding and helped promote their use in a variety of garden styles.
Jekyll 16 | Jekyll’s Gardening Experiments
At her home, Munstead Wood, Gertrude Jekyll carried out extensive experiments in gardening and plant breeding. Her garden became a living laboratory where she tested her ideas, improved her techniques, and developed new plant varieties. She aimed to create plants that were not only beautiful but also well-suited to her garden’s conditions. Jekyll focused on plants that offered long-lasting colour and texture throughout the year. Some of her most famous creations include:
Rose ‘Munstead Wood’
One of Jekyll’s best-known roses, Rosa ‘Munstead Wood,’ is a deep crimson rose with velvety petals. It was named after her home and is admired for its large, fragrant blooms. This hybrid rose combines the qualities of the old roses, Rosa gallica and Rosa damascena, making it a reliable, repeat-flowering rose that grows well in various conditions.
Iris Hybrids
Jekyll was an early breeder of Iris germanica (bearded iris) and created several hybrids at Munstead Wood. She crossed different varieties to produce irises with striking colours, unique shapes, and improved durability. Her irises became popular in British gardens, especially in formal and cottage-style designs.
Lavender Hybrids
Lavender was a favorite of Jekyll’s. She worked on selecting and improving varieties of Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) that were more fragrant and better suited to Britain’s cool, damp climate. Although she didn’t create new hybrids, her work helped popularize hardy and disease-resistant lavender varieties, which she often used in her garden designs.
Hellebores
Jekyll also focused on improving Helleborus niger (Christmas rose), selecting plants with stronger growth and better flowers. She valued hellebores for their early spring blooms, and her efforts made them more widely appreciated in British gardens. While she didn’t develop entirely new types, her selections influenced their popularity in garden design.
Perovskia
Jekyll helped introduce Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage) to British gardens, promoting it for its silvery leaves and lavender-blue flowers. Though she didn’t breed new varieties, her work popularized this drought-tolerant plant, which became a favourite for its long flowering season.
Phlox Hybrids
Jekyll bred and selected different varieties of Phlox paniculata (summer phlox), known for their tall, colourful flower clusters. She worked to create varieties with brighter colours and better resistance to diseases like mildew, making them a staple in English garden borders.
Daylilies
Jekyll also experimented with Hemerocallis (daylilies), aiming to develop plants with vibrant colours, stronger growth, and longer flowering periods. Though daylilies were already popular, her work influenced later breeding and helped promote their use in a variety of garden styles.
Click on the icons below to discover the names of these five plant cultivars bred by Gertrude Jekyll at her nursery at Munstead Wood.
Click on the icons below to discover the names of these five plant cultivars bred by Gertrude Jekyll at her nursery at Munstead Wood.