An expert grower of auriculas explains their history and heart-stopping appeal
Once museum curator and now textile artist, Jane-Ann Walton has a particular passion for auriculas. Originally tiny alpine mountain plants, auriculas made their way to this country via Huguenot weavers arriving in Norwich and Spitalfields in the 16th century. Jane-Ann grows over 500 of these delicate, heart-stopping flowers which she displays in "auricula theatres." Each frilly nosegay of flowers is held on a straight stem above a rosette of often farina-covered leaves in its own terracotta pot. Join us on a tour of Jane-Ann's four-acre plot in deepest Norfolk to discover the unique history of these plants and learn from the mistakes of a committed expert.