Antirrhinum Eva Grey

Raised in Southampton in 1991, Antirrhinum majus ‘Black Prince’ was crossed with a perennial form bearing pink flowers growing in a neighbour’s garden.

I brought the plant to Longstock in 1997 and propagated a few plants at the nursery treating them like a Penstemon and most year the plants came through the winter.

Over the years I have shown it to nurseries without any marketing success, however about 10 years ago fate intervened. Julian Blackwell, Head Gardener at Dean House, Kilmeston Hampshire, came to Longstock Nursery to buy a Buddleja and somehow an Antirrhinum came up in the same pot.

When the gardens at Dean House are open to the public, Test Valley Nursery sell plants and Julian showed this Antirrhinum to George Benn the owner.

“Peter Moore does a lot of plant breeding, must be one of his” said George.

With added interested I approached my Agent in Holland who trialled the plants in Europe and the USA, they liked the plant but not enough to grow it or take out protection.