A plantsman's choice

G.R. Kingsbourn reveals some of his favourite plants from the 1950s

- G.R. Kingsbourn

The musk mallow

Either this plant has lost its scent or I have lost my sense of smell; but the musk mallow, even without a scent, is a worthwhile garden plant. This mallow can be found growing in meadows at the end of summer, but in a garden it becomes taller and much more flowery – the flowers are a lovely silvery-pink, and the height may reach 4ft (1.2m).

The mallow family is a great favourite of mine, but unfortunately, many succumb to the horrible hollyhock rust, and one of the reasons I prize Malva moschata is that the plant resists this fungus disease, which caused me to give up trying to grow hollyhocks.

Many writers on gardening recommend the white form of this plant, but this is probably because it seems more unlike the plant they see growing in the meadows. It is true that if this mallow grew in quantity in fields about my garden I should not import it, but it does not and so I give its clean, pale flowers a warm welcome every August. Grow it from seed; it is cheaper and from the disease point of view, it is safer.

The stinking hellebore

The ‘stinking hellebore’ (Helleborus foetidus) is the finer of the two species of Helleborus that are rare English wildflowers. The other species, Helleborus viridis, though good, has not the striking quantity of blooms and they are not carried with the ineffable grace of H. foetidus. Do not be put off by the name ‘stinking hellebore’; it is not really an unpleasant scent, nor is it to be noticed at all except by one who sniffs it at close quarters.