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Acanthus mollis has a long history in herbaceous borders. It is almost impossible to dig out so once established it will
remain in place, wanted or not. In recent years a number of new selections have appeared, this one came from New Zealand
and the gold tinged leaves are distinctive. The colour is strongest during the autumn and winter. It drifts towards pale green
during the summer and in a hot year the plant becomes dormant and the foliage gets rather tatty.
I don't get a lot of hot summers here, but I do get occasional tattiness. 'Hollard's Gold' was raised in New Zealand and I have been watching it with, eyes filled with cynicism, expecting it to collapse and fail. New Zealand is (at least in my imagination) drier, warmer and brighter than the UK. I think I was wrong, it seems to be strong and the only consolation for my frustrated pessimism is that the flower spikes are a touch ordinary. In brief, it's a good thing! Bright golden new growth starts to appear in late autumn and expands through the spring. Unable to take my own advice I tried to move the plant, this is the obstinate regrowth. I'm going nowhere! Writing in the Journal of the RHS in 2001, Roy Lancaster said: "'Hollard's Gold' originted in New Zealand. It was spotted as a seedling in 1971 by plantswoman Peggy Vallender growing in the garden of the late Bernie Hollard of Karpunga, Taranaki. Over the next few years she and bernie both propagated and distributed the plant, known to them as Hollard's Gold Acanthus. One of the growers who received it was Terry Hatch of Joy Plants, Pukekohe, New Zealand who tells me he offered it as 'Hollard's Gold' in 1987-8. In time, the acanthus began to reach nurseries in other countries. Colin Spicer, at the time living near Feilding, New Zealand (now of Glen Colyn Nursery, Kimbolton, New Zealand) had obtained a plant from Peggy and in autumn 1991 sent rooted cuttingsto peter Ray on Vashon Island, Washington, USA. Peter took several young plants in 1993 when he visited nurseries and gardens in Britain and Ireland. Having received the cuttings without a name Peter called his plants 'Feilding Gold' (often wrongly spelled Fielding) have appeared in British Nursery catalogues and are listed separately as two different plants in the current RHS Plant Finder. 'Hollard's Gold' and 'Hollard's Lemon' are listed in the New Zealand equivalent of the Plant Finder, 'Hollard's Golden Fleece' and 'Golden Fleece' have also been considered but not published. All these names refer to the same plant. After discussions with New Zealand contacts including Colin Spicer (who also speaks for Peggy Vallender), commonn agreement favours 'Hollard's Gold' as the correct name." |
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