Oldest Cultivar

This is one of the oldest known cultivars of Erysimum or Wallflowers to be found. Well worth seeking out, but may take a bit to find.

Erysimum 'Harpur Crewe' grows to about 1-1.1/2 feet tall (30-40cm), bearing double yellow flowers that have a delicious old fashioned Wallflower scent to them.

It was grown by the Rev. Henry Harpur Crewe (1830-83) who was  Rector of  Drayton  Beauchamp, near Tring, Hertfordshire. A knowledgeable gardener who gave away many of these plants that were known at the time as 'Harpur Crewes Wallflower'

Erysimum 'Harpur Crewe' (Erysimum cheiri 'Harpur Crewe')

'Harpur Crewe' stays neat and compact unlike the true Wallflower still growing naturally in old rock walls. It should not be cosseted too much in the garden with rich soil and regular feeding as this will make it too lush and short lived!

This particular specimen is growing at the side of a driveway tight against the concrete foundations of the kerb edging. Very close by a large shrub evergreen sucks much of the moisture from out of the soil, which suits the Wallflower very well, keeping the situation very well drained during Winter and nutrient levels down.