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.

What is How My Garden Grows?

Welcome to our gardening series, How My Garden Grows, hosted by lifelong gardener and journalist Francine Raymond. "I have visited hundreds of gardens, some for work and others for pleasure, but what excites me most about gardens is their atmosphere and the stories they tell," she says. "In this series of garden get-togethers, I want to explore real gardens going through the seasons; gardens that have been grown with passion and patience."