Plants introduced by Maurice Foster to botany and horticulture, either named or selected discoveries by MF, or bred by him at White House Farm, then shared with nurseries and other collections worldwide.
Acer buergerianum ‘Papageno’ – named for the birdcatcher in Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’, and with a kaleidoscope of autumn foliage colours of green, orange, red and yellow in most years.
Betula davurica ‘Maurice Foster’
Betula luminifera ‘White House Farm’
Betula utilis ‘Chris Sanders’
Betula utilis ‘Chris Lane’
Betula utilis ‘Melony Sanders’
Carpinus tropicalis subsp. mexicana – from seed wild-collected in Tamaulipas, Mexico by Texan plantsman John Fairey of Yucca Do Nursery, USA (earlier more tender collections by Allen Coombes and James Russell having failed).
Hydrangea chinensis ‘Big White’ – a selection of chinensis introduced by MF
Hydrangea serrata ‘Tiara’ from a serrata seedling raised by Haworth-Booth
Hydrangea aspera ‘Hot Chocolate’ a dark-leaved late-August MF hybrid from parent ‘Koki’
Hydrangea aspera ‘Rosemary Foster’ a colourful dark-leaved late-August MF hybrid
Hydrangea aspera ‘Aurelie’ a violet and cream quasi-mophead aspera with 50+ rayflowers
Hydrangea aspera ‘Farrall’ named after Haworth-Booth’s garden, source of the seedling
Hydrangea aspera ‘Titania’ named by MF and used in his aspera breeding
Hydrangea aspera ‘Peter Chappell’ AGM – from a cutting given to MF by Peter Chappell.
Hydrangea serrata WHF hybrids – many new introductions forthcoming from decades of crossing generations of H. serrata and H. macrophylla.
Hypericum fosteri – new to science, from seed wild-collected by Maurice Foster in western Yunnan in 1993. Named for him by Norman Robson of the Natural History Museum.
Lonicera tragophylla ‘Maurice Foster’
Magnolia ‘Premiere Cru’ – the fabulous deeper pink sibling to ‘Grand Cru’.
Magnolia ‘Theodora’ – named for a granddaughter, raised from seed obtained from the International Magnolia Society seed counter (poss M. ‘Dark Shadow’ x M. mollicomata)
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Swansong’ – the latest flowering selection of this hybrid species.
Magnolia ‘Summer Solstice’ – a seedling of M. globosa (possibly pollinated by a pink-flowered form of M. obovata) raised at Windsor Great Park by John Bond.
Magnolia ‘Alex’ – named for a grandaughter, raised from seed obtained from the International Magnolia Society seed counter (poss M. sprengeri x M. x soulangeana ‘Lennei’)
Magnolia ‘Pink Petticoats’ – a seedling of M. globosa from seed supplied by Peter Chappell.
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Swansong’ – the latest flowering selection of this lovely hybrid species.
[Magnolia ‘Parachute’ – an Oyama sdlg flowered for the first time in 2022, bigger than ‘Colossus’. Forthcoming]
Mahonia ‘Esme’ – named for a grandaughter, upright habit with stunning autumn colour
Mahonia pinnata ‘Maurice Foster’
Philadelphus ‘Sweet Clare’ – sweetly scented selection from wild-collected Mexican seed, sent by John Fairey of Yucca Do Nursery, and named for Maurice’s daughter by John Hillier.
Philadelphus aff. sargentianus – a very large flowered plant from wild-collected Mexican seed sent by John Fairey of Yucca Do Nursery.
Sorbus pallescens ‘White House Farm’ – a naturally upright tear-drop fastigiate form, elegant at every size, including the interlaced twig patterns in winter that give it its shape
White House Farm Garden and Arboretum 