ENGLISH VERSION TEXT (Pictures in Dutch version above)
How ‘Haarlems’ is Double Meadow Saxifrage, called in Dutch: Haarlems klokkenspel?
The Double Meadow Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata ‘Plena’) is in many ways a very special stinzenplant. Dr. J. Botke in his book De Gritenij Dantumadiel used the term ‘stinsplant’ for the first time in 1932, he refers among other things to the appearance of the Double Meadow Saxifrage at the Schierstins in Veenwouden. According to tradition, the inhabitants of Veenwouden would have named this plant Stinzeblomkes. This is probably the reason that the plant is sometimes called the mother of all stinzen plants. The plant is also special because of its striking double white flowers and because it is the only species of the current ‘stinzenplanten’ that does not occur in the wild. The plant is a mutation of the wild Meadow Saxifrage. In the Netherlands, the Meadow Saxifrage is only present in a few places on a reasonable scale in the wild. The plant is also on the Dutch Red list. The Double Meadow Saxifrage is only present in the Netherlands in a few terrains with Stinzenplants. This is because the plant places rather special demands on the growing location and management. In the past the plant was found on a fairly large scale in the Haarlemmerhout, a small woodland in the vicinity of the city of Haarlem. This can explain the Dutch name.
Little is to be found in the literature on Stinzenplants about the history of this special plant. It is often mentioned that the plant was introduced in the Netherlands around 1720 and is further referred to De Schierstins in Veenwouden and / or Botke and the Haarlemmerhout. Stimulated by the beautiful website haarlemsklokkenspel.nl I have researched the history of this plant.
An important ‘find’ is the first edition of the Gardener’s Dictionary from 1731 by Philip Miller (1691-1771). Philip Miller became head of the Chelsey Physic Garden in 1722. This garden still exists and was founded in 1673 by a pharmacy association. The garden initially contained mainly medicinal plants. At that time there was a lot of interest in the naming and classification of plants. In the Gardener’s Dictionary it is described that what is now called Double Meadow Saxifrage was found in the wild for the first time in England, then cultivated and spread to many gardens in the vicinity of London. The plant is described in the first edition of the Gardener’s Dictionary as follows:
.. is a variety of the first, which was found by Mr. Joseph Blind, Gardener at Barns, who transplanted it into his Garden, and afterwards distributed it to several curious Persons; since which Time it hath been multiplied so much, as to become a very common Plant in most Gardens near London, where it is commonly planted in Pots, to adorn Court-yards, Etc. in the Spring. This Plant is propagated by Off-sets, which are sent forth from the old Roots in great Plenty. The best Season for transplanting is in July, after their Leaves are decay’d, when they must be put in fresh undung’d Earth, and placed in the Shade until Autumn; but in Winter they may be exposed to the Sun, which will cause ‘em to flower somewhat earlier in Spring. In April these Plants will flower, and if they are in large Tufts, will at that Time make a very handsome Appearance; for which Reason most People suffer them to remain three or four Years unremoved, and when they are transplanted, do always plant ‘em in Bunches, that they may produce a greater Number of Flowers. If these Plants are punt into the full Ground, they must have a shady Situation, otherwise they will not thrive.
Little is known about Joseph Blind. From the literature (Maisie Brown, Webb) a William Blinde from Barnes is known who was a breeder and worked for rich people. He died in 1693. At his death, he owned a collection of rare and precious plants. Archive research (Webb) indicates that Joseph Blind was his son, who was ‘gardener’ and died in 1739. So this is the man who is mentioned in the Gardener’s dictionary as the discoverer and first breeder of what we now call Double Meadow Saxifrage.
From further literature research it also becomes clear where the frequently cited year of 1720 comes from. This goes back to the famous physician / chemist / botanist from Leiden, Herman Boerhaave (1668-1738). In 1709 he was appointed professor of botany and was given responsibility for the ‘Horto Academico Lugduno Batavo’, the botanical garden of Leiden University. In 1710 he publishes a book describing the plants of this garden. The Double Meadow Saxifrage is not mentioned. In 1720 there is a new edition in which many more plants are described. In this book the plant appears that he refers to as Saxifraga rotundifolia alba, flore pleno. This means White saxifraga with rounded leaves and double flowers. He reports that he got the plant from the garden of Mr. du Bois: Ex Horto Domini du Bois. This is the Englishman Charles du Bois (1658-1740). He was a cash keeper of the English East Indian company, wealthy and very active in the field of botany with a large garden with a collection of rare plants. He has created a large Herbarium that is currently managed by Oxford University Herbaria. In this Herbarium the Double Meadow Saxifrage can be found.
The location where the plant was found is indicated as Croydon in Surrey. This is 20 km. south-west of Barnes. From the above we can deduce that in all likelihood Joseph Blind found the plant there and that Charles du Bois included it in his private collection of rare plants and his Herbarium. At that time there were more wealthy people who had a great interest in botany in England and the Netherlands. There were also intensive contacts between these gentlemen in England and the Netherlands, as evidenced by the fact that Boerhaave received the plant from the Englishman Charles du Bois.
William Sherard (1659-1728) is an English botanist, contemporary of Charles du Bois, who also became interested in naming and classification of plants. He has also created a Herbarium that is now also managed by the Oxford Botanic garden. In that Herbarium there is also a copy of the Double Meadow Saxifrage with a reference to the book by Boerhaave.
Boerhaave himself was also interested in the at that time popular subject of classification and naming of plants. Boerhaave, who was already at a relatively old age and whose health was not very good, came into contact with the young Carl Linnaeus who had just received his PhD at the University of Harderwijk, where Boerhaave had also received his doctorate. Boerhaave was very impressed with Linnaeus and he made sure that Linnaeus, doctor / botanist / zoologist / geologist, became the personal physician of the Englishman George Clifford, who was a wealthy banker in Amsterdam. Linnaeus would also manage the garden of the Clifford country estate, De Hartekamp, and part of his job was to describe the plants from this garden and the Herbarium of Clifford. This country estate is located next to the Mansion Huis te Manpad in Heemstede. Linnaeus stayed at the Estate Hartekamp from 1735 to 1737. At that time he wrote the book Hortus Cliffortianus, which was produced in 1737 and came on the market in 1738. In this book he describes the species that occurred in the garden, the heated greenhouses and / or in the Herbarium of Clifford. Also mentioned are the books that were present in the private library of Clifford. The book by Philip Miller was also present in that library. The first edition of the Gardener’s Dictionary also lists the people who had registered for the book and it also shows that Miller had purchased this book and that Linnaeus had access to it. The book of Linnaeus describes the Double Meadow Saxifrage, referring to Boerhaave, without referring to a specific publication by Boerhaave. The Herbarium of Clifford is currently preserved at the Natural History Museum in London. In this Herbarium there is a copy of the Double Meadow Saxifrage.
The plant became soon known in Europe. The famous French illustrator of plants Aubriet (1665-1742), depicted the Double Meadow Saxifrage in the first half of the 18th century. The plant is described quite extensively in an edition of La Nouvelle maison Rustique dating from 1798. In a German breeders catalog from 1802: Verzeichnis und kurze Beschreibung der Freien ausdaerenden Stauden, Zwiebel und Knollgewächse Kaufmann Karl Corthum in Zerbst um beigesetzte Preise zu bekommen sind, mentions this plant species. In 1814 the plant is described by Johann Carl Corthum in his book Handbuch für Gartenfreunde und Blumenliebhaber.
The book from 1814 contains the following text (translated by me): Saxifraga granulata flore pleno, has roots like cereal grains. The species with double flowers is preferable because in May it has white flowers such as the Spring Snowflake and the Summer Snowflake. The stalks grow a foot high and wilt with the leaves immediately after flowering, and the plant that is thought to be dead, comes above ground in June and remains green in winter. It prefers more moist than dry soil.
Literature:
Herman Boerhaave, 1720, Leiden, Index alter plantarum (p.)
J. Botke, 1932, Dokkum bij J.Kamminga, De Gritenij Dantumadiel, (p.86/87)
M. Brown 1997, Historical Publications, Barnes and Mortlake Past, with East Sheen, (p.21)
J.J. Bruinsma, 1840, Leeuwarden bij W.Eekhoff, (p. 76), Flora Frisica (p.76)
J.F. Bastien, 1798, Parijs, La Nouvelle Maison Rustique (p.750)
L. Corthum, 1802, Zerbst bei Andreas Füchsel, Verzeichnis und kurze Beschreibung der in Freien ausdauerenden Stauden, Zwiebel und Knollgewächse die bei dem Kaufmann Karl Corthum in Zerbst um beigesetzte Preise zu bekommen sind (p. 61/62)
J.C. Corthum, 1816, Zerbst bei Johann Wilhelm Kramer, Handbuch für Gartenfreunde und Blumenliebhaber, Fünftes Bändchen (p.103/104)
Carl Linnaeus, Amsterdam, 1737, Hortus Cliffortianus, p. 167, Saxifraga rotundifolia alba, pleno flore. Boerh.,
Philip Miller, 1731, London, The Gardeners Dictionary (geen pagina nummering)
Philip Miller, 1745, Leiden, Groot en algemeen kruidkundig, hoveniers, en bloemisten woordenboek deel 2, p.777/778
C. Webb, Peculiar Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deanery of Croydon 1660-1751: Index to the Wills and Administrations (West Surrey Family History Society, 1998), ref. 929.3open. See p.4 which refers to William Blind and also to the will of Joseph Blind of Barnes, gardener, who died in 1739.
