In memory of plantswoman Elizabeth Strangman, we hear from friends and people across the industry about her impact, deep knowledge and love of plants

Published: September 29, 2026 at 6:27 am

Elizabeth Strangman, the plantswoman best known for running Washfield Nursery in Kent and breeding hellebores, died in early August 2026. She is remembered by young and old across the horticulture industry as a unique and determined spirit with a deep love of plants.

Elizabeth was born in 1936 and grew up in Lavenham, Suffolk, a country child, with a growing fascination for the wildflowers that grew in the chalky meadows near her home. In a previous profile, she told Gardens Illustrated : “I used to borrow an old bike, a copy of Flowers of the Field and go off for hours, exploring,” she said.…