Amelia Egerton, also known as Lady Amelia Hume (25 November 1751 – 8 August 1809), was a British

horticulturalist Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...

. She and her husband,

Sir Abraham Hume, 2nd Baronet Sir Abraham Hume, 2nd Baronet (29 February 1749 – 24 March 1838, in London) was a British floriculturist and Tory (British political party), Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1818. Life and Politics He was bor ...

, are best known for their rare plant collection at Wormleybury and their introduction of many rare plant species into England.

Biography

Early life

Amelia Egerton, daughter of John Egerton, was born on the 25 November 1751. Her brothers were the

John Egerton, 7th Earl of Bridgewater John William Egerton, 7th Earl of Bridgewater FRS (14 April 1753 – 21 October 1823), known as John Egerton until 1803, was a British cavalry officer, and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1777 to 1803 when he succeeded to t ...

and Francis Egerton, 8th Earl of Bridgewater. She was granted the rank of earl's daughter in 1805 and was subsequently known as Lady Amelia Hume. She married Sir Abraham Hume in April, 1771. In 1772, Lord Hume inherited Wormleybury, an 18th-century private house with a landscape park, from his father, Sir Abraham Hume, 1st Baronet, after his death in 1772. The house is located near Wormley in

Broxbourne Broxbourne is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, England, with a population of 15,303 at the 2011 Census.Broxbourne Town population 2011 It is located to the south of Hoddesdon and to the north of Cheshunt, north of London. ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

Wormleybury

Lady and Lord Hume were well known among leading 18th-century botanists and horticulturalists, both in England and abroad. Between 1785 and 1825, they introduced many rare plant species into England. Most of their plants came from

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and the

Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...

. With the help of their gardener, James Mean, the exotic plants were maintained out in the open and in specially designed and constructed glass houses. The glass houses were installed with elaborate stoves to maintain the temperature and humidity of many exotic plants and trees. Lord and Lady Holmes were very successful in establishing and propagating the plants that were entrusted to their care at Wormleybury. Lady Hume died in London on 8 August 1809. She was survived by her husband, Lord Hume, and her two daughters, watercolor painter

Amelia Long Amelia Hannah Long, Lady Farnborough (''née'' Hume; 1772-1837) was a British watercolour painter who specialised in landscapes and botanical subjects. Born in Wormley, Hertfordshire, Wormley in 1772, Long would specialise in watercolours of la ...

(1772–1837), and Sophia, Countess Brownlow (1787–1814).

Contributions

Botanist James Edward Smith, dedicated his book, ''Spicilegium Botanicum, Gleanings in Botany'' (1791) to Lady Hume. He discussed Lady Humes's contribution to English horticulture in his volume, ''Exotic Botany'', " Dr. Roxburgh ( Calcutta Botanic Garden, India) ... has sent Lady Hume a fine young tree of this species, ''Dellinia speciosa'', Malabar, which is now in a very thriving state. It is presumed to be the first ever brought alive to Europe". Lord and Lady Hume introduced many new plant species into England, including the first white

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...

(''Punica granatum'' fl. Alba) in 1796, the 'Maiden's Blush' (''Camellia japonica'') and the large Mandarin orange (''Citrus nobilis'') in 1805. The Hume's most important introduction, the first Tea Rose from China, 'Hume's Blush Tea Scented China Rose' (''Rosa odorata'') was planted at Wormleybury in 1810.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hume, Amelia British horticulturists Women horticulturists and gardeners 1751 births 1809 deaths Burials in Hertfordshire Wives of baronets