OBITUARY -- AMOS PERRY, SENIOR
The Gardens' Chronicle, June 14, 1913

We regret to record the death of Mr. Amos Perry, Nurseryman which took place on Tuesday last at his home in Enfield. He had not enjoyed good health for two years, and death resulted from heart failure, following Bright's Disease and dropsy.
....Mr. Perry was born on Sept. 22, 1841, and started life in the scholastic profession, but after serving his apprentice ship as pupil teacher, his health failed and his medical adviser advised him to leave this country. Instead of doing this he secured employment in Messrs. Wingfield's Nursery, Gloucester, adopting the profession of his forebears-his grandfather was a foreman at Messrs. Veitch's Nursery, Exeter, and his father was Rose-grower at Messrs. Ware's nursery, Tottenham He stayed only a short time at Gloucester, and he returned home, finding work under his father at The Hale Farm Nurseries. Mr. Perry remained with the firm of Messrs. T. S. Ware for twenty-five years. He became a partner in the firm, which then consisted of Messrs. Ware, Fells, and Perry.
....Mr. Perry was among the first to recognize the value of hardy flowers. He made a collection of all the best subjects he could secure and entered a group of them at one of the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society. But hardy plants were not in favour; the superintendent of the Show, Mr. Eyles was disinclined to find space for them, but finally allotted room in an out of the way corner amongst the exhibit's of sundries. Mr. Perry continued to work amongst his favourite flowers, and made journeys to the Continent in search of novelties. He visited the Pyrenees in 1870 and brought home many interesting plants including-Ramondia pyrenaica alba, Primula integrifolia alba, gentiana verna alba, a double flowered gentian, which however did not survive the journey, and Anthericum liliastrum major.
....Mr. Perry severed his connection with his old firm in 1894 and commenced a business of his own account at Winchmore Hill, where he engaged in Carnation growing. But the soil of the nursery was unsuited to these plants, and he turned again to his favourite hardy plants and Alpines. So successful was his business that the Winchmore nursery became too small and he removed to 30 acres of ground at Enfield. Amongst the many plants which Mr. Perry introduced to commerce are the following: Echinacea purpurea Winchmore Hill var.; Phlox canadensis Perry's var.; Spiraea rivularis gigantea; Chrysanthemum maximum grandiflorum, Achillea Perry's White; Sparaxis pulcherrima, Anchusa italica Perry's var.; Spiraea venusta, Helenium pumilum magnificum; Aster Amellus Perry's Favourite, the first pink variety of this flower.
....He received numerous awards for novelties in Irises, Poppies, Geums, Heucheras, Delphiniums, Phloxes, Asters and hardy flowers. Mr. Perry retired from active business some two years ago and during his leisure he has raised thousands of seedling Liliums, Sporaxis, Delphiniums and Poppies in his garden. At one time he contributed articles to the horticultural Press, and many contributions from his pen have been published in these pages. He leaves a widow, two sons and three daughters; both sons are engaged in the business, which will be carried on under its present name. The funeral took place at Enfield Cemetery on the 13th inst.