15 Facts About Pamela Underwood

Pamela Underwood was an early enthusiast for flower arranging and she wrote a book called Grey and Silver Plants.

Pamela Underwood's parents were Alice Frances Denison des Voeux and Colonel Sir Thomas Montgomery-Cuninghame, 10th Baronet and she had one older brother.

Pamela Underwood's parents divorced in 1925 and the same year her father married Nancy Macaulay Foggo of British Columbia, they had two sons.

Pamela Underwood's mother married the civil servant Sir Aubrey Symonds in 1926.

Pamela Underwood married Thomas Abdy Combe, an army officer, in 1932, they divorced in 1941.

Pamela Underwood was trained at the Cheshunt research station and began as a plant grower in the 1930s.

Pamela Underwood was originally a market gardener, growing mostly tomatoes, but later gradually changed the business to specialise in pink and silver foliage plants.

Pamela Underwood opened Ramparts nursery for pink and silver plants, at Braiswick, near Colchester.

Pamela Underwood became internationally known as a specialist in pinks and silver plans and exported her plants around the world, with buyers as far away as the United States, Japan and New Zealand.

Pamela Underwood served on Essex County council between 1955 and 1960.

Pamela Underwood was a founder member and chairman of Colchester Flower Club, the second flower arranging club in the country.

Pamela Underwood encouraged Beth Chatto, her neighbour and fellow founder member, to give demonstrations her flower arranging to other clubs, which founded her a new career.

Pamela Underwood was an exhibitor at the Chelsea Flower Show for many years.

Pamela Underwood retired from Ramparts in 1977 due to ill health, and the business was taken over by Jack Gingell of Chipping Ongar.

Pamela Underwood wrote Grey and Silver Plants which was published in 1971 using the name of "Mrs Desmond Underwood".