That is very sad.

Sad to see people affected like this, and I'd hate to think someone who specializes in a certain plant passion would have to fear this but that's the sad fact.

I wonder where this new disease came from?

There is a bit of information on the RHS page here but it doesn’t say where the disease came from.

On their website it says that it's possible (they don't know) that the disease is transferred by seeds. As much as it saddens me to see a nursery close, if this disease is in fact transferred by seed they are doing the right thing by not selling the seeds anymore.

Ouch indeed. I wonder if there's insurance for that?

I guess she could start selling another plant since she has equipment, no how skilled labor. One needs to do some changing of the plant stock and advertisement of the change. I am not saying that this is NOT a set back. But if one wants to transfer a passion, one can sit;; pick oneself up and go on.

Campanula, I know this is an old post but I was wondering if Carrie Thomas has remained at the Swansea location or has she sold and moved on. I'd followed Torchwood Plants for years and wondered at the sheer variety of Aquilegia she'd grown and developed. Was crushed the beauty she'd kept there of The British National Collection of Aquilegias had been lost. What if anything is being done to rebuild the collection?

They may not be to everyone's taste but I love their variety and in some forms their delicate beauty as well as the degree to which they persist in the garden. Some consider it a reseeding pest but easy enough to keep in check and maintain presence. I appreciate and keep our American native which is easy to grow but those with variety of color and form sure are tempting and pretty to me.
I still go to the Torchwood site just to look at the vast variety Carrie Thomas devoted so much time and effort to develop and maintain. I see other UK sources for plants and seeds so I guess it's not spread all over UK.

ETA...Just saw your 2017 update, Campanula. Thanks for information there.

Missmygardens - sadly, Carrie is not at the same address and the gardens have effectively gone. I think DM broke Carrie's heart...wherher she has the energy and motivation needed to start over (and she is not the young stripling she once was) is a moot point. Terribly sad and a timely reminder of the dangers of monocrops and lack of diversity (although Touchwood was always more than just columbines).