Meet our members

Our members come from all walks of life. What we have in common is our passion for plants

Claire

Claire's a member of our Surrey Group and loves plants - including growing more to share with others. 

"I've always enjoyed nature and plants, so was naturally drawn to Plant Heritage. I love that I can get hold of unusual and rare plants as a member through the Plant Exchange. The exchange is a brilliant idea: a yearly plant swap, where you get plants of your choice for free. I've gone on to register some of them in the Plant Guardian scheme. I was intrigued by the idea of becoming a Plant Guardian. It may seem daunting at first, and you may even lose a few plants along the way, but the team are really supportive. And when you see your plants grow and develop, the pride and joy is invaluable.

"The Plant Exchange is a brilliant idea: a yearly plant swap, where you get plants of your choice for free."

Now I propagate and share my own plants with others through the Plant Exchange. I've been to so many workshops, garden visits and talks organised by my local group in Surrey, and I've learnt so much. Being a Plant Heritage member is a great way to meet other gardeners and even expert horticulturists. Our events and plant sales help to raise money for the charity's conservation programmes. They also bring me so much pleasure, and help me to relax amongst my busy working life and raising my family."

Philip

Philip's head gardener at English Heritage's Walmer Castle. He holds several National Plant Collections: Hakonechloa macra & cultivars, Ophiopogon japonicus cultivars and Aspidistra elatior & sichuanensis cultivars. He also volunteers as a National Collections coordinator, helping other collection holders in London and Kent. 

"I joined Plant Heritage a few years ago because I was thinking of starting a National Collection. I'd always wanted to do this. I'm a self-confessed plantaholic, and it's nice to be with a group of people who're passionate about plants too! The Plant Heritage Journal that you get twice a year is brilliant as it really focuses on specific plants.

"The Plant Heritage Journal is brilliant as it really focuses on specific plants."

I got my first National Collection approved in 2014. Since then, I've done displays of my plants with Plant Heritage at major flower shows like the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (something else I'd always wanted to do). Being a National Collections coordinator is great fun. Each collection holder is so fond of the plants they collect, so you can geek out together. It's also nice to provide the help I got myself when I was first starting."