The National Plant Collections®, looked after by our members are a key part of our conservation work.
Put simply, a National Plant Collection is a registered and documented collection of a group of plants. These can be linked botanically by plant group, or perhaps have a shared history or geography (in which case they may not all be the same type of plant).
The National Plant Collections®
National Plant Collections are also made available for people to view, either by appointment, on special open days or as part of a garden open to the public.
Today there are over 720 National Collections, safeguarding nearly 100,000 different plants. Together, this living library represents a huge resource for gardeners, nurserymen, garden designers, researchers, plant breeders and those interested in historical gardens and landscapes. Having these plants part of a registered conservation scheme makes sure that their beauty, history and useful properties (perhaps as food or medicine) are protected for generations to come.
FROM MIGHTY OAKS TO MINATURE ORCHIDS, NATIONAL PLANT COLLECTIONS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
National Collection holders
You don’t need a huge garden, some collections are held in the tiniest of spaces like greenhouses, on allotments, or even indoors - 13,000 of the plants in the National Collections can be grown as houseplants.
National Collections can be held by individuals or groups of people, in one location or spread over several sites. They are everywhere from private gardens and balconies to botanic gardens, plant nurseries, local authority parks, zoos, schools and even a pub and a prison.
Rubus Collection Holder Barry Clarke, Hampton Court 2019
Jackie Currie tending her Allium collection on her allotment
Copiapoa, Matucana and Turbinicarpus, Chester Zoo Collections
© Plant Heritage
Aster & related genera (autumn flowering) National Collection At Picton Gardens, Worcestershire
Sarah Cook & Iris 'Benton Opal'
Sarah Cook
Don Billington, collection holder for Aechmea, Billbergia and Neoregelia
Aster & related genera (autumn flowering) National Collection At Picton Gardens, Worcestershire
Preserving the diversity
Naturally our National Collection Holders are passionate about the plants in their care. After many years of working closely with their chosen group of plants they become experts in their field and are always keen to share their expertise.
If you are interested in a group of plants or you already have a collection you’d like to develop further, please contribute to preserving the diversity of garden plants for future generations by becoming a National Collection Holder.
Plant Guardian scheme
If you’d like to be involved in garden plant conservation but can only look after one or two plants, why not consider our Plant Guardian scheme.
Sponsoring the National Collections
If you want to support the National Plant Collections and hear more about the work of a particular collection, consider Sponsoring the National Collections.
Our partners
