National Collection Holders' conference 2022

The biennial Collection Holder's conference will be on 3rd November at Chester Zoo, the home of 5 National Plant Collections, and feature talks from Collection Holders as well as a chance to visit the Collections held at the Zoo.

Timetable

Thursday

10.00-11.10am. Introduction followed by talks from:

• Phil Esseen, Chester Zoo, plant conservation work undertaken at the Zoo
• Jonathan Hutchinson, Finding new species diversity within the genus Scadoxus
• Wayne Williams, Eddie Adams, Ruth Davis, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, New Byblis collection

11.30-12.00pm. Collection holder short talks

• David Skidmore, Ash dieback and the Fraxinus collection
• Susan Rowley, NT Sizergh, displaying the ferns in a new Stumpery
• Carole Whittaker, Monarda, how the National Collection has improved biodiversity in our Garden and surroundings

12.20 - Lunch

1.15-2.30pm a tour around the 5 National Collections at Chester Zoo

2.30-3.10pm

• Si Poole, Mentha. Menthology: Gardening as a creative practice
• Jan Miller, Eupatorium, rewilding, wildlife gardening and National Collections

3.15-3.40 short talks from proposed Collection Holders

• Gary Stone, HMP Eastwood Park, putting together a collection in a prison
• Lucy Hart, Fulham Palace the Bishop Compton plant collection at Fulham Palace
• Victoria Fiander, Lackham College Collections in the curriculum

3.50pm-4.40pm

• Ned Lomax, NT Bodnant Garden, Understanding Bodnant Garden: the history, development and plant collection of a 20^thcentury masterpiece

4.50-5pm - sum up and close.

Friday

Session 1

9.30-10.30am Putting on a flower show display

9.30-11.30am – Persephone for beginners

9.30-11.30am – Persephone for more experienced users

Session 2

11am – 3pm Plant photography with Ian Thwaites – bring a camera, whether DSLR, point and click or a smartphone.

*1-3pm Persephone advanced

*1-3pm – Persephone beginners

* we will run these if the morning sessions fill up – please for preference choose a morning session first and we will let you know if there is no more room.

Registration has now closed