The missing collections campaign asks people with a passion for plants to start a National Plant Collection of their own. Why not join us in growing, sharing and saving plants for the future?
Every year we highlight much-loved plant groups that are not yet represented by an accredited National Plant Collection to encourage more people to get involved. Thanks to this campaign, in recent years we have seen many new collections coming through, including Eryngium, Verbena, Alcea, Ginkgo, Thalictrum, Tradescantia and Aeonium.
This year we are focussing on 16 pollinator-friendly plant groups, as you will see below. These are not the only plant groups without a National Collection to keep them safe. With our dedicated volunteers, we are safeguarding examples of nearly 100,000 different plants in our living library. This is roughly one quarter of all plants grown in the UK, so there is more to do. We are also keen to duplicate National Collections, to help protect them against risks from climate change and pests and diseases.
Whatever your plant passion, we are confident there will be a National Collection to suit you, so get in touch.
The 16 missing collections highlighted for 2025
Arbutus
Small trees or shrubs with red flaking bark and edible red berries, flowers in April and fruits in the autumn. Commonly called 'strawberry trees'.
Arbutus x Andrachnoides
Argyranthemum
Often grown in pots, their large daisy shaped flowers add bursts of colour from late spring to the first frosts. Their long blooming season attracts a range of pollinators too, including honeybees.
Argyranthemum 'Vancouver'
© Plant Heritage
Armeria
known as sea thrift or thrift, is a genus of flowering plants native to coastal and mountainous regions. Drought tolerant and attractive to pollinators.
Armeria pseudarmeria 'Ballerina Red'
Campanula
Campanulas are known as 'bellflowers' for their beautiful flowers - mostly blue, purple or white. They are easy to grow and there are varieties to suit different environments, from herbaceous borders to rockeries.
Erysimum
Commonly known as wallflowers, are spring to summer-flowering plants that provide vibrant displays of colour. Many varieties are hardy perennials and have attractive evergreen foliage, adding structure and aesthetic value to the garden even after the flowers have faded.
A National Plant Collection of Erysimum - perennial is held by Simon Weeks: Erysimum 'Butterscotch'
S. Weeks
Festuca
Low-growing, compact, mounding-forming plants can have green, blue or golden leaves with spikes of small flowers later in summer.
Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue
G Groombridge
Gaillardia
Known as Blanket Flowers for their masses of richly coloured, daisy-like flowers in vivid shades of red, yellow and orange. Perfect for a wildlife garden, they bloom from late spring to early autumn and appeal to butterflies, bees, beetles and birds for their seeds.
Gaillardia pulchella
Public Domain Image Flickr
Ligularia
Another daisy-like flower, these imposing herbaceous perennials are ideal in boggy areas and alongside water features, and cater well for butterflies, bees and hoverflies.
Ligularia × Yoshizoeana 'Palmatiloba'
© Plant Heritage
Osteospermum
Also known as Cape Daisy or African Daisy, these long-lasting colourful flowers are beautiful from summer to autumn. Another favourite with pollinators.
Osteospermum 'Sennen Sunrise'
© Plant Heritage
Paeonia (tree)
Tree peonies, known as woody peonies, are small shrubs with woody stems, and can have larger flowers than the herbaceous peonies.
Paeonia 'Marie Laurencin'
Claire Austin Hardy Plants
Pittosporum
Evergreen shrubs and small trees, with glossy, leathery leaves and often fragrant flowers. Versatile plants, suitable for various garden styles and uses like hedges, borders, and foundation plantings.
Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Variegatum'
© Plant Heritage
Silene
Known as campion and catchfly and attractive to pollinators. Found in hedgerows and in coastal areas in the northern hemisphere. Lychnis is now known as 'Silene'.
Silene fimbriata
Liz Edwards
Trollius
Known as the globe flower, and related to Ranunculus with bright lemon-yellow or orange flowers 3-5cm in diameter from late spring into early summer.
Trollius Europaeus
Verbascum
With their distinctive, upright spires of flowers, these pretty perennials (or biennials) – which come in white, yellow, orange, blue or purple – are great for bees, hoverflies and moths.
Verbascum 'Clementine'
© Plant Heritage
Vinca
Vinca can be herbaceous perennials or sub shrubs, flowering from mid spring to late summer, grow in any soil from full sun to partial shade, attracting pollinators too
Vinca Major 'Wojo's Jam'
© Plant Heritage
Zantedeschia
With large fluted colourful flowers that stand above lush, glossy foliage they can add an exotic look to your planting. Some are hardy, but many are tender and need to be kept frost free.
Zantedeschia 'Zazu' PBR
Brighter Blooms
Interested? Why not get in touch? Read how to start a National Plant Collection, or see more collections ideas here. Download the full list of missing collections.
Collections don't just have to be one plant group. They can also be in recognition of a noted breeder or plantsperson, or plants bred at a specific place.
We need to protect our plant heritage just as much as buildings or other artefacts. The suggestions below are just the tip of the iceberg!
Plants associated with Valerie Finnis
Valerie Finnis had a strong association with Waterperry Horticultural School for Women in Oxfordshire, where she taught for many years, and in later life lived at Boughton House in Northamptonshire.
Plants still available include:
- Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Valerie Finnis’
- Artemisia stelleriana ‘Boughton Silver’
- Clematis 'Bill MacKenzie’ (C. orientalis x C. tangutica)
- Dianthus ‘Fair Folly’ syn. ‘Constance Finnis'
- Helianthemum 'Boughton Double Primrose'
- Helleborus x sternii ‘Boughton Beauty’
- Muscari armeniacum syn neglectum 'Valerie Finnis’
- Veronica albicans (Recurva Group) 'Boughton Silver' (H)
- Veronica cupressoides ‘Boughton Dome’
- Viola ‘Belmont Blue’ syn. ‘Boughton Blue’
Others that may be harder to find include: Achillea ptarmica 'Boughton Beauty', Allium ‘Valerie Finnis’, Berberis ‘Boughton Red’ , Clematis integrifolia ‘Finnis Form’ (I), Dactylorhiza ‘Valerie Finnis’, Dianthus ‘Valerie Finnis’, Erysimum ‘Valerie Finnis’, Glandularia ‘Boughton House’, Helleborus x sternii Boughton Group syn. ‘Boughton Beauty Strain’, Nepeta ‘Valerie Finnis’, Osteospermum ‘Valerie Finnis’, Papaver (Oriental Group) ‘Constance Finnis’, Papaver rhoeas ‘Valerie Finnis’, Thymus ‘Valerie Finnis’
Plants associated with Margery Fish
Margery Fish was a gardener and garden writer who influenced the informal cottage garden style of gardens. The garden she created, at East Lambrook Manor in Somerset is still in existence as an English Heritage grade 1 listed garden. But what about the plants?
Plants still available include:
- Penstemon ‘Margery Fish’
- Astrantia ‘Shaggy’ syn. ‘Margery Fish’
- Bergenia ‘Margery Fish’ syn. ‘Lambrook’
- Pulmonaria ‘Margery Fish’
- Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii Margery Fish Group syn. ‘Lambrook Gold’
- Galanthus nivalis ‘Margery Fish’
- Chrysanthemum ‘Margery Fish’
Others that may be harder to find are: Lamium maculatum ‘Margery Fish’, Nerine bowdenii ‘Margery Fish’, Penstemon ‘Sour Grapes’ M. Fish, Stachys byzantina ‘Margery Fish’, Veronica ‘Primley Gem’ syn. Hebe ‘Margery Fish’
Plants bred by Bees' Nursery, Cheshire
Bees' was founded in 1904 as the commercial side of Arthur Bulley's Ness Garden - now Ness Botanic Garden. He hired many of the plant hunters of the day to bring back unusual specimens to sell.
Plants still available include:
- Clematis 'Bees' Jubilee'
- Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Jubilee’
- Kniphofia 'Bees' Lemon'
- Kniphofia 'Bees' Sunset' syn. ‘Shining Sceptre’
- Lobelia cardinalis 'Bees' Flame'
- Primula beesiana
May be harder to find: Armeria Bees' hybrids, Armeria ‘Bees’ Ruby’, Lobelia ‘Bees’ Ridge’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Orange’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Yellow’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Golden Amber’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Red Guard’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Yellow Monarch’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Torch’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Flame’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Amber’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Cherry Red’, Kniphofia ‘Bees’ Sunrise’, Tanacetum coccineum 'Bees' Jubilee', Tanacetum coccineum 'Bees' Pink Delight’
Plants associated with Gertrude Jekyll
Jekyll designed over 400 gardens in the UK and from her garden centre in Munstead Wood, Surrey, bred many plants too.
Plants still available include:
- Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Nivea’ syn. ‘Munstead White’
- Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead'
- Nigella damascena 'Miss Jekyll' & ‘Miss Jekyll Alba’
- Pulmonaria angustifolia 'Munstead Blue'
- Rosa [Gertrude Jekyll]=('Ausbord')
- Rosa [Munstead Wood]=('Ausbernard')
- Hylotelephium syn. Sedum 'Munstead Red'
- Hylotelephium ‘Munstead Purple’
- Lunaria annua ‘Munstead Purple’
- Vinca minor f. alba 'Gertrude Jekyll'
May be harder to find: Bignonia capreolata ‘Jekyll’, Coleus scutellarioides ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, Helleborus foetidus ‘Miss Jekyll’, Primula Munstead strain, Pulmonaria angustifolia ‘Munstead Variety’, Rhododendron ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, Rhododendron ‘Munstead’
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