Social and Talk. Small is Bountiful – a year in the life of a National Collection of Crassula spp.

This event is our annual social and talk.

In a greenhouse in the garden of a suburban house in north-east Hampshire lives one of the smallest National Collections in the country, and the only one of Crassula spp.  But small doesn’t mean easy: the 3m x 3m greenhouse contains over 500 specimens of more than 80 species.  

Amanda Whittaker with co-collection holder Martin, will talk about a typical year in the life of the collection.  It deals with the highlights – holding open days and helping academics with research, and some of the less exciting aspects, such as stopping the plants from freezing over winter without contributing too much to global warming.  It looks at the fascinating world of digital microscopy of different species, and also the constant battle with disease and pests in such a crowded environment.But – most importantly – it looks at the pleasures of being a National Collection holder when the only land you have access to is a small suburban garden."