Historic Kelways peony collection gains National Collection status

but the search for more lost varieties continues before it’s too late – can you help?

A stunning collection of over 100 different types of pretty peonies has been awarded National Plant Collection status by plant conservation charity Plant Heritage.

The colourful collection of Paeonia lactiflora (bred by Kelway & Son) – which contains an incredible range of flower shapes, colours and even scent – has been the passion project of Cornish gardener Caroline Stone, who has made it her personal mission over the past eight years to track down as many different historic varieties as possible, which are no longer available for sale and are therefore at risk of becoming lost forever.

In the late 1800s Kelway’s nursery in Langport, Somerset, started breeding peonies and created many beautiful varieties. But, having gone bankrupt in 1933 and then changing hands several times in subsequent years, very few of these wonderful plants are now available for sale. Upon realising this, Caroline has spent years tirelessly researching and tracking down Kelway’s peonies, which has taken her across the UK and even into Europe. Although her collection now contains an impressive 100 varieties, many more are still out there to be found and if they’re not cared for as part of a National Plant Collection, could be at risk.

Caroline Stone, National Plant Collection Holder of Paeonia said: “I fell in love with peonies many years ago, but when I realised Kelway’s nursery no longer had their historic varieties available for sale, I was determined to try and collect as many as I could. As they are an important part of our national horticultural legacy, I wanted to ensure they are conserved.”

“I’m still searching for peonies bred by Kelway & Son and also pre-First World War varieties – many of which were for sale around ten years ago so could still be in someone’s garden! I would love to hear from anyone who thinks they may have one of these peonies, so that together we can save these beautiful varieties.”

Some of the peonies Caroline is searching for includes ‘Great Sport, ‘Colonel Heneage’ and ‘Lady Ley’.

Peonies typically bloom from mid-April into June and bring bursts of joyful colour to gardens, nurseries and shops across the country. For anyone seeking to grow their own, Caroline’s top five growing tips are:

Plant herbaceous peonies bare root in the autumn

1. Don’t plant too deep; no more than an inch of earth covering the roots of a herbaceous peony
2. NEVER mulch over the peony plant
3. Keep good air circulation around your plants; don’t position plants too close in a mixed bed
4. Water your plants the first summer after planting

Gwen Hines, CEO of Plant Heritage, added: “Most of the varieties in Caroline’s collection have been classified by Plant Heritage as ‘Threatened in Cultivation’, which means most are not available from commercial suppliers, so it’s hugely important they continue to be cared for. We’re incredibly grateful to Caroline for her ongoing work and I really hope that others come forward with the varieties she is seeking to help protect these beautiful blooms.”

Plant Heritage has also recently accredited a further 12 new National Plant Collections, including a collection of Cornish heritage apple varieties planted over 40 years ago at Tresillian House and Gardens; edible Jerusalem artichokes in Gwynedd; and a Meconopsis collection in Dumfries and Galloway which contains plants saved from a specialist nursery.

Held either in homes, gardens, greenhouse or on allotments by passionate individuals, or at nurseries, garden centres, arboretums or botanical gardens, the National Plant Collections (of which there are over 700) contain a staggering 95,000+ plants. Encouraging people to grow a wide variety of plants is good for biodiversity, and the plants in the National Collections can help us to find varieties that are resilient to the challenges of climate change.

To get in touch with Caroline Stone visit www.glebegarden.co.uk, or to start a National Plant Collection, find your nearest collection to visit, or for more information about how you can support Plant Heritage and the charity’s important conservation work, visit www.plantheritage.org.uk