New National Plant Collections accredited in Spring and Summer 2024

Our Plant Collections Committee has been very busy this season with a wide range of new applications. In addition to a new oriental poppy and Colocasia collection (see separate news item), a further 13 collections were accredited this spring and summer: 

1. A historic collection of plants grown in the 1700s by London Bishop and plant collector Bishop Compton, held at Fulham Palace – the historic home of the Bishop of London. This new collection is part of wider restoration work to reintroduce several species that were cultivated by Bishop Compton between 1675 – 1713
2. A Brugmansia collection in Devon that contains rare, unique and hard to source cultivars
3. A fragrant Daphne collection – also previously listed as a Missing Collection in 2020 – and a fig (Ficus carica) collection, which together brings RHS Garden Wisley’s total number of National Plant Collections to an impressive 18
4. Barbara McPherson’s Gloucestershire-based Galanthus collection (of over 760 cultivars!) that’s been in the making for a decade.
5. A pretty Geum coccineum & rivale collection which now includes plants from an existing Geum collection, to help ensure its future.
6. A collection of rarely seen or heard of Hyacinthella, but related to the popular grape hyacinth. David Carver has carefully hand pollinated seed from his growing collection (now 16 species) and offers surplus bulbs, in a bid to further preserve this plant group
7. Inspired by RHS shows in the 1990s, Sue Proctor and husband Richard set up a nursery to take their interest in miniature and very small hostas to the next level. With a vastly growing collection, Sue is keen to encourage and inspire customers to grow their own too.
8. A Jovibarba collection previously cared for by June and Peter Bastion on Jersey which involved transporting 373 cultivars by boat to their new home with Chris Chatfield (of Guernsey Succulents) on Guernsey
9. A new collection of Malus (crab apple cvs.) at The Newt in Somerset, which is the luxury hotel’s second National Plant Collection
10. Picton Castle Trust’s 50,000 annual visitors can now admire their Matteuccia & Woodwardia The trust’s dramatic ferns, which include examples of old and new names, lie within the vast 40 acre garden and are constantly being added to.
11. Whilst living in Australia Dr Tom Bellamy developed a keen interest in Platycerium, but upon returning to the UK was disappointed to learn only one species was commonly available. Tom now has 14 out of the 18 registered species, and plans to obtain the outstanding four in the next six months. Tom’s also taught himself plant tissue culture as a propagation technique in order to grow rare species which could be shared with other collectors.
12. An extensive collection of over 12,000 seasonal Salvias from 200 different varieties, found in a two acre garden in Norfolk.

Find contact details for these new National Plant Collections here.