Easy methods to help save rare plants by becoming a Plant Heritage Guardian

You could have came upon National Collections of plants while visiting large properties open to the general public.

For instance RHS Garden Wisley, in Surrey, holds some of the National Collections of snowdrops (Galanthus), and Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden has seven National Collections, mostly of tropical and subtropical plants.

But while National Collections desire a specific amount of space, the Plant Guardian scheme is for those that have only one or two rare specimens of their garden and wish to make certain they’re formally recorded and propagated to make sure survival.

Among people who have already signed up for the scheme is Gillian Spencer, a Plant Heritage member, who fell in love with the scented snowdrop Galanthus Trumps’, at a snowdrop sale held on the home of the famous gardener, writer, botanical artist and plant hunter Edward Bowles.

Gillian eventually acquired a lot of these snowdrops for herself, but since they don’t seem to be available at the RHS Plant Finder she has become its Plant Guardian and is hoping to propagate it to share with other Plant Heritage members.

Similarly, Plant Heritage member Sandra Tognarelli is propagating Pelargonium ‘Pink Raspail’, also missing from the RHS Plant Finder, to make certain it doesn’t disappear.

The scheme was launched by TV gardening expert Christine Walkden, who said: “This is a perfect opportunity for the person on the street to make certain we save rare plants in order that future generations can enjoy and appreciate treasures of the plant world, as we now have.”

If you’ve got a unprecedented plant on your garden that’s not listed inside the RHS Plant Finder, and therefore not available in nurseries, you possibly can register it to become a Plant Guardian too.

For additional information go to http://www.nccpg.com/Plant-Guardians.aspx or call the National Office on 01483 447540.