Old Varieties

Celebrating and remembering old fruit and vegetable varieties

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Plant Heritage

National Tree Week

The Tree Council’s National Tree Week, 27 November – 5 December 2010,  is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration, launching the start of the winter tree planting season.

With over 80 National Collections of trees, Plant Heritage works to support Britain’s wonderful historic trees and conserves precious genetic material so that our landscapes and cities can continue to be enhanced by rare, beautiful and useful trees.

Where better to see our native and cultivated trees at their best, than in one of the arboreta sheltering a glorious National Collection?

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire.
Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire.
Wakehurst Place, West Sussex.
Newby Hall Gardens, North Yorkshire.
Bodnant Garden, Conwy.
Crarae Garden, Argyll.

The Tree Council

Organisations

Rare Breed Organisations

Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association
Focusing on all aspects of breeding and raising Herdwick sheep

Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Dedicated to saving Britain’s rare livestock breeds.

Plant heritage organisations

Heritage Seed Library
Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library helps to conserve and reintroduce heritage varieties of vegetables and flowers.

Plant Heritage
The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens

New Name for NCCPG

‘Plant Heritage’ is the new name for The National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG).

 

Plant Life stand at Gardener's World Live 2009
Plant Life stand at Gardener's World Live 2009

They provide standards and a support network for professionals and individuals who are keen to keep a wide variety of plants in cultivation under their correct names.

 

Plant Heritage strive to secure the future of garden plants which are at risk of vanishing from commercial outlets.  They may be unfashionable, difficult to grow or propagate and can become commercially unviable.

Members form a network of local groups around the UK, from Cornwall to Scotland and are encouraged to grow rare and unusual plants.

Members have access to talks, workshops and demonstrations and visit gardens, nurseries and National Plant Collections.

Plant Heritage are also looking for members to become holders of National collections for plants which are not currently on the national Collection scheme, such as Achillea, Peruvian Lilies and Lobelia, among others.

Plant Heritage is a much easier name to remember and sounds less formal than the original long winded title, so maybe the change will bring them into the 21st Century and the recognition they deserve.

Find out more about Plant Heritage.