National Collection of Allium schoenoprasum and tuberosum
Plant Heritage is delighted to announce the addition of two new Collections of Allium schoenoprasum and tuberosum to its nation-wide programme of National Plant Collections.
The Collections have been created by Peter Oldfield in Holsworthy, Devon who has sourced 30 cultivars since he started developing the collection seriously two years ago. The project has not been an easy one and Peter has encountered many naming and identity problems within the species.
Allium (chives) is the smallest species of the edible onion and is a perennial plant native to Europe, Asia and North America. Documents record chives being cultivated in Europe over 5,000 years ago and were used extensively by the Romans who believed that chives could relieve the pain of sunburn and sore throats. Romanian gypsies are known for using the herb in fortune telling whilst in medieval times it was thought that hanging a bunch of chives around a house would ward off diseases and evil.
Peter houses his collection in large pots sunk into gravel in deep beds to prevent cross contamination and houses the plants in greenhouses during the winter.
Speaking on the new collections Plant Heritage plant conservation officer, Mercy Morris said: “I am so pleased that Peter has extended his holding of National Plant Collections. It is often those plants that are under-regarded that are in most danger as people tend to assume that they will always be around. With Collection Holders like Peter to conserve them it is more likely that they will be”
National Collection of Hebe
Plant Heritage is delighted to announce that an historic and endangered Collection of Hebe has been added to its nation-wide programme of National Plant Collections.
The Collection, which is based at Plumpton College, East Sussex, was originally created by Hebe and Parahebe expert Douglas Chalk, himself a student at the College in the 1930’s and was rescued by the Hebe Society from Cornwall in 2009 and moved to Plumpton.
This valuable collection of plants contains many rare and endangered plants with 33 of the 63 cultivars being threatened. Of that, 23 are only in cultivation at Plumpton College.
Speaking on the new collection status, collection curator Gary Jones said the Collection is a valuable resource for the college and has enthused and motivated many since its arrival. “It’s a great resource for the students to work on research and propagation,” he said.
Maintenance work, propagation and collection documentation is on-going by both staff and students and has enabled the College to undertake new research work, most notably in assisting Plant Heritage with our Threatened Plants Project.
Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands and South America. The genus is named after the Greek Goddess of youth, Hebe. Known for being a dwarf shrub, Hebe can grow as a tree of up to 7 metres.
Speaking on the new Collection Plant Heritage Plant Conservation Officer Mercy Morris said: “Hebe is a genus which, although popular has remarkably few collections, and I am very pleased to see this new one especially as it is a recreation of a historical collection. The commitment and enthusiasm of the College is a delight.”
National Collection of Meconopsis
Plant Heritage is delighted to welcome a stunning new Collection of Meconopsis, large perennial spp and hybrids, to its nation-wide programme of National Plant Collections.
The Collection, which is based at The Lakeland Horticultural Society Gardens at Holehird, Windermere, is organised by volunteer gardener Pat Murphy, and others.
Holehird gardens host a demonstration bed of the same plants being trialled at RHS Harlow Carr which started in 2009. The colour of the flowers, often an unusually vibrant blue, is a constant source of fascination. Holehird does however have a long association with the genus Meconopsis quintuplinervia, probably being introduced to the gardens as early as 1914.¹
Meconopsis is a genus of the flowering plants in the Papaveraceae family and was first described by the French botanist Viguier in 1814 as ‘poppy like.’ Native to the Himalayas, many plants were brought back by Victorian plant hunters and have hybridised to produce new cultivars.
The plant has a reputation as being difficult to grow from seed although Pat says that when germinating new plants using fresh seed helps.
Speaking on the new Collection Plant Heritage plant conservation officer Mercy Morris said: ‘I am very pleased to welcome our third collection of Meconopsis which demonstrates the sterling work being done at Holehird, and by the Meconopsis Group (http://www.meconopsis.org/) in researching and growing these beautiful plants. They are not easy to grow, and the more people helping to conserve them the better’
Meconopsis ‘Louise’
Holehird Gardens are open daily throughout the year from dawn until dusk and volunteer wardens are in reception between Easter and the end of October from 10am-5pm. The gardens are maintained by a team of volunteer and a donation towards the upkeep of the gardens of £4 per adult is appreciated.