It may surprise you to know that in the garden, as well as on the catwalk, fashions change and evolve, often quicker than we expect. A plant that’s regarded as a ‘must have’ plant one minute, can soon be taken for granted and neglected, before being cast aside to make way for the latest modern plant introductions, when the superseded ‘must have’ plant is then at risk of being forgotten, often within a shorter time period than you might anticipate. Our fast evolving and progressive plant trends could result in the extinction of some of the plants that we once held dear. Unless gardeners are growing plants – plant cultivars or species that aren’t stocked by nurseries and garden centres are at risk of being forgotten, when they might become extinct and lost to us forever, often unintentionally, and perhaps before we even realise, or notice that they have fallen from favour and are now in decline. It’s all too easy to assume that your favourite plant will always be there, available to order, to purchase, and grow whenever you choose, but unless we are growing and propagating these plants ourselves, there’s no real guarantee, as often plant stocks are far lower than we expect.
Plant Heritage is a charitable organisation that works to protect plants, by encouraging the growing, propagation, distribution, and protection of plant species, hybrids, and cultivars. Plant Heritage’s aim is to maintain, support, and encourage the growing of a diverse range of all types of plants, from trees, grasses, shrubs, bulbs, corms, tubers, medicinal plants, edible plants, herbs, climbers, and wild, native plants and plant species: Plant Heritage care about plants from every single plant group, whether a plant is new or old, naturally occurring or an artificial hybrid!
Sarah Cook holds a National Collection of Irises that were introduced by Sir Cedric Morris.
These irises are part of Sarah Cook’s National Collection of Irises which were introduced by Sir Cedric Morris.
Plant Heritage achieve their aims through raising awareness of plants, or groups of plants that members of the public may not even realise have fallen out of fashion and are now threatened and at risk. A plant might not currently be in vogue, but that doesn’t mean that the plant is not valuable. An out of fashion plant may hold great sentimental value, being representative of its time and part of a bygone era; therefore out of fashion plants hold precious memories for many of us. These plants are particularly interesting for those of us who have an affection for history. A threatened plant may be an important part of the history of a family, a business, or part of the meaningful past of a village, town, county, or a particular area of the country.
Linda Heywood and her husband Ray, with their National Collection of Echium species and cultivars from Macaronesian Islands, inside the Floral Marquee, at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2016.
Threatened plants may also be precious in terms of a plant’s genetics, a plant may be particularly suited to growing in specific areas of the country, a plant may succeed in a particular soil, be more adept at growing in times of drought, or a plant may prevail in times of heavy rainfall in water logged soils. Alternatively, a plant may be valued for its tolerance of cold or of high temperatures. A plant may flower earlier or later than other plants of its type, or have a greater resistance to pests or diseases. Plants often have great medicinal value; we are only just beginning to understand how some plants can improve and aid our own wellbeing and to discover how plants can help us. Who knows which plants will be required for the medicines of the future?
Plant Heritage facilitate a Plant Exchange, where Plant Heritage members can donate and receive plants. This Plant Exchange helps to keep endangered plants alive, by ensuring that plants are passed on to other gardeners who will take pleasure in growing and ideally propagating their plants, passing the plants that they produce onto other gardeners, thereby continuing the chain and enabling a more diverse range of plants to remain in cultivation, at sites all over the country.
Growing a single plant can help more than you may realise. Plant Heritage encourage gardeners who grow a rare plant to register with Plant Heritage as a Plant Guardian. The aim of the Plant Guardian scheme is to highlight plants that are rare in the wild, or in cultivation, to propagate these plants, distributing plant materials and cuttings to other gardeners, who will in turn grow on and then propagate their plants and distribute them. This cumulative effort can save a plant from extinction, often safeguarding the plant’s future, by creating a number of stock plants, which will each be grown in a variety of different locations, so as to alleviate the risk of all of the plant material being held and cared for by one gardener.
The Gold Medal winning exhibit created by Nigel Hewitt-Cooper from Hewitt-Cooper Carnivorous Plants.
Plant Heritage support and encourage National Collection Holders to maintain a particular group of plants. National Collection Holders can be individuals, friends, couples, families, teams of work colleagues, or groups of people, who have taken a particular interest in a specific group of plants. Currently there are over six hundred and thirty National Plant Collections in existence! These range from National Collections set up to honour a particular plant breeder, for example Sarah Cook’s National Collection of Irises introduced by Sir Cedric Morris, or to safe guard plants from a particular location, such as Linda Heywood’s National Collection of Echium species and cultivars from Macaronesian Islands. There are many collections of fascinating plants like Nigel Hewitt-Cooper, of Hewitt-Cooper Carnivorous Plants’ National Collection of Drosera. Julian Reed holds a National Collection of Hardy Polypodium cultivars; while Jonathan Hogarth holds a National Collection of Small and Miniature Hostas. Fibrex Nurseries hold two National Collections, a National Collection of Hedera and a National Plant Collection of Pelargoniums. Not forgetting pollinator friendly plants – Jackie Currie holds a National Collection of Allium species, cultivars, and hybrids. These are just a tiny snapshot of the National Plant Collections held by passionate, dedicated gardeners, who are keen to grow, preserve, and conserve a specific section of plants for the future.
Jackie Currie pictured with her beautiful Allium exhibit, which featured a selection of plants from Jackie’s National Collection of Alliums, at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2017.
Julian Reed pictured with his beautiful Polypodium and Athyrium National Collection, inside the Floral Marquee, at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2017. The RHS judges presented Julian with a Silver-Gilt Medal for this fantastic exhibit, which has been created to raise awareness of the beautiful nature of Polypodium, and to showcase what super garden ferns this genus includes.
National Plant Collections protect and conserve the unique gene pool of cultivated plants. There are many ways that you can support Plant Heritage. You may wish to become a member, and/or you may wish to donate to support Plant Heritage. Plant Heritage members enjoy many benefits, they can attend a variety of horticultural talks, events, and workshops, and join exclusive visits to gardens and nurseries.
Aerangis hyaloides inflorescences. I have included a British five pence piece in this photograph, to more accurately reflect the size and scale of this diminutive orchid and its captivating, glass like flowers.
A closer look at the beautiful, sparkling, crystalline flowers produced by Aerangis hyaloides.
A closer look at this Aerangis hyaloides specimen’s inflorescences.
I enjoy growing a large collection of miniature orchids. Some of my plants are rare, other plants can be challenging to grow. As I was growing a number of rare plants, I wanted to register these plants with Plant Heritage and create a National Plant Collection. In March 2018, Plant Heritage awarded me National Plant Collection Status for my collection of Miniature Aerangis and Angraecum species.
This is the certificate for my National Collection of miniature Aerangis and Angraecum species.
You can see a list of the miniature Aerangis and Angraecum species that I hold in my National Collection in the inventory below. You can click on a plant to discover more information about that particular orchid species. On each plant page you’ll also find links to each article I have written about that particular species. The growth and development of individual plants can be followed through my regular terrarium trial updates:
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 | Aerangis arachnopus is an orchid species from tropical Africa. In the wild, Aerangis arachnopus orchids grow as part of the ecosystem in evergreen forests in the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Zaire. Aerangis arachnopus plants are usually found in a range from 400m to 1000m… |
| Aerangis biloba is a small sized, epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Africa, where this plant grows on the branches of trees that grow in humid forests and woodlands. Before I grew Aerangis biloba myself, I was previously under the impression that Aerangis biloba… |
| Aerangis calantha is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species that can be found growing in a variety of locations including: the Congo, Africa, Angola, and Uganda. Before humans encroached into and altered the landscape of this orchid’s natural habitat and environment, Aerangis calantha could be found growing upon… |
| Aerangis citrata is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Madagascar, where plants can be found growing upon the branches and trunks of trees, in areas of evergreen forest. This miniature orchid species produces long, pendant, flowering stems, which feature up to thirty,… |
| Aerangis collum-cygni is a miniature to small sized orchid species that grows in humid forests, moist woodlands, and rainforests. These plants also make themselves at home in areas that were once forests, in regions where the forest’s native trees were roughly removed to make way… |
| Aerangis fastuosa can be found in the eastern and central Madagascar highlands, between 900 and 1750m. This miniature, epiphytic orchid species grows in a number of different natural habitats, from humid, evergreen forests, to mountain and coastal forests, where it flowers from July to December each… |
| Aerangis fuscata is a miniature sized epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Madagascar, where this orchid grows on the twiggy, moss and lichen coated branches of large shrubs and small trees, in rainforest and forested areas. Aerangis fuscata can be found growing in both… |
| Aerangis hariotiana is a miniature to small sized, epiphytic orchid species that originates from the Comoros Islands, where this orchid can be found growing on trees, in areas of humid forest. Aerangis hariotiana originates from a group of islands which offer warm to hot growing conditions. … |
| Aerangis hyaloides is an orchid species that’s endemic to Eastern Madagascar, where this miniature, epiphytic orchid species grows on the branches of trees, in moist areas of shady, evergreen forests. Aerangis hyaloides produces racemose inflorescences of up to twenty, white coloured, glistening blooms, from winter to… |
| Aerangis kirkii is a miniature to small sized, epiphytic orchid species, that originates from South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mozambique. Plants can be found growing upon both trees and shrubs in forested areas, close to rivers or near the coast line; this orchid species can… |
| Aerangis luteo-alba var. rhodosticta is a miniature epiphytic orchid species that originates from Kenya and Africa. This beautiful and very distinctive miniature orchid produces attractive white, crystalline flowers, which have a bright orange-red column, or centre. Aerangis luteo-alba var. rhodosticta plants enjoy growing in warm,… |
| Aerangis macrocentra can be found in Madagascar. This miniature orchid species is often found low down, almost at ground level, growing as an epiphyte, upon moss and lichen covered trees, in the forests of the highlands of central Madagascar. Aerangis macrocentra produces long, pendant, many… |
| Aerangis modesta is a small sized, epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Madagascar, where this orchid can be found growing upon trees, in forested areas. You might not look twice at this plant when it’s not in bloom, but Aerangis modesta is so very beautiful… |
| Aerangis mooreana is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which originates from Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. This orchid can be found growing on the branches of trees, growing on fairly low-lying ground, in humid forests. Aerangis mooreana produces pendent flowering stems holding a number of… |
| Aerangis mystacidii is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which originates from Africa, Malawi, and Zambia, where this particular orchid species is found growing upon trees, in forests, close to streams, pools, and springs. Aerangis mystacidii produces pendent flower spikes, which bear up to twenty, beautiful white, fragrant… |
| Aerangis punctata is an epiphytic orchid species, which can be found growing in central highland Madagascar, and also on the island nation of Reunion, at elevations between 900m and 1500m. Aerangis punctata grows in humid, evergreen forests, and in highland forests and scrubland, where this plant can… |
| Aerangis seegeri is a miniature orchid species from Eastern Madagascar and Nosy Boraha, a small island located near the East Coast of Madagascar (Nosy Boraha used to be known as île Sainte-Marie). These orchids grow in the coastal forests of these plant rich areas, at… |
| Aerangis somalensis is a small sized, epiphytic orchid species, which can be found growing in various locations. Plants grow in both dry areas of woodland, as well as near streams and rivers, in Africa. The second part of this orchid species’ name – the specific… |
| Aerangis spiculata is a miniature epiphytic orchid species, which originates from Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, where this plant can be found growing upon trees, in areas of humid forest. Aerangis spiculata produces large, white, pendant flowers, in racemes that feature up to 20 inflorescences,… |
| Aerangis verdickii is a miniature epiphytic or lithophytic orchid species, which grows both low down on rocks and high up in the branches of woodland trees, in dry forests and mountainous areas. In its native environment, this orchid species can be found growing near the… |
| Aerangis x primulina is a natural hybrid between Aerangis citrata and Aerangis hyaloides. This is a very handsome miniature orchid. Plants produce beautiful, arching flowering stems, which I estimate, hold opposite rows of anywhere between five and thirty, (possibly more) stunning, small, snowy white coloured… |
| Angraecum aloifolium is an epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Madagascar. This is a small sized orchid species, which produces the most beautiful leaves – they are thick and pitted, and coloured with a jewel like, intense green. Angraecum aloifolium can be found growing… |
| Angraecum arachnites is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which is endemic to Madagascar, where plants can be found growing in humid, evergreen forests. This orchid species produces really striking flowers, they’re quite large in size and are white in colour. The blooms look rather like… |
| Angraecum bancoense is a miniature, epiphytic orchid species, which can be found growing on trees, in very humid areas, in various parts of Africa. This pretty miniature orchid species is often found growing upon deciduous trees, near ponds or waterfalls, or in rainforest areas, but… |
| Angraecum breve is a mini miniature Angraecum species that is endemic to Madagascar. This tiny, epiphytic orchid hails from the Tsaratanana massif – a mountainous region, in Northern Madagascar. Angraecum breve is a wild plant, from a wonderful area of the planet, which has been… |
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Other articles that may interest you……………….
I hold two National Collections, to read about my National Plant Collection of Phalaenopsis species, please click here.
To read about Jackie Currie’s National Collection of Alliums, please click here.
To read about Jonathan Hogarth’s National Collection of Hostas, please click here.
To see my photographs of the largest orchid in the world, please click here.
Click here to see all of the articles I have written about the plants in my National Plant Collections.
To read the first instalment of my White Orchid Terrarium Trial, please click here.
To see my Rainforest Terrarium and discover the thinking behind my design, please click here.
To see a planting list of orchids, ferns and other plants that thrive when grown inside terrariums, bottle gardens and vivariums, please click here.
I have a large number of Phalaenopsis plants growing inside my Orchidarium, to read about how my Orchidarium was built, please click here.
To read about the new features of the 2017 BiOrbAir Terrarium, please click here.
