Conservation scheme

The Hardy Plant Society has a national Conservation Scheme which aims to identify and preserve at least some of the plants in danger of being lost. Volunteer members of the scheme grow the plants in a variety of places across the country and report back on how well the plants have grown for them. They also propagate the plants and pass them round so it’s a good way of getting your hands on a rare plant!

An album showing all the plants we have in the scheme in our Botanic Garden

Chrysanthemum 'Romantica'  

Epimedium 'Milky Way'

Symphyotrichum novi-belgii

 `Farncombe Lilac' 

What are the Nottingham Group Doing?

Would you like to acquire, grow and propagate scarce plants from HPS members in all areas of the UK? Could you grow on, learn about and do something to maintain bio-diversity of perennials? Are you willing to share plants and knowledge? Maybe the Hardy Plant Society’s Conservation Scheme is for you. Find out more here.

The Conservation Scheme was set up about twenty years ago to identify perennial plants in need of conservation. Usually these plants have four or fewer mentions in the RHS Plant Finder. As a group we can request some of these plants to grow in our gardens. All that is asked in return is for you to keep notes (when it flowers, aspect and soil type, pests and diseases and how propagated) for four years after which you return a healthy 1litre (13cm) pot of said plant back to the scheme (plus any other propagated specimens). Find out which plants are in the scheme here.  Erika Lax is our Conservation Scheme co-ordinator.

We grow several (14) conservation scheme plants in the Botanic Garden, all identified by labels. Why not check them out next time you visit. Perhaps there will be some surplus plants on our sales tables also. These will have green plant labels so that you know you are getting something very special.

Helianthus x multiflorus 'Meteor'

Symphyotrichum novi-belgii 'Plenty' 

Phlox paniculata 'Terry'
previously a HPS Conservation Plant