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article in Telegraph

6 comments


Did anyone see the article in Saturdays Telegraph about the Campaign to save vanishing plants? It was interesting and surprised me with the plants they are saving, conservationists are saying varieties of garden plants could become extinct because they are out of fashion, the charity Plant Heritage says thousands of flowers have been lost in the past hundred years. However noone noticed as there is no official register of British Garden Plants.

At particular risk are garden favourites including geraniums, rhododendrons and heathers that hvae become unfashionable and are no longer planted, think they ought to look on this website!!!

Another reason plants are disappearing are pests that are new to this country because of the milder climate, Fushcias are suffering from gall mite while chrysanthemums are being hit by white rust.

Mike Alder the chairman of Plant Heritage, said it was vital to begin drawing up a list of endangered plants before more become extinct.

The red list of plants as drawn up by Plant Heritage include Dahlias, traditional apple treees, fuchsias, geraniums, rhododendrums, tobacco plants, crocuses, horse chestnuts, marigolds and chrysanthemums.

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Comments

 

Thanks Sk very interesting and includes plants I would have previously considered to be common place .Someone wrote a blog quite a few months ago on a similar subject and think the collection being kept at Kew ?

Seem to recall they are in need of financial donations which I understand but would have thought the simplest way of raising funds would be a few pence on a packet of seeds . None of which are particularly cheap and think most purchasers would not object to Plant heritage support in this way .

23 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks for this blog, SK. :o)

My blog # 13 mentions stamps issued this year by The Royal Mail. Endangered plants issue is due out on Tuesday 19th May. 2009. I'll update the blog when I have more details.

Interesting that there is such a variety of reasons why some plants are in danger.
A fascinating blog.
SK ~ well done. :o)

23 Mar, 2009

 

Maybe plants go out of fashion because stronger and more disease-resistant types have been bread. But I do think the old ones should be preserved.
Designers are to blame aswell I think - like this HORRID minimal look everywhere has to have these days. - everywhere like empty boxes. :o( , and de-cluttering is another curse. !
Well I'll keep ALL my plants whatever the fashion designers say. It's my garden, not theirs. They can keep their daft ideas to themselves.
There should be a list of these endangered species for us to know what they are, - I mean specific types not just 'geraniums' but which ones. Maybe some of us have them in our gardens.

Thanks Sewingkilla. This is a good blog.

24 Mar, 2009

 

The NCCPG charity have been running for over 25 years with the same aim of keeping old varieties in existance. They do this with collection holders - people who grow just one genus of plants and collect as many species and varieties of it as possible. We have one of the County Organisers giving a talk about their work at our Garden Club in the autumn

24 Mar, 2009

 

Very interesting sewingkilla, I had no idea about the disappearing plants. xxx

24 Mar, 2009

 

Thanks SK...very interesting. I believe there is a movement afoot as we have the same kind of society here. They save and distribute the seeds of "heirloom" plants including vegetables and flowers. I think the Heirloom plants are disappearing due to hybridization. The older varieties are the ones that aren't used anymore.
It is food for thought indeed.

26 Mar, 2009

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