In this episode of Dig It Peter Brown and Chris Day talk national plant collections with Gill Groombridge, who is Plant Heritage’s Business Manager. We find out some of the background history of Plant Heritage and the diverse ranges of National Plant Collections and why 2023 is a special year for this charity.

We also chat with Jonathan Shepherd, who is a holder of not one but two plant collections – Hollyhocks (Alcea) and Cosmos bipinnatus - in his 2-acre Lincolnshire garden and polytunnels where he grows his plants in a very sustainable way. Jonathan describes his journey into growing and how he has become an advocate to these two important plant species. He also shares his growing tips on raising them for the garden and for staging at the prestigious Hampton Court Flower Festival held earlier this month.

Plant Heritage is the world's leading garden plant conservation and research charity – celebrating 45 years. The charity’s mission is the conservation of cultivated plants in the British Isles and a milestone of 700 national plant collections has been reached.

Gill’s favourite plants: Australasia beauties including Callistemon, Leptospermum and Eucalyptus (gum trees).

Hollyhocks are short-lived non-native perennials. Varieties mentioned: ‘Charters,’ ‘Purple Rain,’ Blackcurrant World, ‘Creme de Cassis’ and ‘Nigra.’ ‘Halo’ varieties bred by Thompson & Morgan include single colours - ‘Halo Apricot,’ ‘Halo Blush’ and ‘Halo Cream.’

Cosmos are short day flowers and need to be kept hungry as too much feed often results in much taller plants. Jonathan sowed over 3000 seeds for the 17 planters of Cosmos he took to this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Varieties mentioned: ‘Cupcake Blush,’ ‘Gloria,’ ‘Dazzler’ (Monty Don’s favourite), ‘Apricotta,’ ‘Pink Mosaic’ and ‘Sonata.’ Check out our seed range here

Desert Island item: Jonathan’s grandad’s galvanised watering can - he wouldn’t be without it!

Product and people mentions: Melcourt SylvaGrow Peat-Free Compost (for seed sowing), Westland New Horizon Peat-Free (for planters). TV gardener and designer Adam Frost. Sweet Peas: An Essential Guide by Roger Parsons. Rosa Persica staged by Daniel Myhill, Jonathan Hogarth for his educational display of small and miniature hosta.

Jonathan’s website, Twitter, and Instagram

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

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