The Hardy Plant Society has been involved in the conservation of garden-worthy cultivars of hardy perennial plants for many years and Western Counties Group has a number of members who grow and propagate conservation plants.

Plants in the Scheme have been suggested by HPS members because they are older varieties that, whilst still being excellent plants in the garden, have become hard to find in nurseries as fashions change. These plants are rated against the criteria and if judged appropriate for conservation are added to the list. Only named cultivars are included and plants are propagated vegetatively, not by seed, to preserve their genetic identity.

The Conservation Scheme is led by a National Coordinator, but each Group has its own coordinator who keeps track of who grows which plants and asks for annual updates about their progress. Notes are compared with other Group Coordinators at an annual meeting to identify any problems or preferred growing conditions and confirm a plant’s suitability for the Scheme. Plants propagated by the growers in each Group are brought to the Plant Exchange so that they can be distributed widely amongst growers across the country and this is how new plants come into Local Groups.

Some plants will have a wide appeal and nurseries will add them to their stock. Examples include Phlox paniculata ‘Grey Lady’, Heuchera ‘Brownfinch’ and Iris x robusta ‘Dark Aura’. Others will be less commercially successful and continue to need our efforts to conserve them. These are not difficult plants and make a valuable addition to our gardens, and many have links to HPS members past and present.

We all feel a little guilty if plants die, but there are many reasons for this including neglect, predation, weather conditions, planting in the wrong place etc. Valuable lessons can be learnt and worry about not being able to succeed with every plant should not deter anyone from becoming involved in the Conservation Scheme. Growers are free to choose the plants they think will suit their gardens so please contact me if you are interested in growing conservation plants.

Jan Vaughan

A full list of conservation plants and description of each can be found on the national HPS website along with all the information about how the Conservation Scheme works.

Erigeron 'Sincerity'

Penstemon 'Pensham St James'

Hemerocallis 'Apple Court Damson'

Arabis alpina subs. caucasica 'Arctic Joy'