Plant Heritage celebrates the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity
Diversity is at the heart of Plant Heritage, it is what this unique organisation is all about. Through Plant Heritage, over 630 National Plant Collections are held in Britain and Ireland, by 450 National Plant Collection Holders, supported by 39 local groups. In effect this makes Plant Heritage the most geographically extensive National botanic garden. Conservation is achieved through cultivation; thus plants which are threatened or extinct in their native habitats, or are part of the rich and diverse heritage of plants that have been grown and developed in this country over the centuries may be retained for the future.
Plant Heritage (The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens) was founded in 1978 to counteract the trend of reduced numbers of plant species and cultivars being offered to gardeners by nurseries, due to economic pressures at that time. It was the outcome of a conference called by Chris Brickell, the Director of the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley. In 2003 the Brickell Award for excellence in plant conservation by a Scientific National Collection Holder was introduced.
To mark the International Year of Biodiversity in 2010 Plant Heritage is celebrating the achievements of the 7 Brickell Award recipients. Through research, knowledge and cultivation they have conserved many rare and endangered plants. The diversity of plants they care for is wide ranging, including climbers, orchids, succulents, alpines and herbaceous perennials. The award winners themselves have widely varied backgrounds including teaching, medical practice and nursery management.
Click on each winner to read about them
Mr. Henry Noblett
Brickell Award Winner 2003
Dr. Henry Oakley
Brickell Award Winner 2003
Dr. John Vanderplank
Brickell Award Winner 2004
Miss Sylvia Norton
Brickell Award Winner 2005
Mrs Beryl Bland
Brickell Award Winner 2006
Mr Ray Stephenson
Brickell Award Winner 2007
Dr. Evelyn Stevens
Brickell Award Winner 2008
Diversity characterises the work of Plant Heritage and its conservation guardians, without whom many plants would be lost. They are our “Unsung Heroes” of biodiversity.