Whilst large garden centres have brought many benefits to the gardener, they have tended to restrict the range of plants generally available to those which display well on a bench and which are easy to sell.

As a result of this and similar changes, many of the best plant cultivars have been lost forever.  The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens aims to check further losses and to ensure that the rarer cultivars remain available to the gardener.

To do this, we encourage the propagation and distribution of such plants.

This page is aimed at helping with this purpose. Typically it is the smaller and the specialised nurseries which keep these plants in cultivation and make them available to gardeners.  As a result we are pleased to work with them to ensure that our members and the general public know of these nurseries and how to find them.

Nurseries are in alphabetical order; details last updated 2006.

ASTERBY & CHALKCROFT NURSERY (Simon and Eva Aldridge)
The Ridgeway, Blunham, Beds. MK44 3PH
Tel: 01767 640148  Fax: 01767 640667
e-mail: sales@asterbyplants.co.uk 
website: www.asterbyplants.co.uk
Open: 10.00 - 5.00 Closed Christmas and January
Catalogue: 2 × 1st class stamps. No mail order. Cards: Visa, Mastercard, Switch
Just off the A603, near the A1 at Sandy
Hardy shrubs and herbaceous, Clematis and trees

AYLETT NURSERIES LTD. (Roger Aylett)
North Orbital Road, London Colney, St. Albans, Herts
Tel: 01727 822255  Fax: 01727 823024
e-mail: info@aylettnurseries.co.uk
website: www.aylettnurseries.co.uk
Open: Monday-Friday 8.30 - 5.30. Saturday 8.30 - 5.00.  Sunday 10.30 - 4.30
Catalogue: Free.  No mail order.  Cards: All major credit/debit cards
Dahlias

DAISY ROOTS (Anne Godfrey)
8 Gosselin Road, Bengeo, Hertford, SG14 3LG. (Office only)
Tel and Fax: 01992 582401
e-mail anne@daisyroots.com
website: www.daisyroots.com
Nursery at Jenningsbury, London Road, Hertford Heath.
Open: Friday and Saturday 10.00 - 4.00, other times by appointment,
March-October by appointment only
Catalogue: 3 × 1st class stamps.  Mail order
Choice and unusual perennials, especially Agastache, Anthemis, Centaurea, Digitalis, Erysimum, Salvia and Sedum

ENGLEBERG NURSERY (J. Cunnington)
Tel: 01775 712170
All sales from market stall near Marks & Spencers in St Albans every Wednesday and Saturday
No mail order.  Orders taken for collection of alpines at stall
Wide range of hardy plants, shrubs and climbers

GODLY'S ROSES (Colin Godly)
Redbourn, ST. ALBANS. Herts. AL3 7PS
Tel: 01582 792255 Fax: 01582 794267
Open: Daily, 9.00 - 5.00 or dusk
Catalogue: Free.  Mail order.  Cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Switch
By the A5183, one mile north of Redbourn,  ½ mile south of M1 Junction 9
Roses

HOPLEY'S PLANTS LTD (Aubrey Barker)
High Street, Much Hadham, Herts, SG10 6BU
Tel: 01279 842509 Fax: 01279 843784
e-mail: sales@hopleys.co.uk
website: www.hopleys.co.uk
Open: Monday, Wednesday-Saturday: 9.00 - 5.00, (closed Tuesday), Sunday: 2.00 - 5.00
Closed November-February
Catalogue: 5 × 1st class stamps.  Mail order.  Cards: Visa, Mastercard, Switch
On High street, 50 yds north of Bull Public House
Hardy and half-hardy shrubs and perennials

LW PLANTS (Mrs. Margaret Easter)
23 Wroxham Way, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 4PP
Tel: 01582 768467
e-mail: lwplants@waitrose.com
website: www.thymus.co.uk
Open: Most days, 10.00 - 5.00 Please ring first
Catalogue: A5 sae + 5 × 2nd class stamps.  Mail order: Thymus only.
Plants from a plantsman's garden, especially Geranium, grasses, Penstemon and Thymus.  Organic and peat free.
National Plant Collections^® Thymus (Scientific Status), Hyssopus and Satureja

MANOR GARDENS NURSERY (Mrs. Isobel Barnes)
Church Road, Kings Walden, Hitchin, Herts. SG4 8JU
Tel and Fax: 01438 871556
e-mail: isobelbarnes@aol.com
website: www.manorgardensnursery.co.uk
Open Summer, Winter Wednesday-Sunday 10.0. - 4.0
No mail order
Located in and around Victorian kitchen garden of Kings Walden Bury, opposite the church
Wide range of perennials, organically grown

MELCHBOURNE HARDY PLANTS (Michael Houghton)
29 Park Road, Melchbourne, Beds. MK44 1BB
Tel: 01234 708804 Fax: 01234 708126
e-mail: suzypatriciamickhoughton3@btinternet.com; 
Open: Monday and Thursday, by appointment only
Herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses

MOREHAVENS (Brigid Farmer)
Sandpit Hill, Buckland Common, Tring, Herts. HP23 0NG
Tel: 01494 758642
website: www.camomilelawns.co.uk
Open: For collection only, by appointment
List: Free.  Mail order
Camomile 'Treneague'

NATURE'S CORNERS (Douglas Crawley)
11 Bunyan Close, Pirton, Hitchin, SG5 3RE
Tel: 01462 712519
e-mail: douglascrawley@naturescorners.co.uk
website: www.naturescorners.co.uk
Open: Saturday 9.00 - 2.00, Sunday 9.0 - 5.0.  Please ring first. 
November-March by appointment only.
Aquatic plants, especially Nymphaea

PIONEER NURSERIES (Nick Downing and John Hoyland)
Baldock Lane, Willian, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 2AE
Tel: 01462 675858
e-mail: nick@pioneerplants.com
website: www.pioneerplants.com
Open: Tuesday-Saturday 9.00 - 5.00, Sunday 10.00 - 4.00
Catalogue: Free.  Mail order
Next to the Three Horseshoes Public House
Rare and unusual and tender herbaceous especially Salvia and Pelargonium species

PRIORSWOOD CLEMATIS (Gerald and Pauline Greenway)
Priorswood, Widbury Hill, Ware, Herts, SG12 7QH
Tel. and Fax: 01920 461543
e-mail: sales@priorswoodclematis.co.uk
website: www.priorswoodclematis.co.uk
Open: All year, daily, 8.00 - 5.00
Catalogue: 6 × 1st class stamps (includes 150 colour photographs)
1 mile from Ware towards Much Hadham on B1004
Clematis, Lonicera, vines, jasmines and other climbers

RHODES & ROCKLIFFE  (David Rhodes and John Rockliffe)
2 Nursery Road, Nazeing, Essex, EN9 2JE
Tel. and Fax: 01992 463693
e-mail: rrbegonias@aol.com
The nursery is open by prior appointment, normally on Sunday mornings. 
Please phone for directions
Mail order.  List: Large sae
Wide selection of Begonias
National Plant Collection^®of Begonia

TOKONOMA BONSAI LTD. (Richard Walby)
14 London Road, Shenley, Radlett, Herts, WD7 9EN
Tel: 01923 857587 Fax: 01923 852596
e-mail: alexis@ tokonomabonsai.co.uk
website: www.tokonomabonsai.co.uk
Open: Monday-Friday 9.00 - 5.00, weekends 10.00 - 4.00
Mail order.  List: Large sae
10 mins from M25, exit 22
Bonsai and Penjing, all accessories

TWO JAYS ALPINES (John Spokes)
35 Greenways, Luton, Beds. LU2 8BL. (Office only)
Nursery at Little Heath Farm, Little Heath Lane, Potten End, Berkhamsted, Herts. HP4 2RY
Tel: 01442 864951
e-mail: john.spokes@talk21.com
Catalogue: 3 × 2nd class stamps.  No Mail order.  Cards: Visa, Mastercard
Open: Daily 10.00 - 5.00 or dusk
From the new A41, turn at Bourne End, over canal and under railway to Potten End village,
then before village green, turn into Little Heath Lane.
Large range of alpines, herbaceous, and shrubs. Many available in small quantities only.