A call to protect the UK’s horticultural heritage

Gardeners across the UK are being called upon to unearth rare and forgotten plant varieties as Plant Heritage’s Threatened Plant of the Year 2025 competition launches this February. Now in its sixth year, the competition seeks to celebrate and safeguard the UK’s rich horticultural heritage by identifying rare or threatened garden and houseplants that may have vanished from commercial sale.

The winner will be crowned at the prestigious RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July 2025, where a selection of shortlisted plants will also be on display.

Plant Heritage, the UK’s leading plant conservation charity, encourages gardeners, houseplant enthusiasts, and professionals to explore their gardens, greenhouses, and allotments for hidden botanical treasures. The competition is open to anyone who can submit a named cultivar that was previously grown or sold in the UK or Ireland before 2015 but is no longer commercially available through nurseries, garden centres, or other retailers.

The competition accepts all plant types, from springtime snowdrops to summer-flowering roses, provided they meet the entry criteria. Participants have until April 30, 2025, to submit their discoveries online.

Gwen Hines, CEO of Plant Heritage, said: "Many plants, even some we consider common, could be at risk of disappearing from our gardens if they aren’t cared for. This competition not only celebrates the UK’s horticultural legacy but also helps to raise awareness of these at-risk plants. We hope to uncover even more rare specimens this year and encourage everyone to explore their gardens for potential entrants."

Since its launch in 2020, the Threatened Plant of the Year competition has unearthed and celebrated an impressive array of forgotten yet stunning plants, often with fascinating histories:

• 2024 Winner – Aubrieta ‘Shangarry’, a rare double-flowering plant with violet-like blooms, submitted by the Irish Garden Plant Society.

• 2023 Winner – Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Contorta’, an ornamental quince known for its striking, twisted growth.

• 2022 Winner – Paeonia ‘Gleam of Light’, a stunning peony with delicate, luminous petals.

• 2021 Winner – Camellia x williamsii ‘Yesterday’, a beautiful pink-flowering camellia.

• 2020 Winner – Clematis montana ‘Veitch’, the inaugural champion, showcasing the importance of preserving historic climbers.

This year’s shortlisted entries will be displayed at Plant Heritage’s stand at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, with final judging taking place at the show. The overall winner, to be announced on Press Day (July 1, 2025), will receive an engraved winner’s vase, certificate, and a special plant label to mark their achievement.

For those eager to participate, entries can be submitted via https://www.plantheritage.org.uk/conservation/threatened-plant-of-the-year-2025/

More information on Plant Heritage’s vital conservation work can be found at www.plantheritage.org.uk

With Britain’s gardens holding a treasure trove of forgotten flora, Plant Heritage hopes that this year’s competition will once again shed light on the importance of preserving rare and historic plants for future generations.