Enter Plant Heritage’s Threatened Plant of the Year 2021 competition

Horticultural conservation charity Plant Heritage is calling for garden and plant enthusiasts across the UK to enter their ‘Threatened Plant of the Year 2021’ competition.

Now in its second year, the competition showcases rare and unusual cultivars that are not currently available commercially or haven’t been consistently available to buy from garden centres or nurseries. And this year the competition is open to anyone so you don’t have to be a Plant Heritage member or National Collection Holder.

To find out more and to enter visit plantheritage.org.uk here.

After applications close on the 15th May 2021, a shortlist will be drawn up by an expert panel from Plant Heritage. Those shortlisted will be displayed at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July (Covid-19 allowing), where the winner will be crowned and will receive the Threatened Plant of the Year 2021 trophy, a winner’s certificate and a special plant label.

Vicki Cooke, Conservation Manager at Plant Heritage says: “What better way to celebrate our horticultural heritage and love for gardening than to enter a competition that showcases unusual plants that are rarely seen. Gardening (of both indoor and outdoor plants) has proved a lifeline for many during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we hope our competition is something positive that everyone can get involved in.”

The Threatened Plant of the Year competition was launched in 2020. The last year’s winner was the beautiful Clematis montana var. rubens ‘Veitch’ pictured above (picture credit Plant Heritage). It’s a compact variety not often seen with pink, wide open flowers and was grown by National Plant Collection Holder, Val Le May Neville-Parry in Wiltshire.

Shropshire based National Plant Collection Holder, Melanie Lewis’ Aeonium ‘Bronze Teacup’ won the Public Vote, as chosen by visitors to Plant Heritage’s website.

See all of last year’s winners here and good luck for 2021!