Growing Crazy Awarded National Plant Collection Status for Pelargoniums

We are absolutely delighted to share some exciting news from the nursery - we have been awarded National Plant Collection® status for Pelargoniums by Plant Heritage.

Following a review by the Plant Collections Committee, two collections held at Growing Crazy have now been formally recognised:

• Pelargonium (Decorative, Unique & Rosebud)
• Pelargonium (Irene and Ivy-Leaved)

In their letter  confirming the award, the committee wrote that they were “delighted to confirm that the Plant Collections Committee has awarded full National Plant Collection® status to both collections.”

It is a real honour to join the network of National Plant Collection holders across the UK and to help safeguard these wonderful plants for the future.

Where the Passion Began

For me, this recognition feels particularly special because my fascination with Pelargoniums began many years ago as a teenager.

While still at school, I had the opportunity to work with Hazel Key, who held the National Pelargonium Collection in Pebworth. Spending time among such a remarkable collection - and learning from Hazel and her family's extraordinary knowledge - opened my eyes to the incredible diversity within the genus and sparked what would become a lifelong passion.

What started as a weekend job soon developed into a fascination with collecting and growing different varieties. Over the years that interest continued to grow, eventually leading to the creation of Growing Crazy, a specialist nursery dedicated to these remarkable plants.

A Collection 30 Years in the Making

Over the past 30 years, the collection has gradually expanded to include more than 700 varieties of Pelargonium, ranging from historic cultivars to unusual and rarely seen plants.

Many of these varieties have fascinating histories of their own, some dating back to the early plant hunters and hybridisers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when Pelargoniums were among the most fashionable plants in British gardens.

Building this collection has been a long-term labour of love, so it is incredibly rewarding to see that work recognised with National Plant Collection status.

Protecting the Diversity of Pelargoniums

Pelargoniums are far more diverse than many gardeners realise. From the elegant rosebud and decorative types, the distinctive unique and ivy-leaved varieties, to the rare and unusual species and species hybrids each group has its own character, form and history.

Through the National Plant Collections held at Growing Crazy, these varieties are carefully grown, documented and preserved to help ensure they remain available to future generations of gardeners and collectors.

Preserving Important Collections

Part of the collection also has an important conservation story of its own. The Irene and many of the Ivy-Leaved Pelargonium plants were originally held as a National Collection at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden at Hyde Hall.

When space was needed at Hyde Hall to support other areas of the garden, the collection required a new home. It was agreed that the plants would be transferred to myself and Roger Burnett, a fellow Pelargonium enthusiast, so that mirrored collections could be created and these important varieties preserved.

Ursula Key-Davis, daughter of Hazel Key, also travelled down to assist with the move, helping supervise the transition of the plants and support the establishment of the new collections.

This approach helps safeguard the plants by ensuring that important varieties are preserved in more than one location. We are delighted that these historic plants can now continue their story as part of the newly recognised National Plant Collections.

Looking Ahead

Receiving National Plant Collection status marks an exciting milestone and reinforces our commitment to celebrating and conserving the remarkable diversity of Pelargoniums.

Our collection will continue to grow, with more varieties being added and shared with gardeners who appreciate the beauty and history of these extraordinary plants.  

After all, what began with a teenage fascination in a greenhouse in Pebworth has grown into a lifelong passion - and the story of these remarkable plants is still unfolding.

The collection is currently being generously housed at the headquarters of Keder Greenhouses while Growing Crazy establishes its new home. Plans are already underway to open the collection for visitors through seasonal open days later this year and parts will be included in our flower show displays through the year.

 

For more information, visit www.growingcrazy.co.uk and subscribe to our newsletter for further updates.

For further information about Plant Heritage and the work they do visit www.plantheritage.co.uk 

Thanks to the incredible support of Keder Greenhouses www.kedergreenhouse.co.uk