Adopt a plant from flower show: RHS offer to fans

GREEN-FINGERED fans of the Hampton Court Flower Show are being allowed to adopt a rare plant from the event, in a first for the Royal Horticultural Society.

Several thousand plants and materials from one of the world’s most highprofile flower shows will be rehoused.

Budding “plant guardians” have to fill out a form explaining their plans for their new charge and why their garden is suitable.

They will also be able to provide a drawing of where the plant will be living, to be displayed by the RHS.

This plant recycling scheme is a way for plants to live on and be appreciated by the public in gardens across the country, instead of being hidden in commercial greenhouses or scrapped.

Large-scale adoptions have already been organised for schools and community groups, so they can enjoy the rare plants which were on show at Hampton Court.

Plants that featured in the show, which took place earlier this month, will be available for “adoption” at National Trust’s Morden Hall Park on July 27 and 28.

The National Trust is working with The House of Wayward Plants, a largescale plant exchange scheme that works to reduce waste and keep plants alive and appreciated, and hopes to put on more events like this in future.

Katherine Potsides, RHS head of shows development said: “It’s important to the RHS that the plants and gardens continue to live on following our shows, to benefit others.”