Meet the hollyhock hero!
First National Collection is reward for novice gardener’s enthusiasm
Novice gardener Jonathan Sheppard is more used to the cut and thrust of government than dealing with the practical challenges of growing cottage garden plants, but the 45-year-old political lobbyist has just founded the UK’s first National Plant Collection of Hollyhocks, combining a new-found passion for growing plants with his innate enthusiasm. National Collection charity Plant Heritage was so concerned no one had established an active collection it placed hollyhock or alcea on its list of missing genera. “I’ve always loved growing hollyhocks from seed and really enjoyed dealing with all the issues that forming a national collection has created, created,” said Jonathan. “But everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Just as I set up the collection the Covid-19 lockdown started, rabbits started savaging my plants, then blackbirds started uprooting them while looking for food. This year I’ve found battling wildlife more difficult than dealing with the rust disease so many of them get!”
Laid out in a grid system in his garden at Brant Broughton, near Newark, Lincolnshire, the 58 varieties he has amassed has created opportunities to compare varieties from different sources to check for variation, misnaming or confusion in the trade.
“Instead of travelling to Westminster, Covid-19 gave me precious time at home to help make this collection a success,” he added.
“You just need determination, an aptitude for keeping accurate records and be happy to make mistakes and learn from them.”
Jonathan’s collection is just one of seven new ones announced by Plant Heritage, including bronzeleaved crocosmia in Kent, apple varieties from Sussex and plants bred at or named after Marwood Hill Gardens, north Devon.
▪ For more information visit www.plantheritage.org.uk.