Plant Heritage launches first Chelsea conservation garden
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Will Murray, Kate Campbell and Sally-Anne Rees of the Planting Design Collective
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Sketch of The Plant Heritage Missing Collector Garden Credit: The Planting Design Collective
Plant Heritage will debut its first designer garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, supported by Project Giving Back and designed by The Planting Design Collective.
The ‘Missing Collector Garden’ highlights the charity’s mission to protect garden plant diversity through its National Plant Collections®.
The garden comes at a critical time for plant conservation, with Plant Heritage reporting that over half of previously cultivated UK and Ireland garden plants are no longer commercially available.
Designed as part of the All About Plants category, the space will be 80% planted and will showcase both safeguarded collections and missing species in need of future custodians.
The design features contributions from more than 10 National Plant Collection holders, including genera such as Geum, Boehmeria, Polypodium and Thalictrum.
Plants like Aquilegia and Verbascum are included to encourage new “Plant Guardians” and highlight species still awaiting formal conservation efforts.
Sustainable design is central, with reclaimed stone hard landscaping and peat-free plants grown by UK nurseries.
Bespoke stone features symbolise knowledge and learning, including book-like structures and museum-style planting displays.
After the show, the garden aims to inspire greater public involvement in plant conservation and support for National Plant Collections across the UK.