Andy Pullman, gardener, rehoming a Heuchera.
From Cliff top to Campus - National Heuchera collection comes to Exeter
The UK’s most significant collection of Heuchera plants is being re-homed at the University of Exeter.
The collection of more than 150 varieties of Heuchera was built up by Mary Ramsdale in Cliffe Gardens, Ilfracombe, North Devon. It has been transferred to a 150 square metre site, to enable it to expand further.
Heuchera are perennials known for their fine foliage. They offer year round interest with attractive rounded leaves and small flower spikes in spring and summer. As they grow in small clumps they are popular with gardeners in the front of borders and in containers. Some purple foliage varieties such as ‘Plum Pudding’ and ‘Palace Purple’ will be relocated, as well as the more traditional green foliaged varieties.
The plants will be preserved and promoted as a ‘living library’, through a partnership between the University of Exeter and the National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens to safeguard plant varieties.
Grounds staff at the University will establish the plants with advice from Bryan Russell, who has been custodian of the collection in Ilfracombe. The Heuchera collection will be concentrated in the centre of the University’s campus in an area known as the plantation, beside Stocker Road and the Amory building. Smaller rockery varieties will be introduced to the Northcote Rockery and it is hoped that after successful establishment, that they can be propagated and found suitable growing locations elsewhere on campus.
Iain Park, Director of Grounds at the University of Exeter says: “It is a pleasure to keep the national collection of Heuchera in Devon and we are excited about relocating these delightful specimens to our campus. It is an honour to take over custodianship from Bryan Russell who devoted so much personal time to the collection. We are pleased that he will continue to visit and input to its establishment on our campus.”
The University of Exeter is renowned for its beautiful campuses, and is a registered botanic garden and arboretum. The University’s campuses in Exeter provide 153 hectares of green space, tended by 30 staff. A tree survey is currently underway to catalogue some 11,000 trees. The University houses the national collection of Azara, a South American evergreen plant, and also the wild conifer collection in association with the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
Date: 25 February 2009
