Experience Our Chinese Plant Extravaganza

Commemorating the year of the Beijing Olympics, Wakehurst Place and its four partner members in The Great Gardens of Sussex group will host a Chinese Plant Extravaganza in May 2008, celebrating many of the finest plants in British gardens.

You can explore the historic and exceptionally rich collections of plants discovered and brought back from China. China enjoys a wide biodiversity and, of all the countries in the world, has made the greatest contribution to the British garden. Many of our most flamboyant, useful and colourful plants originate in China, including rhododendrons, camellias, acers, anemones, magnolias, bamboos, peonies, roses, oaks, beautiful dogwoods and the magnificent Davidia involucrata – the dove or pocket handkerchief tree.

The Great Gardens of Sussex is a partnership of five of the most important and historic gardens in Sussex: Wakehurst Place, Nymans, High Beeches Gardens, Borde Hill and Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens. Each of the estates was created at the time when China was first being explored by some of the greatest plant collectors in history, such as Ernest Wilson, George Forrest, Frank Kingdom-Ward and Pere David. As a group, the gardens contain probably the best collection of original Chinese plant specimens in the country.

The Chinese Plant Extravaganza will celebrate the very best of the gardens as visitors will be able to enjoy a plant trail across all five of these spectacular locations, whilst enjoying various exhibitions and talks at each site. Wakehurst’s Chinese Plant Extravaganza has been extended to run throughout the spring. You will find inside the newsletter a themed trail to follow through the gardens, providing fun and interest for all the family.

When you visit the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place, you can read about some of the seeds we have collected from China for long-term conservation in our seed vaults. You will be able to buy plants of Chinese origin for your own garden from our plant shop, including peonies, wisteria, azaleas, rhododendron, camellias, acers, irises, hemerocallis (daylilies), hostas, prunus (cherries), cotoneaster, osmanthus, primula, spirea, and syringa. Our gift shop will feature displays of complementary gifts and you can enjoy seasonal food with a Chinese flavour in The Stables Restaurant.

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