Press Release

Cylclamen at Wakehurst Place believe it's autumn!

The autumn flowering cyclamen at Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, believe September has arrived already and have started to bloom nearly six weeks earlier than expected.

Cyclamen hederifolium is a Mediterranean species used to hot summers, when it lies dormant, followed by cool, wet autumns in which it thrives and flowers. It usually blooms from mid September through to the end of November. The UK weather this year has fooled the cyclamen with its unseasonably sunny spring being succeeded by a drop in temperature and heavy rainfall. Over 15000 plants at Wakehurst Place, Kew's country garden, are now beginning to flower under the trees outside its visitor centre.

Garden Manager, Chris Clennett is Kew 's resident cyclamen expert and editor of the Cyclamen Society Journal. He said: “The Cyclamen hederfolium were planted in 2005 and 2006, funded by sponsorship donations, and have thrived. I have never seen it bloom this early, however. Many of our flowers are suffering in the persistent rain at the moment but will soon revive when our long awaited summer finally arrives.”

This summer a further 5000 Cyclamen coum will be planted beneath the oaks at Wakehurst. This beautiful and delicate species will flower in February alongside the garden's spectacular annual display of 100,000 snowdrops.

Wakehurst Place, managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , is home to the Millennium Seed Bank and 500 acres of formal gardens, exotic plant collections, natural woodlands and wetland conservation areas. Located at Ardingly, four miles north of Haywards Heath, West Sussex, it is open daily, from 10am, except December 24 and 25. Admission is free for children under 17. For more information, telephone 01444 894066 or visit www.kew.org/wakehurst.

-ENDS-

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Please contact Sharon Buckley, Press Office, on 01444 894018 or email msb@kew.org

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