Trust makes history with completion of plant audit

Since the inception of the Plant Listing at the National Trust for Scotland (PLANTS) project in June 2022, staff and volunteers have embarked on a vital mission to better understand and protect the Trust’s horticultural heritage.

Through meticulous research across 35 of its major garden properties in Scotland, the three-year PLANTS project has now successfully documented a groundbreaking total of more than 77,000 living plant records in its care, including over 1,200 different types of rhododendron, 705 types of daffodil, and 452 rose varieties. Several Trust properties, including Arduaine Garden, Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park, Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate, Crarae Woodland Garden, Threave Garden & Nature Reserve, and Inverewe, hold the largest number of living accessions, each maintaining over 5,000 plants.

Many of the Trust’s plant species are classified as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and several Trust gardens boast some unique treasures. Inverewe and Crarae are both home to Wollemi Pines, Wollemia nobilis, which are registered as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Many Trust gardens also contain treasures of horticultural history, including Crarae Woodland Garden, home to its self-named beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Crarae’, one of only five known specimens in the world. With a deeper understanding of our living plants collection, we can continue to play a vital role in protecting rare and endangered species and preserving Scotland’s horticultural heritage.

The PLANTS project was led by Dr Anna Florence, National Trust for Scotland Curator of Plant Collections, and Dr Colin McDowall, PLANTS Project Manager, alongside a team of experts and valuable volunteers.

Dr Anna Florence said: ’The living plant collections across the National Trust for Scotland’s garden properties are among the UK’s most valuable horticultural assets, representing a vast resource for research, reference, and historical storytelling. Previously fragmented and difficult to access, these collections are now comprehensively understood thanks to the Trust’s investment in the PLANTS project, and this initiative has transformed how the Trust and its gardeners will manage and protect these collections for years to come. The living plant records will also support future propagation efforts, safeguard plants from diseases and pests, address challenges posed by climate change and contribute to collaborative efforts in global conservation.’

Complete and accurate plant records are an essential tool for the management and understanding of heritage gardens. Before this initiative, Trust plant records were documented on handwritten notes dating back to the 1920s, on physical maps, postcards, spreadsheets and obsolete software. Now, the Trust has a comprehensive and standardised plant inventory. Completing the PLANTS project and these records will allow the Trust to maintain and care for its living collections and safeguard them for future generations.

The PLANTS project has also uncovered a wealth of historical connections across Trust gardens, significantly enhancing their protection and deepening the Trust’s understanding of their importance. Inverewe, one of Scotland’s most celebrated gardens, is home to 33 rhododendrons dating from 1900 to 1930, originally planted by horticulturist Osgood Mackenzie and his daughter. At Branklyn Garden in Perthshire, the project identified a 1927 rhododendron linked to plant collector Joseph Rock, each story nodding to the importance of documenting Scotland’s living history through these plant collections.

Stuart Brooks, Director of Conservation & Policy at the National Trust for Scotland, said: ’A new chapter begins for the National Trust for Scotland as the PLANTS project is now complete. This ambitious project has been foundational for the Trust and its horticultural legacy. It is a testament to the Trust’s garden teams and volunteers who work tirelessly on the ground to protect the Trust’s living plant collections. We hope to seek and inspire new audiences and encourage them to appreciate the richness of Scotland’s plant heritage and garden landscapes. We are very grateful to our members, supporters and the PLANTS team, all of whom made this intensive project not only possible but a great success.’

The PLANTS project is one of many initiatives led by the Trust as part of our 10-year strategy, Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone, with a mission to conserve Scotland’s heritage and the stories that each of its gardens holds. The PLANTS project has already significantly aided the Trust in its understanding of the heritage of its gardens and the steps needed to take place to ensure the prosperity of each.

Find out more about the PLANTS project through our series of blogs.