PlantNetwork is a charity and membership organisation that provides training and network support to gardens and gardeners throughout Britain and Ireland.
Through its work, PlantNetwork contributes to maintaining and developing the horticultural and plant conservation skills for which our gardens are renowned. The goals of PlantNetwork are:
- Supporting gardens and plant collections for conservation, knowledge and enjoyment.
- Providing networking and professional development for the plant network community.
Since being formed in 1996, PlantNetwork has brought together both institutional and private members and now represents over 300 gardens including all the major public horticultural and botanic gardens in the countries.
If you work in gardens, from botanic gardens and arboreta to public parks; have a professional interest in amenity or botanical horticulture; manage or care for a documented plant collection; or wish to learn more about gardening in the gardens of Britain and Ireland, then membership of PlantNetwork is for you.
PlantNetwork Conference 2019
Plant Records Training Day 2019
BOOKING OPEN: Plant Records Training Day 2019 at Chester Zoo
The PlantNetwork Plant Records Training Day will take place at Chester Zoo on Wednesday 15th May 2019. Booking is now open for what is usually a very popular day in the PlantNetwork calendar.
BOOKING OPEN: PlantNetwork Conference 2019
Horticulturists in Britain and Ireland are undoubtedly seeing the effects of a changing climate in their gardens, arboreta and plant collections. With speakers presenting across a range of different issues from invasive ornamentals and plant health to planting choices and water management, the 2019 PlantNetwork Conference(8-9 May at Abbotsbury, Dorset) will address these topical issues and showcase the latest research.
Betula identification and cultivation
Held at Ness Botanic Gardens in September 2018, this Tree Forum Day was led by Ness Botanic Gardens staff and focused primarily on the identification of birches and their allies, with discussion of propagation, cultivation and Betula conservation.
Health and wellbeing in horticulture and gardens
The Eden Project. 13th and 14th September 2018.Over 40 people, representing over 32 gardens and organisations met at The Eden Project to discuss the opportunities for horticulture, gardens and the wider landscape in the roles of health and wellbeing.
Assessing and developing a Spirit of Place document for your garden
Staff representing a range of 10 gardens attended this training day at the National Trust garden Nymans on the 12th July 2018. Presentations and discussions focussed on the purpose and contents of plans such as conservation Management Plans, garden Management Plans, Statements of Significance and Spirit of Place documents. Stephen Herrington Head gardener at Nymans led a tour of Nymans explaining how the planing process, including Spirit of Place, had led to decision making at Nymans Gardens.
The restoration and integration of natural habitats in a designed landscape
Reports and photos from the training day held on 26th June 2018 at Wakehurst Place, West Sussex.
Science in Gardens
Reports from the Science in Gardens day at the home of Charles Darwin, Down House, 20th June 2018. It is 20 years since Down House was reopened to the public by English Heritage, supported by a wide range of organisations and donors. The day focused on science and the public engagement in science in gardens, and highlighted the work and the experiments Darwin carried out at down House. It was brought up to date with opportunities for science in gardens today.
Plant records training day 2018 at Cambridge University Botanic Garden
17th May 2018 at Cambridge Botanic garden, followed by European meeting of IrisBG users on 18th May. Over 30 delegates met and got back to basics and look at records systems, share experiences and learn about recommended minimum data to enable gardens to keep useful records. Discussion focused on comparing databases, label systems, records to keep and many other topics.
Annual Conference 2018 – Back to basics
Reports from the 2018 PlantNetwork Annual Conference was hosted at Royal Botanic Garden Kew and discussed back to basics – soil and water management, plant nutrition and plant health.
What you need to know about Access and Benefit Sharing and the Nagoya Protocol
Reports from the meeting held on 16th March 2018 at Chester Zoo. During the day the speakers explained the development, understanding and use of the CBD, ABS and Nagoya Protocol legislation. Delegates were reminded that ‘benefit sharing’ does not necessarily mean money, and discussions identified both the moral and legal approaches to ABS and the Nagoya Protocol.
Plant Propagation Training Day
20 June 2017, RHS Garden Wisley. RHS staff Sam Gallivan, Nursery and Propagation Team leader and Heather Cooke, Team Leader for the members’ seed scheme hosted a fully booked training day with 25 delegates from 17 gardens across the UK.
British Sugar TOPSOIL
We are pleased to welcome our new 2018 Silver Sponsors, British Sugar TOPSOIL who are the largest UK manufacturer and supplier of environmentally sustainable topsoil and topdressing products to the landscaping, construction and sports turf/amenity sectors, supplying over 250,000 tonnes annually.