Royal Horticultural Society Garden Wisley

Last updated: 29 October 2020

PlantNetwork member
Address and contact details
Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB
Tel: 0845 260 9000
Fax: 01483 211750
Email: wisley@rhs.org.uk
Web site: www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley
Latitude: 51° 18' 50" N
Longitude: 00° 28' 22" W
Background to the collection
Year founded:1904
Ownership:Royal Horticultural Society
Garden code:WSY
Umbrella organisation:PlantNetwork, National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens
Personnel
Director of Horticulture: Tim Upson
Curator: Matthew Pottage
Plants Record Officer: Gill Skilton
Plants Record Officer: Jane Rowlands
Director of Science and Collections: Alistair Griffiths
Contact person: Gill Skilton (hortdb@rhs.org.uk)
Total Staff:80
Total Horticultural Staff:87 staff, 84 volunteers
Policies
Accessions:Plant Collections Policy
Collections:Yes, in accordance with the Royal Horticultural Society's Mission Statement
Physical environment
Altitude:18-47 m
Soil type:Sand, acid
Aspect:Varied
Total area:60 ha
Area heated:4200 m²
Other sites of collection:RHS Garden Rosemoor
RHS Garden Hyde Hall
RHS Garden Harlow Carr
Weather recordsRecords kept
Temperature
Average daily:10 °C
Av. monthly max:14.1 °C
Av. monthly min:5.6 °C
Absolute maximum:37.8 °C (2003)
Absolute minimum:-15.1 °C (1982)
Wind
Direction:Southwest
Strength:Average
Rainfall
Average annual:652 mm
Month of maximum:October
Month of minimum:February
Plant collection
Families:253
Genera:1,987
Species:9,455
Taxa:24,989
Accessions:40,644
Plants:50,767
Notable plants within the collection:
72 Champion Trees
Special families within the collections:
Orchidaceae, Magnoliaceae
Special genera within the collections:
Epimedium, Crocus, Galanthus, Rheum, Narcissus, Daboecia, Erica, Calluna, Magnolia, Malus, Pyrus
Special collections:
Calluna, NCCPG – 514 Taxa, 614 Accessions.
Crocus, NCCPG – 224 Taxa, 796 Accessions.
Daboecia, NCCPG – 44 Taxa, 53 Accessions.
Epimedium, NCCPG – 90 Taxa, 203 Accessions.
Erica – 454 Taxa, 576 Accessions.
Galanthus, NCCPG – 178 Taxa, 423 Accessions.
Magnolia – 134 Taxa, 174 Accessions.
Malus domestica – 622 Taxa, 1091 Accessions.
Pyrus communis – 153 Taxa, 197 Accessions.
Rheum (culinary) – 134 Taxa, 174 Accessions.
TARGET 8 SPECIES:
TARGET 8 PROJECT TAXON LIST   UK Red Data List 2005SAP lead partnerWELSH Red Data List 2008IRISH Red Data List 1987IRISH Red Data List 2005TARGET 8 PROJECT datasheetGarden(s)
Salvia pratensis
Meadow Clary 		B W NT CR T8 RHS Wisley
Record Keeping:Kept since 1902
Computerised since 1993
Record System:BRAHMS (previously BG-Base)
Plant-collecting trips:Historically: International and national
Facilities on site
Herbarium:Approximately 20,000 wild collected & 80,000 cultivated specimens. Code WSY in Index Herbariorum
Library:16,000 items. Garden Libraray open to public.
Research facilities:General biological laboratories, molecular
Publications:Garden guide. Catalogue available on the Internet; The Garden, The Plant Review (formerly The Plantsman), Orchid Review, Trials Bulletin
Identifications:Undertakes identifications for the RHS membership. Internal verification of material
Teaching and Education:Primary, secondary, higher, taxonomic, public education, special courses including Horticultural Diploma
Interpretation:Supervised garden walks, signs, brochures, guided trails, practical demonstrations, Plantsman days, Apple festival.
Friends Organisation:No
Visitor facilities:Restaurant, café, plant shop, book shop, gift shop, coffee shop
Access to the collections
Public access:Admission charge
Visitors per year:1 million
Public opening hours:Mon-Sun: 10am-6pm (Mar-Oct) 10-4.30pm (Nov-Feb)
Guiding principles behind the collection
The encouragement and the improvement of the science, art and practice of horticulture in all its branches. To be the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening.
Location map

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