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19th December 2006 The Regent's Park gains national award for Delphinums Already famous for its spectacularly colourful and popular rose gardens, staff at The Regent's Park are not resting on their laurels. The latest award bestowed on the Park is for a bed of stunning Delphiniums situated in Queen Mary's Gardens inside the Park's Inner Circle, which has been granted full National Collection status by the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens. All of the varieties hold the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit. This means the Delphiniums have been independently judged to be the most garden worthy examples of their type. Staff at Regent's Park worked with the Delphinium Society, National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens, the Royal Horticultural Society and the country's leading delphinium growers, to establish and nuture the large Delphinium bed. Located near Jubilee Gates (the main garden entrance), the best time to see the Delphiniums in full bloom is during late June. Paying tribute to those who have worked on the Collection, Assistant Park Manager Nick Biddle said: "We are tremendously pleased and proud that our Delphiniums have achieved National Collection status. This would not have been possible without the enthusiasm, skill and dedication of our gardeners at Queen Mary's Gardens; the Head Gardener Tom Moss-Davies and his team from our park contractors Service Team who have been crucial in helping us achieve this high standard." What is exceptional about the award is that the official judge who inspected the Delphiniums recommended that, such was the quality of the plants and the care they were receiving, that they be granted National Collection status without going through the provisional stage normally required. The collection contains 37 of the 39 varieties of the Delphinium elatum hybrids which hold the Royal Horticultural Society award of Garden Merit. Delphiniums are not originally a native plant species, but originate from continental Europe and North and Central Asia. Already the holder of a prestigious Green Flag award for outstanding parks management, the award of National Collection status enhances the reputation of Regent's Park as a centre for horticultural excellence in central London with its magnificent floral displays. As well as one of the most popular rose gardens in the country, Queen Mary's Gardens contains Mediterranean borders, spectacular seasonal bedding displays, an alpine island, herbaceous border, shrubberies, lawns, some fine specimen trees and a lake with ornamental waterfowl. Other attractions include the Open Air Theatre and Garden Café. Queen Mary's Gardens are just one of four principal garden areas within Regent's Park. Media contact: Bruce Sparrow, The Royal Parks, e-mail: bsparrow@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk, Tel: 020 7298 2128, Mob: 07970 660132. Editor's notes: 1. The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG) National Plant Collection scheme lets individuals or organisations undertake to document, develop and preserve a comprehensive collection of one group of plants in trust for the future. Most of the collections are based around a related group, for example a collection of oaks or daffodils. This allows the scheme to develop systematic coverage of cultivated plants. Owners of a National Plant Collection undertake to preserve, grow, propagate, document and make available the plants in their chosen group. 2. The Regent's Park is one of the eight Royal Parks managed by The Royal Parks Agency, an executive agency of the Dept. for Culture Media and Sport. Over 166 hectares (410 acres) in size, it was designed in 1811 by renowned architect John Nash and includes stunning rose gardens with more than 30,000 roses of 400 varieties. The Park is the largest outdoor sports area in London with �The Hub', a community sports pavilion and nearby sports pitches catering for football, softball and rugby. As well as quality cricket pitch, there are nearly 100 acres available for sports fans of all ages and abilities. back to top |
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