Why you should search your garden for unusual plants this weekend
Gardeners are being encouraged to search their gardens, greenhouses and allotments over the coming weeks for any rare or unusual plants – for a chance of winning a competition.
The start of February marks the return of Plant Heritage’s ‘Threatened Plant of the Year’ – an annual competition that sees green-fingered enthusiasts hunt for hidden gems that aren't commercially available, for a chance to be crowned the winner.
Anyone can enter the competition, so there’s every reason to get outside. The rules are simple: any entry needs to be a plant that’s a named cultivar that has been grown or sold in the UK or Ireland before 2015, and that isn’t currently available to buy from a nursery, garden centre or another source.
Organisers say any type of plant is considered too – from seasonal snowdrops to fragrant roses that bloom come summer.
Entries can be submitted online before the 30th April 2025 deadline. Following this date, Plant Heritage’s expert judges will create a shortlist – with some displayed at the charity’s stand at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival – before final judging.
The overall winner will be announced on June 30th 2025, and will receive an engraved winner’s vase, certificate and special plant label for their achievement.
2025 marks the sixth year of the competition, with Irish Garden PlantSociety’s rare Aubrieta ‘Shangarry’, an attractive double flowering plant that resembles Parma Violets, taking the crown last year.
Previous year’s winners include an ornamental quince – Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Contorta’ – in 2023; a pretty peony – Paeonia ‘Gleam of Light’ – in 2022; and a Clematis montana ‘Veitch’, which won the inaugural competition in 2020.
Gwen Hines, CEO at Plant Heritage, said: “Our Threatened Plant of the Year competition celebrates the UK’s rich legacy and raises awareness of the fact that many plants – including some considered common – could be at risk of disappearing from our gardens if they aren’t cared for.
"We hope to uncover more rare plants this year, and I’d urge everyone to scour their gardens and other green spaces for potential entrants!”
You can find out more about the competition here.
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