In many countries there are groups that organise the creation and maintenance of plant collections, for conservation purposes. Originally, plant collections were developed within the confines of botanic gardens, as part of basic botanical and taxanomical research. However, the growing importance of hybridisation and, more recently, cultivar development has meant that increasingly this responsibility has moved into the public arena. Today, the formality of these arrangements and the degree of support they obtain from government varies from place to place.

In the United Kingdom, the world's leading plant collections group, the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG) organises National Plant Collections® throughout the country. In 1999 the NCCPG celebrated its 21st anniversary and the fact that it now oversees some 600 National Plant Collections®.

Elsewhere in the world other groups carry out similar roles. In Australia, the Ornamental Plant Collections Association (OPCA) maintains some 70+ collections. In France, Le Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Specialisées (CCVS) organises some 130+ collections. In the USA there are two organisations at work: The Northern American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC), formed through the AABGA, focuses on National Collections within institutions and the North American Plant Preservation Council (NAAPPC) on Collections held by individuals and within commerce.

In addition to the existing schemes, individuals and groups are helping to develop similar approaches elsewhere in the world. In Poland, Dr. T. J. Nowak, from Wroclaw Botanic Garden is striving to protect original stock from what remains of the country's historic gardens. Last, but by no means least, similar schemes are under development in Belgium, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden.

The importance of Clematis as a genus is reflected in all of the schemes, normally by a discrete collection of some part of the Clematis genus.

National Plant Collections® in the United Kingdom

The NCCPG organises National Plant Collections® in the United Kingdom. In their words, their Mission is:

"Through volunteer membership, the NCCPG seeks to conserve, document, promote and make available Britain's great biodiversity of garden plants for the benefit of horticulture, education and science"

The collections are held by a mix of dedicated individuals and organisations and are organised by genus. Most collections can be viewed by members of the public. Further details of these and other collections can be found in the National Plant Collections® Directory, which can be obtained from the NCCPG, The Stable Courtyard, RHS Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QP, Tel: 01483 211465.

Clematis are well represented amongst the National Plant Collections® and the current collections are outlined below. All National Plant Collections® are open to the public but some, due to location or size, have restricted access and you will have to write to the collection holder to make arrangements for your visit.

Clematis

The Guernsey Clematis Nursery Ltd., Domarie Vineries, Les Sauvagées, St. Sampson, Guernsey.

Tel: 01481 45942

No of species and cultivars: 310

Not open to the public

Clematis - Atragene Group

Mr. M. Oviatt-Ham, Ely House, Green Street,
Willingham, Cambridgshire, CB4 5JA.

Tel: 01954 260481

No. of species:16; No. of cultivars: 46.

Clematis - Herbaceous

Mr. M. Brown, past Chairman of the British Clematis Society,
"Clematis Corner", 15 Plough Close, Shillingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 7EX.

Tel: 01865 858721

No. of species:17 No. of cultivars: 36

Open 1st April - 31st August, by appointment only. Admission £1.50

Clematis - Montana

Mrs. V. Le May Nevill-Parry, By The Way, Lodge Drove,
Woodfalls, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 2NH.

No. of species & cultivars: 60.
Open: Only by prior appointment throughout May for groups, individuals at
            other times as well by appointment. Plants for sale and refreshments by
            prior arrangement for groups of 10+.
Entry: £2.50 per adult in aid of Salisbury Hospice
www.clematismontana.co.uk

Clematis - spp, texensis, viticella & herbaceous

Treasures of Tenbury Ltd., Burford House Gardens, Burford House, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8HQ.

Tel: 01584 810777

No. of species & cultivars: 300

Open: All year daily 10am - 5pm.

Garden admission: Adult £2.50, Child £1.00, Groups (10+) £2.00

Clematis orientalis

Bridgemere Nurseries Ltd., Bridgemere, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 7QB.

Tel: 01270 520264/375/376

Open: by appointment only. Admission free.

Clematis viorna

Mr. K. Treadaway , Rosewood, Redberth, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, SA70 8SA.

Tel: 01646 651405

Open: by appointment only. Admission: Free, Any donations towards NCCPG/Cancer Research

Clematis viticella

Mr. David Stuart, Longstock Park Nursery,
Longstock Park Gardens, Longstock, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO206EH.

Tel: 01264 810894

No. of species: 1. No. of cultivars: 30.

Open, March - October only: 8.30am - 4.30pm Monday - Saturday; 2pm - 5 pm Sunday

Clematis viticella

Richard Hodson, The Hawthornes, Marsh Road,
Hesketh Bank , Preston, Lancashire, PR4 6XT
56 different cultivars and a few species + plus own seedlings
Telephone: 01772 812379
Email: richardhaw@talktalk.net

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Ornamental Plant Conservation Association of Australia

OPCA celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 1999. It was formed using the UK's NCCPG as a guide, with the primary aim of searching out, identifying and propagating some of the many plants once available in the horticultural trade, but now lost or growing 'hidden' in old gardens. Most of the 70+ registered Collections are based in Victoria, but interest is growing inter-state.

OPCA is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra 3141. Telephone: (03) 650 5639. Fax: (03) 655 2350

Clematis Collection

Mr. Neil Richardson, Mountflora Nursery, Navigators Road, Yendon, Vic 3357

Tel: (03) 5334 7645. Fax: (03) 5334 7106

Clematis - Large Flowered Hybrids

Carole Scholes, Carole's Garden Clematis Nursery, 94 Bungower Road, Somerville, Vic 3912

Tel: (03) 5977 9277.

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Conservatoire Français des Collections Végétales Spécialisées (CCVS)

The CCVS is the French equivalent of the UK's NCCPG, setting very stringent conditions for its collection holders. It is based at 84 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris.

Tel: 01-44-39-78-84. Fax: 01-44-39-78-85

Clematis Collection

Mairie de Paris, Direction des Parcs, Jardins & Espaces Verts, 1, Av. Gordon Bennett, 75016 Paris.