Those Brits!

RHS Wisley has been on my wish list for some time, and finally I was able to visit. It certainly lived up to its billing. I could have spent days there! Even though it is autumn, and the peak season for blooms is past, the gardens were outstanding. More about those later, but what impressed me greatly were the collections, especially the fruit collections. The Brits are SERIOUS about their gardens and their plant collections. For instance, here is the National Rhubarb Collection.

There really is a vast difference between varieties!

Fortunately, there was a sign describing the collection, which includes 125 varieties! Who knew there even were that many varieties?

I love the names of some of the rhubarbs! Makes me want to grow each one, but I’d have to expand the potager!

I really wanted to ask someone about the “historical interest” of a rhubarb. What would make it historical? But I was certainly impressed! I doubt that the USA has an official rhubarb collection, but shouldn’t we? It would probably be very small, for I rarely see any varieties offered except “Victoria,” “Glaskin’s Perpetual,” “”Crimson Cherry,” and “Crimson Red.” And this is just one example. There are collections of apple trees, cherry trees, etc. There are collections of red raspberries, (with some fruits bigger than strawberries!) figs, strawberries, black currants, and on and on! I may stay here forever! And I’ll definitely be looking for a jar of the rhubarb jam in the gift shop.

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