National plant collections are held in many public gardens and private gardens in many countries.
The idea is that not only do we need seed banks to aid plant conservation, but also live plants, growing in a range of suitable habitats.
The scheme is dedicated to the conservation and propagation of plant species. Individual schemes tend to focus on one related groups of plants, developing a complete collection of specimens within their chosen group.
In the United Kingdom, Plant Heritage hold the register of National Plant Collections, which include both ornamental plants, edible plants, perennials, herbaceous perennials and bulbs.
Why not read our blog post – “The plants in our gardens are at risk” for more about national plant collections in many countries and how even ordinary garden plants are at risk of extinction?