Joining the National Hardy Plant Society means you can join other members in a wide range of gardening activities.
Local Groups

Once you’ve joined us we’ll invite you also to join the local group or minigroup nearest to you. There are over 40, so one will probably be reasonably close by. Each group sets its own programme but will usually include talks by local or national speakers, garden visits and plant sales. Some also organise plant sales open to the public and short garden tours. Most produce a newsletter. 

 Specialist Groups

The special interest groups decide on their own activities, usually a mix of talks and garden visits. They meet less often than local groups but produce regular newsletters: this is an example of the Shade and Woodland Group newsletter.

Seed Distribution

Our Seed List offers over 2,000 tempting varieties of rare, unusual and familiar seeds. All members can join in with the annual Seed Distribution, by donating or obtaining seed.

Events

Throughout the growing season local and special interest groups host a wide range of events, from days devoted to a particular species of plant to celebrity lectures by leading horticulturists, residential weekends and garden visits. We also organise occasional tours to gardens outside the UK.

Shows

At our exhibits at major shows throughout the country visitors can see hardy plants in flower and leaf in their proper season, and talk to members to find out more about the Hardy Plant Society. The exhibits are created and staffed by local groups so members may have an opportunity to get involved.

Plant Fairs

HPS group plant sales are the perfect places to find unusual and useful perennial plants, at very competitive prices. Most are raised within a few miles of the sale venue by enthusiastic members. We will help you find a plant to suit your garden – wet or dry, shady or sunny, clay or sandy soil. Hardy Planters have a wealth of experience of growing plants, so make the most of their expertise at one of these sales, or be someone contributing plants and knowledge.

Photo Library

The Society has an extensive collection of photographs of hardy plants and gardens, which have been donated by members. Digital images are freely available for use by members and non-members of the Society, on condition that the Hardy Plant Society is acknowledged as the source whenever they are used.

 Conservation

The Hardy Plant Society is concerned about the continued availability of rarer garden plants. Countless fine plants have already disappeared from cultivation. We are working to keep less common and lesser-known perennial plants available both to our own members and to gardeners generally. Our local and special interest groups are key to this, but any member can volunteer to grow some of these plants.

Publications

All members of the Hardy Plant Society receive a journal, ‘The Hardy Plant’, twice a year. With many colour photos, it contains authoritative articles on hardy perennials by leading UK and international enthusiasts. Members also contribute content based on their own experience.

.

.

We publish a newsletter three times a year which gives information on all our activities and interests and the group contacts.

Lists of members’ gardens which can be visited and of members who offer Bed & Breakfast accommodation and a register of speakers are updated annually and available to members on request.

We also publish a series of inexpensive booklets on special plant families which includes hardy geraniums, pulmonarias, hostas, euphorbias, phlox, campanulas and peonies.

Read more about ‘The Hardy Plant’, newsletters, Cornucopia and the booklets.

 The Kenneth Black Bursary Scheme

Due to a legacy from Mr Kenneth Black, we can offer a number of small bursaries, both for students and for people who are employed in horticulture. Our aim is to further the horticultural learning and development of those receiving a bursary, especially in relation to their deepening their understanding of and interest in hardy herbaceous plants. The bursaries are not competitive and there are no application deadlines.

 Joining the Hardy Plant Society

For details on how you can join the National Hardy Plant Society, please follow this link.
Contacting the HPS

You can contact the HPS by emailing clare@hardy-plant.org.uk, telephoning +44 (0) 1386 710 317 from outside the UK), writing to The Hardy Plant Society at 3 Basepoint Business Centre, Crab Apple Way, Evesham, WR11 1GP or by using our Contact Us form.

.