Blue Diamond and the National Trust are now in the second year of a collaboration, which brings together the specialisms of both organisations, to create unique collections of seeds, bulbs, roses, trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.
New for 2024, Blue Diamond and the National Trust are launching a number of new collections.
National Trust Bulb Collection
Working with National Trust gardeners, Blue Diamond have developed a new collection of summer flowering bulbs which includes varieties of Dahlia, Lily of the Valley and Gladioli.
Crime lovers, especially fans of Agatha Christie, are sure to be interested in a new and exclusive variety; Dahila ‘Orient Express’ now in all Blue Diamond Garden Centres retailing at £4.99. Also, the ‘Thriller Trilogy’ Dahlia collection (retailing at £9.99 for 3 bulbs).
Agatha loved dahlia’s and she even managed to weave them into her classic murder mystery short story, ‘The Four Suspects’.
Agatha summer home, Greenway in Devon is now cared for by the National Trust.
Ready to Plant Trays
The summer flowering bulb range of ready to plant trays, will include bulbs inspired by National Trust cared for gardens at Dyrham Park, Clumber Park, Plas Newydd and Wimpole. The ready to plant trays come in two sizes and retail at £9.99 and £12.99 and are available in all Blue Diamond Garden Centres.
National Trust Seed Collection
The 2024 seed collection reflects the beauty of the Trust’s gardens and the planting schemes created by the gardeners. The collection consists of 98 varieties and 19 seed mixes inspired by the colours, tones and the historic planting found in gardens cared for by the Trust.
It includes flowering varieties which are ideal for dry flower arrangements and perfect for floral bouquets and plants which are the highlight of National Trust gardens, such as Cosmos at Mottisfont and Sweet Pea at Peckover House.
National Trust Roses and Gardener's Favourites
New for 2024 is Rosa ‘National Trust Beauty’ an exclusive rose which will be launched in May, in celebration of our joint Main Avenue Show Garden at Chelsea Flower Show 2024.
'The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust' will celebrate pioneering reformer Octavia Hill (1838-1912), a founder of the National Trust.
The rose is named ‘National Trust Beauty’ to reflect one of Octavia’s beliefs that ‘we all want beauty, we all need space’.
Also new, is the Gardeners’ Favourites Collection which will include roses chosen by National Trust Gardeners as their favourite ‘wow factor’ varieties from Trust gardens.
These include Rosa ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ which has been chosen by the Head Gardener at Hinton Ampner. The rose collection at Hinton Amper features over 90 varieties. The most popular view for visitors is the bed of 100 highly scented ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ roses beside the pond.
The collection also includes roses chosen by the Head Gardeners at Chartwell, Mottisfont, Cliveden and Peckover House.
The National Trust Chelsea Plant Collection by Blue Diamond, will consist of varieties of plants that are in, or inspired by, our RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 Main Avenue Show Garden, The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust. The collection is designed to enable the public to create their own ‘outdoor sitting room’ and nature friendly space, both of which are central themes to the Main Avenue Show Garden.
The collection will be available exclusively in all Blue Diamond Garden Centres and in selected National Trust shops from early- mid May and online at store.bluediamond.gg/shop/national-trust-collection
As part of Blue Diamond’s commitment to sustainable product production, all plants in the National Trust Collections by Blue Diamond are potted in peat free compost and in recycled and recyclable pots.
Through sales generated from the National Trust Collections by Blue Diamond, a minimum of 10% of the retail sales price per product will be given to the National Trust to help look after nature, beauty and history for everyone, for ever.
For more information about the collaboration and the Collections, please visit https://www.bluediamond.gg/national-trust