Leonardslee Shortlisted for Plant Heritage Threatened Plant Award

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens entered five rare Rhododendrons into the prestigious Plant Heritage Threatened Plant of the Year 2023 competition, and Rhododendron 'The Dowager' is now on the shortlist for the award. Visitors to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in July can see all 12 of the shortlisted plants. 

Leonardslee features one of the most comprehensive and varied collections of rhododendrons in the UK. Across the Grade I Listed gardens on the 240-acre estate, visitors can see hundreds of rare and exotic plant and tree species, spanning diverse cultivars and hybrids, all carefully curated by head gardener Jamie Harris and his team. 

Rhododendron 'The Dowager' is a hybrid cross between Rh. ‘Muriel’ - a rare Leonardslee-raised hybrid of falconeri x grande, with currently only a single extant specimen - and Rh. arboreum. It was raised by the dowager Lady Loder, Sir Edmund Loder’s widow, who managed the Leonardslee estate from his death in 1920 to 1945 when her grandson Sir Giles Loder took over. 

It was named ‘The Dowager’ in honour of Lady Loder by Miss E. Godman of the South Lodge estate which is located close to Leonardslee. The two estates often shared plant material and the two families were good friends. Miss E. Godman introduced the plant in 1968 and it received the Award of Merit when exhibited it that year. 

At Leonardslee there is only a single extant plant of this hybrid and it is unknown if any plants exist elsewhere, although it is unlikely, says Jamie Harris. It is not available commercially through any nursery and has been evaluated by Plant Heritage as an endangered cultivar. At Leonardslee, a medium-sized tree has formed, with a silvery indumentum under the leaves and pink and white flowers appearing very early in the season, usually in March. 

‘The Dowager’ forms part of the recently awarded National Collection status from Plant Heritage for Leonardslee’s Loderi and Leonardslee-related Rhododendron hybrids. Leonardslee recently sent material from this clone to the Duchy College in Cornwall to be micro-propagated so that the family-owned estate can ensure its continued survival. 

The National Plant Collection serves as a significant conservation initiative, safeguarding around 95,000 plants across 650 collections. By preserving garden-worthy specimens, this project supports gardeners, nurserymen, garden designers, researchers, and plant breeders in their pursuits, ensuring generations of flora enthusiasts can continue to appreciate these horticultural treasures. 

The five exceptional Rhododendrons Leonardslee presented to the Plant Heritage Threatened Plant of the Year 2023 competition include: 'Muriel', 'Selig', 'The Dowager', 'Glory of Leonardslee', and 'Prince Charming'. 

Visit and vote on the Plant Heritage website. 

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens is open from 9am to 5pm, with the last entry at 4:30pm. Leonardslee Gardens. Brighton Road, Lower Beeding, Horsham, RH13 6PP

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Editors notes

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is a family-owned vineyard estate, near Horsham in West Sussex, which features ‘the finest woodland gardens in England’, Grade I Listed, as well as a Michelin Star restaurant and luxury vineyard accommodation.

The 240-acre estate was established by Sir Edmund Loder, the great Victorian plant collector, and now includes a Sussex Wine vineyard, with the first release of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier sparkling wine in 2024.

The estate features outstanding displays all year round. In the spring this includes rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias and bluebells. The collection is exceptional in its diversity and maturity, with several rare ‘champion’ trees, threatened in their natural habitat.

The gardens offer a protected ecosystem for rare wildlife such as Emperor Dragonflies and Damselflies, White Admiral and Purple Hairstreak butterflies and migratory and native birds - Kites, Great Tits, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Nightingales.

The estate reopened in April 2019, following acquisition and two years’ intensive work by entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE to restore the woodland gardens after eight years of closure and neglect under previous ownership. It was the largest garden restoration project in the United Kingdom since Heligan 30 years before.

Since further restoration work in 2021, visitors can also stay in the luxury vineyard hotel after dining at Restaurant Interlude in Leonardslee House, the Grade II Listed Italianate mansion house, to experience the Michelin Star multi-course tasting menu created by chef Jean Delport.

Visitors can view a magical world in miniature at the Beyond the Doll's House exhibition, which depicts the Edwardian estate and neighbouring villages at 1:12 scale. They can then enjoy a classic afternoon tea in the mansion house, making for a great family day out. It is one of the top places to visit in Sussex and is open all year round except Christmas Day.

For great days out, there is an extensive programme of entertainment that includes winter garden illuminations and light trails, wine and beer festivals, photo and art exhibitions, live music events, cooking and gardening demonstrations, arts and crafts fairs, modelling and toy shows, and children’s events and adventure trails.

Vineyards –

Leonardslee Estate: Acquired 2018 - 3.1 Acres - 2018 First vines planted - 4,000 Estimated bottles Experimental planting of Pinotage - 2022 First estate Pinotage

Mannings Estate: Acquired 2017 - 34 Acres - 2017 First vines planted - 70,000 Estimated bottles Sparkling wine cultivars 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier - 2024 First release of wine