Thousands of new Plantfinder entries

15:02 1st June 2010

A book considered to be something of a garden and greenhouse bible by many British growers has been updated with thousands of new entries.

The Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Plantfinder contains details of more than 70,000 species, as well as information on where to source them.

The publication was recently updated for 2010 and has been supplemented with 3,400 new additions.

According to the RHS, large growers in the US have had a substantial impact on growing trends this year.

The Hemerocallis is a plant traditionally favoured by US growers that has crept its way into the UK, with 400 new entries to Plantfinder.

Meanwhile, the Heuchera - another US favourite - has 30 new cultivars.

"What's interesting about the Heuchera is that one variety, Berry Smoothie, has come in with 29 nurseries supplying it right from the start," explained editor-in-chief Janet Cubey.

"We've never had that before."

Meanwhile, the RHS recently revealed that the popularity of food growing in Yorkshire has grown in recent years, thanks to a £1 million allotment revival scheme.