Scilla (Chionodoxa) National Plant Collection

Tinnisburn Plants has been home to a National Plant Collection of Scilla (Chionodoxa) since 2021.

Scilla sect. Chionodoxa is native to the eastern Mediterranean, particularly Cyprus, Crete and Turkey where it grows in high alpine areas.  The flowers emerge in early spring, usually as the snow cover melts away giving these beautiful plants their common name of 'glory-of-the-snow'

Flowering time is typically from February to March, here at Tinnisburn the display reaches its peak in mid to late March when we hold an open weekend to allow visitors to enjoy these delightful stars of the late winter garden.

Tinnisburn is also home to a National Plant Collection of Meconopsis.

National Plant Collections

Diversity of species is as vital in the plant world as it is in the animal kingdom. To help preserve this, the charity Plant Heritage works to ensure the genetic heritage in our gardens is maintained.

One way they do this is by certifying National Plant Collections, registered and documented collections of plants. Today there are over 700 such collections in the UK and we are proud to host one of them. 

Dr Alan Dickenson formed the National Plant Collection of Scilla (Chionodoxa). Following his death, the collection was taken on Helen at Tinnisburn Plants to maintain and develop.

If you'd like to know more about our plant collection, please contact us. Email helen@tinnisburn.co.uk or follow us on Facebook.