Gardeners from the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI) in Tulse Hill are due to visit the Botanic Garden of Rome at the end of April as part of a new botanical exchange partnership between the two organisations. The partnership is being funded by BGCI in collaboration with the Interactive Community of Arboreta (ArbNet), under a new scheme to share knowledge, skills and resources within the international botanic garden community. The ultimate aim is to enhance plant conservation around the world.

The partnership grant will support an exchange visit to each garden in spring 2018 to coincide with the most suitable time in the garden as well as with local events. Gardeners from Rome will be coming to the SLBI in June.

The Botanic Garden of Rome (BGR) is part of the Sapienza University of Rome based in the ex-garden of the 16th century palace of the Corsini family. The location and origin make it a fine example of a historic garden with an important artistic heritage. It counts about 2000 species, including palm grove with 24 species, bamboo grove with over 76 species, rose garden, the “Gardino dei Semplici” containing plant species cultivated for medicinal use, Japanese Garden and the Corsini greenhouse of succulent plants.

The South London Botanical Institute (SLBI) was founded in 1910 with the aim of bringing botany to the working people of south London. This aim continues today, with people from local communities and further afield able to explore the plant world, enjoy the botanic garden, library and herbarium, and participate in a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities.

The gardeners from Rome are particularly interested in learning about the educational and community events hosted by the SLBI – the school visits, botanical workshops, talks and other events that reach out to the wider community in London – this is something that they would like to do more of in Rome.

In addition, both organisations look forward to learning from each other’s gardens about what new plants they might be able to add to their collections. Rome are keen to learn more about the aquatic plants, cacti, succulents and carnivorous plants grown at the SLBI, whilst the SLBI are interested particularly in the Mediterranean plants in Rome. Both gardens will share learning about their fern collections, as well as discussing seed banking, databasing and plant collection management (including dried plant specimen herbaria).

Commenting on the partnership, Sarah Davey, SLBI Head Gardener, said: “We are delighted to have this wonderful opportunity to visit the prestigious Botanic Garden of Rome and to learn from their botanical collections. We look forward to welcoming the Italian gardeners to the SLBI in June too, to show them our garden and our wide range of activities”.