Sharon is responsible for the registration of new conifer, Dahlia, Dianthus and Rhododendron cultivars – ensuring uniformity, accuracy and stability in the naming of cultivated plants
I register 250–300 new cultivars of conifer, Dahlia, Dianthus and Rhododendron every year. The plant registration process begins when someone, who has a new variety they want to name, contacts me directly or when my work monitoring journals, nursery catalogues and even the RHS Plant Finder looking for previously unrecorded names throws up a mystery cultivar and I contact the breeder to ask if they would like to formally register their variety. In registering a new variety, I have to ensure the chosen name is acceptable – meaning it doesn’t contravene the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) – before adding the information to the registration database, so that we have the best possible picture of the cultivated plants for these plant groups.
“I’ve always been inquisitive. Learning about science and how the world worked seemed a good way to get answers to some of the questions that I had.”
Sometimes a plant can be sold under several different names. It’s my job to find all of those names and connect them, so that when a gardener goes to their local nursery, they can be sure that they are buying the plant they are looking for, regardless of what name it is sold under. Plant registration can help guide conservation plans. It also gives a brief glimpse into social history, with names providing snapshots of trends in different generations. For example, most plant groups will have the name ‘Waterloo’ as well as the names of well-known politicians or celebrities.
Since 2008 we’ve added more than 30,000 new plant records to the dahlia registration database, combined with the dahlia register and its supplements – which themselves account for around 19,000 records. We now have more than 63,000 Dahlia records.
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.
