LONG Barn, Alresford, has been awarded National Collection status by Plant Heritage for its unique collection of lavenders.

The aim of a National Collection is to preserve rare plant varieties of historical importance, so that they don’t become lost to cultivation. The Long Barn grows varieties like lavender intermedia which used to be commercially farmed but have become less popular in recent years.

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The Long Barn team are dedicated to protecting these scarcer varieties.

Unlike many other garden plants, the lavender at Long Barn has been thriving in the Mediterranean-like conditions this summer.

Richard Norris, director and grower at Long Barn, believes that lavender and other Mediterranean plants could be the key to more sustainable gardening.

He said: "Apart from when we first plant the lavender, we never water it here at Long Barn where we garden on free-draining chalk. Water shortages are in the news and many Mediterranean plants simply don’t need to be watered – these are perhaps what we should all be considering for the future."

Long Barn has been cultivating rare varieties of lavender for over 15 years. Visitors can stroll through the 5,000 lavender plants. Some of the lavender is made into Long Barn’s own collection of products available in the shop, which includes soap, hand cream, candles and perfume.