One of the most important horticultural gardens in the country is under threat from a road-widening scheme, the Royal Horticultural Society has said. The grade II listed RHS Wisley Gardens, could lose 10,000 square metres (2.5 acres) of woodland and 500 trees – one of which was planted by the Queen to mark her silver jubilee – if the plan goes ahead.
The society has accused Highways England of attempting a huge ‘garden grab’ which could endanger a multitude of trees, plants and animals, as they attempt to widen the A3 in Surrey as part of improvements to junction 10 of the M25, and have started a petition to protect the site.
The shocking news has spurned RHS Ambassador Alan Titchmarsh to issue a battle cry to Britain’s gardeners and nature lovers, saying: “This potential garden-grabbing plan would be another unacceptable example of this Government’s poor perception of horticulture and lack of appreciation of the vital role that plants play for the environment, for the nation’s health and well-being and for the UK economy.
“Wisley is the UK’s centre of excellence for horticulture and horticultural science and helps millions of people to garden and grow plants. I’m calling on the UK’s army of 27 million gardeners to make it known that a disregard for these important trees and lack of appreciation of the national importance of this garden would not be acceptable if the short-sighted and environmentally damaging option was chosen.”
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Images: Instagram/The RHS
