Near to the pond, a path winds down a gentle slope through the National Collection Glade. The aim of the Glade is to provide an introduction to our national plant collections. Representatives of each of these collections are along this route. Other examples can be found elsewhere in the Gardens.

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens have the largest collection of hardy trees and shrubs in the world. The Gardens is famous for its collection of rare plants. Hiding around every bend is a tree or a shrub that perhaps you have never seen. The Gardens now holds 14 national plant collections:

Carpinus (hornbeams)
Cercidiphyllum (katsura tree)
Cornus (dogwoods)
Corylus (hazels)
Cotoneaster
Hamamelis (witch hazels)
Hillier Plants
Hypericum
Ligustrum (privets)
Lithocarpus (stone or tanbark oak)
Metasequoia (dawn redwood)
Photinia (Christmas berry)
Pinus (pines)
Quercus (oaks)

For more details check out our guide book available on our online shop and at the ticket desk.