Alongside vegetable plots and beds for therapeutic gardening, a large proportion of the orchard site is made up of The Plant Library which is set out in a grid system and includes more than 2000 varieties of herbaceous plants and low shrubs plus 500 different bulbs.

Managed by Tom Stuart-Smith Studio’s Head Gardener and funded by Tom Stuart-Smith Associates Ltd, The Plant Library is a unique collection and an educational resource for anyone interested in plants and design. Under the guidance of Head Gardener Millie Souter and assisted by the Serge Hill Project Rockcliffe Gardening Scholar, Emma Youngman, the plants are cared for by a team of wonderful volunteers. The plots are constantly edited, with the intention of forming a collection of plants that are both beautiful and useful to gardeners and designers, as well as being of benefit to schools and community groups who visit the Serge Hill Project.

In the Plant Library the emphasis is on plants that are long lived and tolerant of our increasingly warm and dry conditions. A collection of drought tolerant plants from warmer, drier climates is situated at the top of the site, planted in half a foot of sharp sand. This encourages root growth and makes the plants more tolerant of drought and cold. This part of the garden is not watered, other than to aid initial establishment.

The more shady and comparatively damp lower part of the site is home to woodland plants and others that prefer the moisture-retentive clay soil. The middle area includes plants that prefer conditions somewhere between the two extremes.

With a wide range of plant varieties and wildlife species, including sensory plants and over 350 invertebrates, the Plant Library also functions as an educational and therapeutic space for groups supported by the Serge Hill Project, including schools, charities and Gardening For Health groups.

Each group of plants has its own QR code to identify them. Members of The Plant Library have access to the online Plant Library database and can visit on Friday afternoons throughout the year.

Joining Friends of Serge Hill Project also offers the option of becoming a member of The Plant Library, with access to a database of more than 1500 different varieties of mainly herbaceous plants. This is a unique and extensive educational and well-being resource for anyone interested in plants and planting design.

• Free drop-in visits to The Plant Library every Friday afternoon
• Access to The Plant Library database
• Priority access to events at The Apple House
• Priority access to seasonal guided tours
• Subscription to newsletters from The Plant Library