Established in 2019, The Mathers Foundation supports orchid conservation research and breeding. They have a dedicated site in West Sussex to house their ex-situ conservation work, which includes six of the UK’s National Plant Collections. The Foundation was recently awarded the Brickell Award by Plant Heritage for its conservation work. The Foundation has the benefit of modern glasshouses with a high degree of automation and control of their carbon-neutral heating system, shading and humidification. The initial breeding population has been largely established from the Eric Young Orchid Foundation in Jersey with further breeding stock acquired in 2020 from Ecuador and Colombia. 

They have recently completed their first round of breeding, both of species and hybrids, and they are as interested in conserving original breeding lines from the last century as well as modern plants. The Foundation is a registered charity, chaired by Gill Mathers, while the plants are grown and bred by Jim Durrant.

We are so lucky to have the chance to visit this wonderful Foundation.