Visitors will enjoy a guided tour of the glasshouses which house over 10,000 cool and warm growing orchids from around the world together with over 8,000 alpine pleiones.
During the tour, you will:
- Explore the different areas of the site including the cool house with Oncidiums, Stanhopeas and Masdevallias: the Cymbidium house with Cymbidiums and Anguloas; the Pleione tunnel; the warm house with Bulbophyllum and African orchids and the new Seedling House with with ample opportunities to take photographs
- Discover the wonderful variety of species and hybrids within the six National Collections including the new collections that arrived in 2025 and hear about how they are cultivated
- Delve into the fascinating history of some of the older hybrids whilst hearing about the way new hybrids are being made
- Observe the state of the art greenhouse technology and learn about how this enables the collection to thrive
- Have the opportunity to buy selected orchids.
The event will conclude with refreshments.
Located in Pulborough, West Sussex, The Mathers Foundation was established in 2019 to preserve and develop substantial collections of orchid species and hybrids, supporting both ex situ and in situ conservation. It holds six National Plant Collection including Oncidiums (accredited with Scientific Status) with over 1,000 different species and hybrids; Ian Butterfields' unique Pleione collection; the Hartley collections of Stanhopeas, and Bulbophyllums; the Oakeley collection of Anguloas together with a substantial collection of Cymbidiums and Masdevallias.
The Mathers Foundation is a not-for-profit charity and all tour proceeds are reinvested to support our conservation work both in the UK and overseas.
Parking is available on site and details of how to reach the nursery will be forwarded on booking. The nursery is close to Pulborough station which is the closest train station by public transport. Taxis can be booked to get to the nursery. If you need more information on location before booking please email gill@orchid.foundation.
Due to the size of the glasshouse tickets are limited to 24 people and entrance is by ticketholders only.
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