British to the very roots? Not quite

Guy Hands, chairman and chief investment officer of Terra Firma, says he hopes those who see such displays realize how many of the plants in England came from other parts of the world, including China. "And also it would help encourage people visiting China to not just see the Great Wall, but also see many of the gardens in China."

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In the 18th century, gardening was becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and as a result, demand for rare and exotic plants from different parts of the world, especially China and South America grew, Hands says.

Even so, these plant-hunting expeditions were rare because each journey would require years of travel.

Trips to remote places would put the hunters in great physical danger, especially because some of the flowers could cause them injury, and it was difficult to get medical help in remote areas.

"It wasn't safe," Hands says. "In remote places there was the risk of falling down. There were stories of plant hunters caught in quicksand who were sucked in and drowned. Others would find a rare orchid, but cut themselves and became infected. They very much had to look after themselves."

Having faced the dangers they did, the plant hunters became celebrities when they returned to England, Hands says. "People wanted to listen to their speeches and see their plants. "

Many plants sent from China to the UK survived well because most of the soil in China and the UK is acidic. Many of the plants shown at the Burncoose stand were from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Thanks to a strong gardening culture in the UK, these plants have now become an intrinsic part of British society. One reason for the popularity of gardening in the UK was the country's poor weather, which meant people took an extra interest in gardening when the sun was out, Hands says. "When they had a few days to do it, they took it seriously."

Nowadays, since British gardening is so well known and more Chinese people are interested in gardening art, Hands says, there is a good opportunity for exchanges between the two countries.

With gardening, the British may well lead the world, he says. "We do enormous amounts of garden art. So it's a good opportunity both in terms of us sourcing things in China and also Chinese sourcing things in the UK."

It is a good way to promote bilateral trade, Hands says. Hopefully Chinese tourists will come to the UK and enjoy its gardens, and English tourists will go to China and admire its gardens, he says "We are really focusing on that. So hopefully the garden center will do trade with China."

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