Kenilworth Castle has been awarded National Plant Collection status by Plant Heritage for its collection of hardy Agastache plants - a group of 50 unique cultivars of an aromatic, pollinator-friendly flower.

Known as Korean mint or giant Hyssop, their distinctive liquorice-like scent and upright spiky flowers, in a wide range of colours, from blues, to orange, to pink, and make a striking focal point in the Edwardian Garden around Kenilworth Castle's gatehouse.

Native primarily to North and Central America, Agastache are at their best between June and October.

Drought tolerant and valued for their long-lasting blooms, the Kenilworth collection is made up of hardy cultivars that can be grown outdoors throughout the winter.

Phillip Corrall, gardens supervisor at Kenilworth Castle said: "It has always been my dream to have a National Plant Collection and gathering it together has been a real labour of love, so we are delighted for Kenilworth Castle to be recognised with national plant collection status.

"At English Heritage we care for over 400 of England's most important historic buildings like Kenilworth Castle.

"We are also privileged to have a number of historic gardens at our sites, which we tend with as much love and care as the buildings and it's really rewarding to be playing our part in contributing to plant conservation."

The plants are native to North and Central America (image via English Heritage)

Kenilworth Castle's one acre walled garden was created by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester in 1575 as a love letter to Queen Elizabeth I and one time childhood friend, no expense was spared. In today's money Robert Dudley would have spent millions on his attempt to tempt the Queen into marriage.

Download our Mobile App!

This private pleasure garden which drew inspiration from the latest gardens in Italy and France, was a delight for all the senses.

The gardens were completely lost during and after the Civil War and through time were managed by various tenants and organisations. English Heritage took custodianship of the castle in 1984 and in 2009 faithfully recreated the glorious gardens.

National Plant Collections are a documented collection of a group of plants.

They can be linked botanically, geographically or historically and are recognised as contributing to plant conservation and biodiversity. The collection at Kenilworth now joins a 'living library' of plants in other gardens all over the United Kingdom and Ireland.

National plant collections can be found at other English Heritage properties too, such as Walmer Castle and Gardens in Kent which holds a national collection of snowdrops (Galanthus Greatorex Doubles) as well as Tetrapanax.

Kenilworth Castle's one acre walled garden was created by Robert Dudley (image via English Heritage)