The gardens at Holker are home to a number of very unusual and, in some instances, rare plants including The National Collection of Styracaceae.

The collection started over 30 years ago when Lord Cavendish inherited a modest representation of the Styracaceae family.   There was and remains a splendid specimen of Styrax japonicus; there were one or two Halesias and a very fine Styrax obassia, subsequently lost in a storm.

We were fortunate to be given the Kew form of Styrax japonicus in the mid-90s. Since then, to the collection has been added:

• S. americanus
• S. hemsleyanus
• S. japonicus “Benibana”
• S. japonicus “Fargesii”
• S. japonicus “Peak Chimes”
• S. japonicus var. Formosa (a simply brilliant plant)
• S. obassia.

There are numerous members of the Styracaceae family known to botany, but which are not capable of being grown in the British Isles.

Almost all our Styracaceae have come to us as gifts rather than through purchase.