Transfer of the Noël Burr Narcissus Collection to Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens
Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens is proud to welcome a significant group of heritage daffodils bred by the late Sussex plantsman Noël Burr (1930–2017).
The transfer, coordinated with Plant Heritage and Worth Park, marks an important step in strengthening the long‑term conservation of Burr’s horticultural legacy.
Burr, who registered 58 cultivars between 1978 and 2007, is celebrated for creating daffodils with a distinct regional identity. As noted in The Plant Review (March 2026), his cultivars “retain, nearly half a century after the first of them was registered, a sense of a particular time and place.” Rooted in the landscapes of East Sussex, many bear the names of Wealden villages, farms and historic sites
Worth Park has played an important role in the Noël Burr Dispersed National Collection, maintaining 12 cultivars and supporting their propagation, verification and record-keeping.
In August 2026, these cultivars were transferred to Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens, where they will continue to be cared for by newly appointed Assistant Head Gardener Stephen Peters MCIHort and the wider horticultural team.
A New Home at Leonardslee
Leonardslee’s unique microclimates and historic gardens provide an ideal setting for the continued conservation and propagation of Burr’s work.
The collection will become part of Leonardslee’s wider horticultural and educational programme, with opportunities for visitors to encounter these rare cultivars and discover more about their Sussex origins.
Stephen Peters MCIHort, who previously cared for the collection at Worth Park, said:
“It is indeed a great honour to join the team at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens as the new Assistant Head Gardener. I would like to personally thank Jamie, the horticultural team and the estate management for so warmly accommodating this group of heritage Noël Burr daffodils. These cultivars have been part of my stewardship in my previous role at Worth Park and it is deeply meaningful to see them now becoming part of Leonardslee’s living legacy. Their Sussex heritage and cultural significance deserve a strong future, and I am proud to help guide that next chapter here at Leonardslee.”
Jamie Harris, Head Gardener at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens, added:
“We are already very proud to have a full historic National Collection of Leonardslee rhododendrons here and had already been discussing options with Plant Heritage about adding further National Collections to our portfolio. The chance to take over this dispersed collection from Worth Park was therefore a fantastic opportunity and one which we are looking forward to getting involved with, particularly with their local provenance being so important.”
The arrival of the Noël Burr collection adds another chapter to Leonardslee’s long horticultural history, helping to safeguard a unique part of Sussex’s plant heritage for future generations.
