27 June 2026
Vaishvi and Harriet, Lower Sixth
A visit to a seed bank may not sound like the most exciting experience for a group of teenagers but our A Level Biology trip to Wakehurst Place, home to the Millennium Seed Bank, turned out to be an insightful experience that we all thoroughly enjoyed.
On arrival, we were met by an intriguing lady named Sandy – a volunteer at the Seed Bank. Little did we know that Sandy was preparing to take us on an adventure in biodiversity as we began to learn more about the world of seeds (a world not commonly recognised for its might and lifesaving potential).
Sandy began by introducing us to various seed types and plants that have both medicinal and wider economic purposes. We nearly lost fellow biology student Maria behind the sheer scale of the coco de mer seed found in the Seychelles and couldn’t quite believe the invisible nature of orchid seeds.
For the next part of the day, we were incredibly lucky to gain access to the highly fortified and heavily controlled environment of the underground labs, which store all the preserved seeds. Dressed in our white lab coats, we explored the importance and challenges of the work going on to preserve many endangered species. It was evident that the whole team of scientists work tirelessly to maintain one of the biggest seed banks in the world, despite such challenges as the cold dry air in the giant freezers and labs, which means they (and we) cannot stay in the lab for very long.
Buzzing with the aftermath of such an exciting morning, we headed outside for the final, and more relaxed, part of the day. Sandy and her colleague Sheila took us on a conservation walk around Wakehurst’s beautiful and exotic grounds. Here we encountered many new and rare plant species, including our favourite, the Wollemi Pine, also known as the ‘Dinosaur Tree’. Sandy made us stop and think about the importance of maintaining biodiversity to protect the world.
This trip was definitely one to remember and was a highlight of our year as biologists. A huge thank you to Mrs Petty and Mr Philbin for organising everything - we truly had a fantastic day!