A nationally organized system of plant collections (public or private) would seem to have obvious benefits, but exactly what are those benefits, and to whom do those benefits accrue? Perhaps Paul Licht can answer this one. If compiling and collating data does not result in tangible improvements across collections with shared interests (both public and private), what is the point? All important collections, of whatever scale, are the result of personal dedication and effort. This is true regardless of whether the scene is a public garden or a small back yard. Abating the inevitable losses comes largely through the dissemination rather than the centralization of knowledge and materials. As G. K. Chesterton once said, "I've searched all the parks in all the cities and found no statues of committees". Dylan Hannon