Publications
The Garden
January 2004
RHS News
Snowdrop seminar
The RHS Joint Rock Garden Plant Committee has organised a series of lectures about snowdrops and other popular bulbous plants.
Speakers include John Grimshaw, who will talk about the controversial proposal to split Leucojum (snowflakes) into two genera; and Chris Brickell, who will discuss snowdrops in the Caucasus.
Plant-hunter Raanveig Wallis will provide a survey of snowflake species in the wild, followed by Matt Bishop, who explains why there are still many more cultivars of snowdrop to be named.
In the afternoon Joe Sharman will discuss the increasing range of yellow-marked cultivars and Ronald Mackenzie will explain how to propagate these sometimes rare and expensive bulbs.
The event will conclude with a lecture by Alan Street on his 10 best cultivars, and Wol Staines will discuss how to use snowdrops in the garden. A wide range of snowdrops will be on display during the day and there will be an exhibition of relevant material in the RHS Lindley Library.
The symposium will take place between 10.30am and 5.30pm on 18 February 2004 at the RHS Conference Centre, Greycoat Street, London.
Tickets cost £15 including coffee and tea. To book a place please contact 020 7821 3408. For more information click here
Big steps help plants stem the flow
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Visitors to RHS Garden Rosemoor may be intrigued to find some unusual timber structures on the steep slopes of the Woodland Garden. It has proved difficult to establish plants in this area as heavy rain tends to scour away the thin soil. To overcome this, gardening staff have built timber barriers on the sides of the hill, to form level planting areas. The structures should become overgrown in time and merge into the woodland.
Image: Stephen Record |
Planting continues at lake
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At RHS Garden Harlow Carr the programme of planting around The Queen Mother’s Lake is continuing with marginal planting (left). The selection of plants at the water’s edge includes eight cultivars of Iris including I. laevigata ‘Regal’ and I. versicolor ‘Kermesina’, two Pontederia, P. cordata forma albiflora and ‘Blue Spires’, Monochoria hastata and Orontium aquaticum. Cultivars of astilbe, hosta and lythrum will also be added to the herbaceous areas of the lakeside.
Image: Allison Williams |
New entry policy
With effect from 1 January 2004 members (individual RHS membership holders) visiting RHS Garden Wisley will be able to bring one guest free of charge throughout the year. Previously members were able to bring two guests on Sundays from November until the end of February.
Dieback found
Phytophthora ramorum has been found for the first time at one of Society’s gardens.
The Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate has confirmed the disease on a Viburnum x bodnantense growing on Battleston Hill at RHS Garden Wisley. The plant and the surface soil surrounding it has been removed and destroyed. An area 10m (33ft) in radius has been fenced off. Jim Gardiner, Curator of Wisley, said; ‘We are following all recommendations and aim to minimise the risk of spread to other plants in the garden. The area immediately around the infected plant will not be accessible to visitors until further notice but the rest of the garden will be unaffected.’
Wine grapes for château Wisley
The new vineyard at RHS Garden Wisley will be planted this spring (see News, December 2002, p905).
The RHS Fruit Department has selected two white grape cultivars, Vitis ‘Phönix’ and ‘Orion’. These were both bred in Germany for northern European climates and produce grapes with reasonable levels of sugar after an average European summer.
They are expected to produce a good quality wine, and have high levels of resistance to both downy and powdery mildews. The 800 vines that have been ordered will be trained using the popular double-Guyot system.
Safety advice
The photograph of a chainsaw operator published in Help & Advice, Dec 2003, p935 was misleading. The RHS always advocates the use of full protective clothing when using such equipment, and would not suggest using a chainsaw above chest height. For further information, the Health and Safety Executive publish an online guide at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg317.pdf
Bigger pavilion
The Society has revealed its plans for the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show.
Among the most important developments is the decision to replace the East and West Pavilions with a single new structure made out of high-tech polyester. The new pavilion will have an interior space of approximately 12,000sq m (130,000sq ft), equivalent to the size of two football pitches.
The exhibitors in the Life Long Learning category will now join more than 100 floral displays in the new pavilion.
The replacement of two old pavilions with a single structure will allow Northern Road to be made wider and means more show gardens can be sited there. It should also help reduce congestion.
Apples flower earlier
Records collected at Wisley show that many apples now flower earlier than they did in the 1950s.
Jim Arbury, Superintendent of the RHS Fruit Department, says: ‘The apples appear to be flowering earlier, but it is variable. Some cultivars flower several weeks earlier, many around 10 days earlier, while others appear unaffected.’
Latest addition to series is Spiraea
Diana Miller, Keeper of the RHS Herbarium at Wisley, has written the latest RHS Plant Trials and Awards bulletin, entitled Spiraea japonica cultivars with coloured leaves. This full-colour a4-sized 8pp booklet describes the four-year trial carried out by the Woody Plant Trials Sub-committee.
Three Award of Garden Merit cultivars are described in detail, and outline descriptions are provided for a further 14. The booklet also provides advice on how to cultivate Spiraea japonica selections and the outcome of the trials.
For a copy, send a self-addressed envelope (to take an A4 booklet) and six first-class stamps (not fixed to the envelope) to: The Trials Office, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB, quoting the code SPI.
Bulletins on Potentilla, Lavandula and Canna are also available; the next bulletin, on Delphinium, will be published in June.
To download pdf versions of each bulletin click here
Seed distribution scheme
Seed lists are available either by sending a stamped sae to: Seed Application, RHS Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB. Please ensure completed orders and remittances are returned by Thursday 15 January 2004.
Bind The Garden
A binding service is available for copies of The Garden.
One volume of 12 issues can be hardcase bound in dark green buckram, embossed with the RHS crest. The cost of this service is £36.35 (plus £9.80 for UK p&p).
Contact: Period Bookbinders, Tollbridge Road, Tollbridge Road, Batheaston, Bath
BA1 7DF. Tel: 01225 858217.
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