Author: Robyn DrinkwaterPage 11 of 33
Tomato breeders eat your heart out; a naturally occurring square flower. Philadelphus schrenkii a native to Eastern and Northern Asia is flowering profusely in the Biodiversity Garden. Vigorous…
Giant Water Lily Victoria amazonica Family: Nymphaeaceae Description: The upper surface has a rather quilted appearance. The purplish-red under surface has a network of ribs, clad in abundant…
On the hot hillsides of Crete Elspeth saw the potential of Silene italica. A feature of the Mediterranean macchi or its poorer relative the garigue scrub vegetation it…
Now is the time to be cutting hedges for the first time this season. Where a formal appearance is required then trim using sharp hand shears. The fastigiated…
Gaultheria hookeri, a mass of prostrate evergreen twiggy growth that covers mountainsides and as undergrowth to Rhododendron species in the Himalayas and Western China. It is now flowering…
The late flowering Primula kisoana hails from Japan. A crossing of cultures; the title refers to Burns most recorded song probably well aired in Japan. P. kisoana is…
Continuing the centuries old tradition of plant collecting, staff from RBGE travelled to Japan in 2005 and collected seed. Returning to the Garden this was sown, nurtured and…
The genus Ribes includes the species that provide red, white and blackcurrants, also showy species of spring flowering shrubs that are found in many gardens. Ribes longeracemosum tucked…
Opening in a blaze of glory in late April the foliage of Aesculus turbinata was as red as hot embers in the centre of a November night bonfire….
Dappled shade, a woodland glade and signs of growth as the light spring foliage unfurls and catches the light. The pink colours are set alight and highlighted by…
First discovered by Delavey in 1844 it was not until 1910 that seed was collected by George Forrest in Yunnan Province, China and plants of Rhododendron lacteum then…
The mature specimens of Maytenus boaria seen in the garden are laden with flower buds. As these open the four yellow anthers are prominently displayed proud of the…
With leaves unfurling and flower buds poised to burst Viburnum buddlejifolium is an open growing wide spreading semi evergreen shrub native to Central China. In its present stage…
The extended cold has taken a toll on clay pots. These pots are absorbent and susceptible to freezing and thawing temperatures. Dependant on the kiln temperatures when fired…
Clumping over a mound in the rock garden is a sturdy plant, Arctostaphylos pumila, an evergreen shrub of the Ericaceous family. It is endemic to a small area…
Last week saw driving snow storms, freezing temperatures overnight and bright sun leading to a rapid thaw early on in the day. Some plants thrived; it was the…
Hellebore seed gifted from a contact in Belgium was sown six years ago in the nursery. The resultant seedlings were grown on and flowered for the first time…
This plant is worth a closer look as the buds expand and the embryo foliage emerges from tight buds. Specimens of Viburnum furcatum are planted near the upper…
Flowering in the alpine house at the Garden is a collection of Primula allionii. One specimen collected, as seed; from limestone cliffs in the French Maritime Alps is…
Bamboo Bambusa vulgaris Family: Poaceae Bamboos are essentially a group of toughened grasses. Botanically known as Bambusa vulgaris, it is described as an open, clump type bamboo species…