Tag: JanuaryPage 3 of 4

Quercus robur

The aboricultural and Alpine teams tackle the removal of one of 35 large trees lost on the 3rd. Quercus robur, the Common Oak (Pedunculate Oak, English Oak) was…

Something new

Luckily the Nursery suffered less damage to its infrastructure than the main Garden. However, the skin of one of the largest tunnels was completely blown off. Fortunately, there…

Seedling growth

Temperatures reaching double figures have been a daily occurrence this month and so too through December. Even the overnight minimum does not often drop below zero. Apart from…

New life from the January 3rd. storm 19260120 Betula utilis var. utilis

Perhaps one of the most important trees lost was part of our historic Chinese collections. The original seed for this plant came from The Arnold Arboretum in the…

Devastation

“The worst storm for a decade” said the weather forecaster following a day of violent winds and heavy rain. Wind speeds in excess of 100mph were recorded in…

Storm damage

As many of you may have seen in newspapers or on the TV the RBG experienced extensive damage in the recent gales. Below are some photographs of the…

Herald the New Year

Euclinia longiflora, this tropical West African native is a deciduous small tree growing in the tropical Palm House where it appreciates a humid atmosphere. At the end of…

Banking on bloom

After the snow, there is the promise of colour to come. In the rock garden are specimens of a naturally occurring hybrid Rhododendron; Rhododendron charitopes ssp. tsangpoense x…

Picked to the bone

A cold winter puts strain on the food resources that the gardens’ bird population depends on. Capsules on the spent herbaceous flower stalks are one source of food…

Ilex pernyi

A small leaved Holly, introduced by E.H. Wilson from Sichuan province, China, during an expedition funded by the Arnold Arboretum. It grows amongst forests and woody cover in…

Fishbone fir

The image shows the shoot and branch framework exaggerated by snow cover. Abies alba, the “European Silver Fir” sprinkled with snow appears to have a fishbone structure. A…

Seed dispersal

The recent snow provided evidence of wind direction and seed dispersal. The attached images show the profuse quantity of light brown seed held in the catkins of Betula…

The pipes; the pipes.

From – 2.5ºC rising to + 4ºC; this dramatic rise in temperature over 2 hours on the morning of 9th January allowed frozen pipes to suddenly thaw. Result:…

Heavy heads succumb to the ravages of winter weather

The combination of dense wet snow and a gusting wind from the ENE caused the fragile trunk of Yucca elata growing at the corner of the fern house…

Contain that compost and nourish the soil

Much of the work to be done in the garden at this time of year produces quantities of pruning’s and other green resource material. Note the use of…

Intense scent

As January fades the heavy scent from Sarcococca confusa intensifies. A dense growing evergreen preferring the woodland edge but happy in deep shade also. Listed as origin unknown,…

Not “difformed”; but a fine form

Now well established in the Copse is the evergreen Vinca difformis. Straggly bootlace shoots are sent out over ground at a rate of knots. Occasionally rooting down at…

Lipstick and lichens

At elongated bud stage the petals of Viburnum grandiflorum have the shape and intensity of colour of a red lipstick. Holding an exceptional heady fragrance the tubular corolla…

A clean shave

Providing flowers in a sheltered glasshouse border is an Unbearded Iris. Protruding from a mass of flattened evergreen sword shaped leaves are the delicate blue flowers of Iris…

Acacia too much festive spirit

If it is exercise you need after the festive fortnight then a walk around the Garden could be just the place to fulfil this desire. Visit the cool…