botanicgarden.wales

YrMAGAZINE FOr MEMBERS Issue 30 su mmer 2018Ardd

Growing the Future – A PROJECT FOR EVERYONE 4

Contents Highlights 8 Growing the Future Croeso

Our World-class Botanic Garden

This Botanic Garden might be relatively new in comparison to others around the world, but the skills and expertise we have here are world-class. We are delighted that international recognition has come our way this year when the Garden became one of only 12 14 six botanic gardens in the world to be accredited under a new accreditation scheme launched at the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) European conference in May 2018. The Power Members’ Congratulations to everyone who has made this possible. Our of Grasses Patch science team is conducting cutting edge research in the field of pollinators, bio-diversity and habitat restoration, and our horticulture team is conserving rare and endangered plants from around the National Botanic Garden of Wales All information correct at the time world. Notably, the conserving Welsh native plants programme will Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire of going to press. SA32 8HN be reintroducing rare plants back into the wild, as well as providing Tel: 01558 667149 Editor: Mairwen Jones advice and guidance to other organisations around the country. [email protected] Design: InglebyDavies.com botanicgarden.wales Photos: Tim Jones Photography, The BGCI places a high value on the unique skills, knowledge Common Ground, Steffan John, Bruce and data in botanic gardens, and their importance as centres of The National Botanic Garden of Wales Langridge, Will Ritchie, Col Ford/Natasha Growing the Future at the National Botanic Garden of Wales is part of the is a registered charity (no. 1036354) De Vere, Charles Stirton, Carl Stringer, Welsh Government Rural Communities-Rural Development Programme 2014- excellence in horticulture, research and education. We are proud to and is supported by the Welsh Claire Ward, © Crown Copyright (2018) 2020, which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Union. Government, National Lottery and Visit Wales; Oliveromg/Alexander Raths/ be part of a common aim that is a truly motivating force for all of Carmarthenshire County Council. Andrey Snegirev/Shutterstock.com us at the National Botanic Garden of Wales: to protect and promote

Opinions expressed within Yr Ardd biodiversity for the benefit of future generations. Follow us: are those of the contributors and do Sponsored by not necessarily reflect the views of the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Huw Francis, Director Enquiries regarding Yr Ardd should be addressed to David Hardy ([email protected]) 3 highlights

Highlights Artists at the Garden Catch up with the news and events in the Garden The exhibition which opens in July 2018, Regency Restoration: Responses, will show sculpture, textiles, collage, paintings and ceramics created by members of the Carmarthen Artists’ Network to interpret the restoration of the Regency parkland in imaginative ways. CAN artists have been working with the project for the Sealed Knot past 18 months, using the history, flora and site of the restoration This band of re-enactors of battles and skirmishes in the English Civil work to inspire them. A wallpaper War will bring the action to our Garden for two days this summer, design by Jo Moss entitled on August 11th and 12th. There will be a Living History Camp which ‘Craig of Middleton Hall’ (below) visitors can walk around, watching the various demonstrations gives you a taste of the wit and and chatting to the re-enactors and cameos will be performed creativity to be enjoyed. throughout the day, all pertaining to life in the 17th century. A talk on historical costume and other aspects of social history and a pre- battle sharing of tactics and methodology will precede the actual battle at 2pm on Saturday. Fortunately, there will be no fatalities, which means that the same number of soldiers will have another battle at 2pm on Sunday!

3 of the best from the apothecary’s garden

The British Bird of Prey Centre Opens Awesome flying displays from Pembrokeshire Falconry have long been a popular attraction at the Garden, and the opening of their specially designed British Bird of Prey Centre this summer has been an exciting development, especially for families. Husband and wife team Alex and Emma have a passion for the birds in their care and an enthusiasm that is infectious. Families or groups who have booked an ‘experience’, sometimes a half-day or even a full day, are full of praise for the way it Marigold Comfrey Fennel is organised and the opportunity they are given to have a bird fly to the Calendula officinalis Symphytum officinale Foeniculum vulgare glove. To be in such a beautiful setting for the experience means that Marigold is the herbalist’s The 13th-century Physicians Herbalists make great the photo-opportunities are unique. Many visitors will be on first name go-to first-aid plant. Used of Myddfai recommended use of fennel. It’s used to terms with these powerful creatures: among them are Midas the Golden to reduce soreness and the use of comfrey root to flavour cough medicines, to inflammation, it’s also used treat an abscess. Today’s stimulate appetite and to Eagle, Enzo the Peregrine Falcon, Chilli, Salsa, Saffron and Scarlet the Red as an anti-microbial to treat herbalists use it to heal treat conjunctivitis, rheumatic Kites and Oak the Tawny Owl. wounds, bruises and burns. shallow wounds. pains, coughs and flatulence.

4 5 highlights highlights

Transformed by Volunteers Remember the cwtsh in the Great Glasshouse where the amazing fungi exhibition was displayed? It has had a new look, thanks to a band of volunteers deft with the MIDSUMMER paintbrushes. This is now the place CONCERT to check on all the news of the Regency Restoration project. Not Many of our members love only will progress of the landscaping the performing arts almost as Carly in California be charted with photographs and much as they love gardens, drawings, but the numerous events and the annual midsummer Though she was travelling in a camper van, the highlights of a and training days will be advertised concert is a highlight not to be spring trip to California for our horticulturist Carly Green were there too. As with all the Garden’s missed. Symphonica Tywi will not the typical sun, sea and surf combination that many young initiatives, it is a project in which be celebrating the ‘Year of the Sea’ in their programme this people dream of. Carly’s focus was on ‘Conflagrations and the work of volunteers is highly year. Other musical events will Conservancy’, as she studied the effect that last year’s record- valued, and many relish the chance to learn an unexpected skill, like Little Visitors take you in other directions breaking wildfires had on the native plant communities. After fires, charcoal-making. – at the harp weekend at the many wildflowers will burst into bloom once the first rain arrives. This summer and autumn you can expect to see many, many end of June, there’s a chance Carly’s trip, funded by travel bursaries from the Merlin Trust excited little faces at the Garden. Following the success of the Welly to try the instrument and and the RHS, enabled her to visit three national forests, Angeles, Wednesdays we have been offering here during term-time for experiment with technique. Or come the August bank Sequoia and Los Padres, as well as the botanic gardens of Santa several seasons, centred on outdoor play and exploration for tots, holiday weekend, you can Barbara and Rancho Santa Ana and two native plant nurseries – Carmarthenshire County Council has awarded funding for all of enjoy the contemporary sound Las Pilitas and the Theodore Payne foundation. the playgroup and nursery groups in the county (those not based of Lowri Evans and Lee Mason, What Carly learned there about conserving native plants will in schools) to come to the Garden to enjoy the fun. In March 2018 the former a singer-songwriter be invaluable to the Garden’s work. She also made new contacts alone there were 348 young explorers here, in a total of 27 sessions. and the latter a talented to source wild-collected seeds and to exchange information. This is possible by means of the Early Years Pupil Development guitarist. Not to mention the special dance days, and Botanic gardens work well together, working out how to Grant, designed to ensure that all children, from all backgrounds, can visits by theatre companies propagate a tricky plant species, for example, and reporting on Cinema under access rich educational experiences. So it’s pond-dipping, treasure – music, dance and drama plant pathogens so knowledge of how diseases are spreading or the stars hunts and, very important, a song and story before they go home. are very much at home in the changing can be passed on efficiently. It will be no surprise if the These are surely our future members. magnificent setting provided The Garden in the dark is a crowd- by the Garden. Californian quarter of the Great Glasshouse will from now on have puller! This is the second summer a very special place in Carly’s affections. for our outdoor cinema, which has proved to be a great favourite, especially with families. The Guardian recently reported that Events Britain is in the middle of a boom in outdoor cinema, sales having tripled For full listings, take home in the last three years. Apparently or download our events people are once again being drawn leaflet atbotanicgarden. to communal viewing experiences, wales/visit/whats-on/ where there’s space and a crowd of upcoming-events/ people reacting together.

6 Californa mountain lilac Californian poppies 7 The Vision There are three strands to the project, each with messages and experiences that will hopefully make a lasting impact across the whole of Wales.

Gardens for health and well-being This is such a great message to shout from the rooftops and treetops: be happy, stay healthy, get gardening. Gardens also play an important role in the Growing health of our wider environment, such as by providing wildlife habitats and alleviating pollution. Our training courses will be all about the value of gardens for the Future growing food, keeping fit and helping the environment. Celebrating Welsh horticulture The National Botanic Garden of Wales is embarking on a five-year From specialist nurseries producing unique plants and project to champion Welsh horticulture, protect wildlife and extol the flowers, to commercial growers providing the finest virtues of growing plants for food, fun, health and well-being. fruit and vegetables. We will showcase the diversity and quality of Welsh horticultural produce through our exciting range of events. The project has received £2.3 million of funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Horticulture for the future Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European A bright future for gardens, wildlife and the planet Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh can be encouraged by developing networks between Government. It follows on from the Botanic Garden’s successful horticulture and science and the Botanic Garden is Growing the Future pilot scheme. ideally placed to connect these two disciplines. The Leading the project is the Botanic Garden’s Head of Science, Garden’s ground-breaking research on plant-pollinator Dr Natasha de Vere. She said: “This new project is fantastic interactions – finding out which plants are important news for the Garden, for horticulture and for Wales. Gardens for pollinators throughout the year – is a great and gardening are part of our way of life and have an incredible example of the potential for scientific knowledge to amount to offer in terms of health and fitness, as wildlife habitats be transferred to our gardens. We will be developing and as places to secure our food supply. Growing the Future will an ‘assurance scheme’ backed up by evidence from our look at all of these aspects with a special focus on training and pollinator research so that a wide variety of Wales- engagement.” grown and sustainably-produced plants can become Six of the seven Growing the Future staff are now in post: official ‘Plants for Pollinators’. Dr Ian Mugford (project co-ordinator), Dr Kevin McGinn (science officer), Lynda Christie (beekeeper and ecosystem trainer), Steffan John (marketing and events officer), Delyth Edwards (finance and admin officer) and Katie Barrett (horticultural trainer for children).

8 MEDICINES IN MAY The first themed weekend in the project, Medicines in May, coincided with the re-opening of the Apothecary’s Garden and LEARNING A LITTLE highlighted the crucial role plants have played over several centuries in treating ailments in the human body. Expert We would like to engage as gardeners were on hand to show visitors how to grow their own many people as possible with our healthy plants whilst walks, talks, trails and a bit of fun in the Growing the Future project. We vintage pharmacy made the subject of health and well-being got off to a great start at the RHS Cardiff show in April 2018 with accessible to all. Other special GTF weekends in the calendar are our welcoming botanical kitchen Gardening with Wildflowers in June, the Pollinator Weekend in stand. Planting up a terrarium in July and the Orchid Festival in September. a jam jar is an achievable piece of gardening for anyone, and it SCIENCE IN OUR GARDENS proved a very popular activity with all ages. On an even smaller scale, Back in the spring, researcher Lucy Witter was busy planting trial growing cress in eggshells was an plots of seed mixes, up near the bandstand. Her aim? To find out idea that many visitors and their which flowers wild pollinators such as hoverflies, bumblebees children loved. and solitary bees will favour. Their numbers are declining and Giving people confidence to grow gardeners can do much to halt that decline by providing the plants is an important aim for best plants for them and by creating areas for nesting and us, so we will continue to reach hibernation. Her findings will soon be available and help to out to would-be gardeners at a develop our Plants for Pollinators Assurance Scheme. wide variety of events already in COURSES our calendar. They include Tafwyl Beekeeper Lynda Christie has embarked on a whole range of Music Festival in Cardiff and the bee-related courses. On the menu are beekeeping taster days, Royal Cornish Show Parade in a beekeeper practical series (one day per week for five weeks) June, the Royal Welsh Show at Taking ideas home Builth Wells in July, the National and a course on how to make your own cosmetics using honey, Eisteddfod and the Anglesey beeswax and botanical ingredients. The importance of bees Returning visitors will be delighted horticulture. There are plenty of Agricultural Show in August. and other pollinators is certainly better understood as we do to see the progress in the lovely ideas which can be copied in even Steffan John, busy with leaflets more research and share our knowledge. garden that was created during the smallest garden. and marketing campaigns, We have a great range of horticultural courses coming up, the Growing the Future pilot says, ‘The shows will be a great including: ‘Planting Design for Beginners’, ‘Happy Herbs’ and project at the Garden. Volunteers The excellent greenhouse was chance to let everyone know ‘Plants for Free’. There are also courses linking horticulture and Alison and Peter have continued impressively full throughout the about our courses and events. botany such as ‘Understanding Plant Families’ which will help to maintain it and for the new winter with salad crops. This year GTF years are joined by volunteers the cold, wet weather delayed If you are visiting, please come you identify garden plants by recognising plant families. and say hello!’ Angie and Lee. The aim is to planting out but eventually beds continue the garden as a beautiful were refilled, continuing the mix See more details at: botanicgarden.wales/visit/whats-on/ place where adults and children, of flowers – to attract pollinators category/growing-the-future/ experienced gardeners and and add colour – and edibles. New beginners, can all learn about features being tried this year are a three sisters (sweetcorn, squash and a legume) mix in one bed, edible flowers in another and more of the unusual edibles in another. Would you know how to enjoy callaloo, oca, dahlia yams and yacon? Volunteers will have ideas for recipes! Growing the Future at the National Botanic Garden of Wales is part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities- Rural Development Programme Yacon 2014-2020, which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Union. 10 11 Nasturtium Reed canary grass Phalaris arundinacea Zebra grass Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ Oat Avena sativa

important topic. This Power of Grasses trail will challenge you to change your thinking. The Power of Grasses Take Miscanthus for example. Miscanthus x giganteus is Did you know that Wales is a world leader on grass research? a giant of the grass world and grows at an astonishing rate – over 3 metres in a Welsh summer. It looks great, too – you’ll Nor did our Head of Interpretation, Bruce Langridge, until he come across many ornamental varieties around the Garden. started working on a project with Dr Elaine Jensen. Miscanthus is a highly productive and sustainable grass that recycles its own nutrients, eliminating the need for fertiliser. Just 3 hectares of it can produce the equivalent of 10,000 Elaine is a plant scientist at Aberystwyth University’s world- litres of oil per year (~100,000 kWh). IBERS is looking at ways class research and teaching Institute of Biology, Environmental to use Miscanthus for electricity production, construction, and Rural Sciences (IBERS). Some of the world’s biggest global animal bedding, packaging, and plastic replacements. challenges are food and energy security, sustainability, and the Oats are far more modest. IBERS has been creating impacts of climate change. Elaine was keen to work with the commercially successful cultivars of oat for over 100 years Garden because she wants more people to know about the and so the work is ongoing. The latest varieties are being fascinating research IBERS is doing to address these very concerns. bred to increase meat and milk production in animals, and The result of our collaboration is a new trail around the Garden reduce losses of nitrogen to the environment. that tells the story of the research IBERS is doing on grasses. Centred on a plot in the Double Walled Garden (DWG), close to TOUGHER THAN CONCRETE Plas Pilipala, the trail will take you around the Slate Beds, Bamboo has a greater resistance to compression than Broadwalk, Biomass Boiler, Aqualab and Apothecary’s Hall. concrete, and its tensile strength rivals steel. Pretty amazing Chinese silver grass Try telling a friend or relative that you’re going to talk to for a humble grass plant. IBERS is working with Welsh Miscanthus sinensis them about grasses and the chances are they will look at you company Eco-Sphere on a number of bamboo-based projects nervously. But once you get an understanding of the role that to develop fully compostable and disposable products that Bamboo - versatile and grasses can and do play in improving our lives, it becomes a truly won’t go to landfill. compostable

12 13 Members' patch

Twenty Years of Volunteering It is with great pleasure that we pay tribute to two volunteers who are celebrating twenty years of helping the Garden with regular voluntary work. Brian James and Martin Hens, what would the gardeners have done without you? Though both these life members of the Garden have helped out wherever needed, doing some tour-guiding, buggy-driving and grass-cutting, Martin and summer diary dates Purple moor grass Molinia caerulea Ryegrass Lolium perenne Brian both stress that ‘weeding and cutting back’ are the major and ongoing jobs for them. Martin describes himself as ‘a compulsive June 15 Bob Edwards, Volunteer weeder’, while Brian, the chrysanthemums grower, is fond of Leader in the Apothecary Hall, Reed canary grass Phalaris arundinaceae is able to grow in planting, taking cuttings and preparing for the plant sales. will be giving an illustrated some very tough conditions. IBERS is looking into its tolerance talk on his favourite subject – Poisonous Plants of land contaminated with lead and zinc, a legacy from Wales’s Apothecary’s garden mining history. The aim is to restore barren land to productivity Recently Brian helped plant the new Apothecary’s Garden which July 17 Coach trip to world whilst reducing the amount of contamination entering our brought back memories of a rescue mission many years ago, when famous 180 acres Sir Harold nation’s rivers. he was sent to Cardiff to an old chemist’s shop to retrieve items of Hiller Gardens, Romsey, Hampshire. High sugar ryegrass Lolium perenne, bred at IBERS, furniture and splendid vials, pestles and mortars – which you can increases milk production in dairy cattle and weight gain in still see today in the Apothecary’s Hall. September 21 Neil Barry, meadow DAY sheep and cows. What’s more, livestock fed with these high Though both volunteers are retired, there’s gardening to do at horticulturist, plantsman, Everything you might want to sugar grasses release 24% less nitrogen in their urine, and 20% lecturer, will be giving an home as well. Martin, who has moved back to his native Swansea, know about managing your less methane, a gas that has 20-25 times the global warming illustrated talk on The Plant is currently waiting for an allotment to become available, where meadow will be under discussion potential of carbon dioxide. Hunters. on Sunday, July 1st. On Cae Blaen he will no doubt continue his war against hairy bittercress – before For times, venues, cost of trips field there will be traditional it seeds. This year Brian grew vast numbers of chrysanthemums or to book places, contact scything, farm machinery, advice BETTER TENNIS from cuttings in his own propagators at home and planted them Jane Down: jane.down@ on wildflower cultivation and much Part of the DWG Power of Grasses display looks just like lawn. up in the Garden in May – the glories will follow in the autumn gardenofwales.org.uk more. The Garden’s partner for Although lawns were first developed in the 13th century, it the day will be PONT Cymru – an was the demands of 20th century golfers for nice tidy golf Chrysanthemum Show. organisation which promotes courses that first inspired sports turf research. Plant breeders better understanding of grazing for at IBERS have developed new varieties of amenity grasses for ambassadors all year round the benefit of wildlife, landscape rugby, golf, football, tennis and lawns. These have been used From helping at craft and food fairs or the Christmas pantomime and cultural heritage. in several world-class venues – Roger Federer has probably to representing the Garden in shows such as Chelsea and the Royal played at Wimbledon on turf developed at Aberystwyth! The Welsh, these two stalwarts have done so much. The social element display in our walled garden is managed by our long-standing of volunteering has brought horticulturist Martin Knowles. great enjoyment to them The Power of Grass trail is sponsored by Aberystwyth both and, without a doubt, University’s BEACON project, which helps Welsh businesses they have passed on that develop new ways of converting plant material (biomass) and joy. So thank you, Brian, waste streams into products, in a process known as biorefining. ‘Grass Rooter’ since 1998, BEACON is part-funded by the European Regional Development and thank you, Martin – Fund through the Welsh Government. To follow the trail pick everyone appreciates a man up a leaflet at the DWG display – you can also find out more at who can say, ‘I specialise in Life members: Brian www.powerofgrasses.org being an elf’. James and Martin Hens

14 15 diolch diolch Mae angen eich help ar Abigail, Laura a Lucy, tair ymchwilwraig sy’n ymchwilwraig tair a Lucy, Mae angen eich help ar Abigail, Laura y doethuriaeth. Maent ar drywydd ar gyfer ni yn yr Ardd astudio gyda i les byd sy’n creaduriaid gwbl hanfodol llwglyd, i beillwyr blodau gorau gyfrannu Mae modd i chi natur ac sy’n er mawr bryder. prinhau yn gyflym, Our Pollinators’. i ‘Help Save – ewch ar JustGiving yn sicr bod eich aelodaeth a’ch fod Elusen yw’r a gallwch Ardd yma. hanfodol a chadwraeth wyddoniaeth chi’n cefnogi’r cyfraniadau researchers here at the Garden, at the Garden, here our Ph D researchers and Lucy, Abigail, Laura for hungry pollinators, find the best flowers help to need your and the of gardens the future to vital which are creatures support the research, to like would of our planet. If you welfare Pollinators’. Our for ‘Help Save JustGiving – search find us on membership and support – your is a charity T he Garden T hank you. and conservationenables our vital science work.