Sibbaldia - the Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Journals)
Not a member yet
282 research outputs found
Sort by
Encouraging and Enabling a Science-Based Approach to Ecological Restoration : an Introduction to the Work of the Ecological Restoration Alliance of Botanic Gardens (ERA)
Get PDFBotanic gardens harbour many of the skills necessary for undertaking ecological restoration. This includes strong horticultural and taxonomic expertise, seed collection, conservation and propagation skills, the ability to design and lead monitoring programmes, as well as providing training and outreach to the public. This unique set of skills is rarely found within other institutions. Many of the world’s botanic gardens share a common mission: to secure plant diversity, working within the framework of national and international policies. Botanic gardens are therefore not only well-placed to lead ecological restoration initiatives, but it is their goal and responsibility to apply their knowledge, expertise and skills to addressing ecological degradation.
In recognition of this, the Ecological Restoration Alliance of Botanic Gardens (ERA) was formed in 2011, a consortium of botanic gardens applying their skills to lead successful ecological restoration initiatives in diverse habitat and cultural contexts across six continents. The ERA is coordinated by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).
This article summarises ERA progress to date, and provides a case study from Kenya, which demonstrates botanic gardens’ ability to undertake ecological restoration and highlights the value of the ERA
Botanical Garden of the University of Oslo, Norway
Get PDFThe Botanical Garden in Oslo was established in 1814 and is the oldest part of the Natural History Museum, one of the two museums of the University of Oslo. To celebrate the bicentenary, the Museum decided to launch an ambitious programme of events covering the entire year and adding several new permanent assets. This paper provides a brief history of and current information about the Garden and describes the previously existing and new features, along with a map of the Garden. The bicentenary celebrations raised the profile of the Garden enormously in Norway, and it experienced a huge increase in visitor numbers as well as extensive media coverage. The increased popularity of the Garden and the expected future rise in population in the neighbouring suburbs simultaneously challenge the Garden to satisfy the need for green space as well as providing scientifically based information which reinforces the importance of plants
Women Working in Botanic Gardens Globally : Career Barriers and Opportunities in Horticulture and Science
Get PDFThis paper represents a condensed account of a thesis produced during the author’s studies at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The body of work represents the findings from a study into the current status of the barriers and opportunities for women working in botanic gardens. The research makes a global assessment of the careers of women working presently in botanic horticulture and science, from the perspective of those women working in the industry. A survey of 29 questions was produced and distributed to over 800 botanic gardens. With responses from women working across the globe, the report measures and correlates qualitative and quantitative data from participants, assessing areas such as their educational history, opportunities in their workplace, perceived barriers and hopes for the future. The survey produced 573 responses, with women participating from all parts of the globe from the USA to Yemen, New Zealand to Brazil. The report includes an introduction, methodology, a short literature review, the significant findings and conclusions arising from the data
The British Garden : a Personal Perspective on a Year of Gardening in the United Kingdom
Get PDFThe Royal Horticultural Society/Garden Club of America Interchange Fellowship was established in 1952 and is awarded to one American and one British student annually. It was formerly known as the Martin McLaren Scholarship and was created to help encourage the exchange of ideas and information in the horticultural world. Terry Huang was selected as the American 2013–2014 Royal Interchange Fellow. His travels and placements solidified for him the important role that botanic and public gardens play as interpreters of the plant world. He describes some of his experiences and examples of excellence that he saw while in Britain. He goes on to explain that the work placements have influenced and inspired the work he does today in the Botany Greenhouse at the University of Washington
The Positive Effects on Mental Health of Visiting Botanic Gardens
Get PDFThis paper continues the Guest Essay theme on the positive contribution that experiences in gardens and nature can make to people. It draws on her own and others’ personal experiences, particularly in Chicago Botanic Garden, to demonstrate that time spent in a garden, whether as a casual visitor or as a participant in specialised horticulture therapy and education programmes, can improve mental health and physical well-being and that this is to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole. The paper finishes with a comment on the value of the scientific work carried out by botanic gardens and how this also contributes positively to mental health by empowering people to do something constructive about the ecological challenges facing society
The History of the Rock Garden at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Get PDFThe Rock Garden at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is well known and loved by alpine plant enthusiasts worldwide. This paper describes the history of the area since 1809 when it was established as the demonstration garden for the Caledonian Horticultural Society. It describes the change in horticultural fashions and techniques for growing and displaying plants, and the role that influential horticulturists have played in the history of the Garden. The paper is illustrated with maps and photographs taken throughout the period
Agapetes D. Don Ex G. Don: Jewels of the East at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Get PDFThe Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) holds a number of collections of the family Ericaceae (Conlon, 2010; 2012). One of these is the genus Agapetes D. Don ex G. Don. An overview of the literature on this genus is given with the distribution and a history of the collection at RBGE. Horticultural information for the cultivation and propagation of the genus is included
Ex Situ Conservation of Rafflesia patma BLUME (Rafflesiaceae): an Endangered Emblematic Parasitic Species from Indonesia
Get PDFPlants in the genus Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae) bear the largest flowers in the world. Almost all members of this holoparasitic plant family have limited ranges and are rare or threatened. This genus is therefore important from a scientific and conservation perspective. An ex situ conservation collection of a population of Rafflesia patma Blume has been monitored at Bogor Botanic Garden (BBG) since 2004, the first time that this has ever been done. Studies have been made, including propagation trials on both seed and vegetative material at BBG. Of all the propagation methods tested, grafting on to the host plant Tetrastigma scariosum (Blume) Planch proved to be the most successful for growing R. patma, resulting in blooming having occurred seven times since 2010. Grafting is the quickest way to propagate Rafflesia in cultivation. This cultivation process provides a new hope for the conservation of this endangered and charismatic genus. This paper describes the methods trialled including both unsuccessful techniques as well as those which resulted in blooming events
Forward Planning for Scottish Gardens in the Face of Climate Change
Get PDFThe impact of climate change and its effects on gardens has so far received limited academic attention. This paper offers a partial correction of this imbalance by investigating the potential impact of climate change on a selection of common Scottish garden plants. A climate envelope modelling approach was taken, whereby wild species distribution data were used to build climate ‘envelopes’ or descriptions of the native climates of selected species. The envelope models were projected onto future climate scenarios for Scotland, allowing observations to be made regarding the climatic suitability of Scotland, both currently and into the future, for each of the plants studied. The models and predictions for four species are described here along with strengths and limitations of the methodology. It is suggested that this approach, or variations of it, could become a useful tool in forward planning for gardens in assisting efforts to mitigate the effect of climate change
