Sibbaldia - the Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Journals)
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Botanic Garden Profile: The National Botanic Garden of Wales at 20
The National Botanic Garden of Wales celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020 with many achievements and challenges for staff, volunteers and stakeholders to reflect upon. An ambitious project since its inception, the Botanic Garden has grown from humble beginnings into an established national institution in its first two decades, with the tireless efforts of many helping it to flourish. Early proponents of the idea did much to foster others’ support, and what started as a vision shared between a small group of enthusiasts became a Millennium Commission funded project in 1996. Since opening to the public in 2000, much work has been done to create the gardens, infrastructure and teams necessary to pursue the Botanic Garden’s mission. In a climate of increasing biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, science, horticulture and education programmes have been developed which continue to make tangible contributions to the study, conservation and interpretation of plant diversity in Wales and beyond. With 568 acres (230 ha) to develop further still and world-class facilities such as the Great Glasshouse, the Botanic Garden aims to play an important role in research, conservation, education and public engagement for many years to come
Foreword
The Foreword is written by Simon Milne MBE FRSE, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. He introduces this special edition of Sibbaldia that documents the proceedings of The Sibbaldia & PlantNetwork Conference 2020. The Conference was a major event in the celebration of the 350th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), with the primary aim of promoting excellence in botanic garden horticulture. That aim was most certainly achieved thanks to the impressive line-up of speakers and their expertise, combined with the enthusiasm and interaction of all participants. The Conference was held online due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whilst in-person contact was absent, the virtual format enabled a broader range of delegates to attend.A total of 250 delegates gathered in their virtual space from 28 to 30 October to hear from ten keynote speakers in the main sessions, seven presenters in two parallel sessions and a broad range of expert practitioners in the free session, and for the grand finale – ‘Horticulture in 2020’. The themes ranged from conservation, curation and cultivation to heritage, plant health and education. The insightful papers contained within this volume artfully weave together these themes, reflecting their connectivity. The depth of botanical, horticultural and pedagogical experience is outstanding, the content of the papers reflecting the authors’ vast experience and knowledge
The cultivation of Typhonodorum lindleyanum Schott at the Royal Rotterdam Zoological & Botanical Gardens
Typhonodorum lindleyanum Schott has been cultivated in the tropical greenhouses of Rotterdam Zoo since 2018. In this article the cultivation of this species is outlined with reference to its natural environment, including propagation from seeds, planting out in a tropical water pond, the general maintenance, flowering and proposals for further study on pollination and flower anatomy
Foreword
The foreword is an introduction to volume 19 with reference to each article.
With thanks to reviewers of papers in this volume: Crinan Alexander, Leonie Alexander, Peter Brownless, Matthew Denton-Giles, Andrew Ensoll, Edeline Gagnon, Martin Gardner, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Fiona Inches, Ross Kerby, David Knott, David Rae, Helen Thompson and anonymous reviewers.
Typeset by Fakenham Prepress Solutions, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8NL
Sibbaldia procumbens: An icon redrawn
A new cover has been created for Sibbaldia the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture to commemorate the 350 Anniversary of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) in 2020. The Sibbald Trust, which supports the work of the Garden, agreed to fund the commissioning of a botanical drawing of the alpine species Sibbaldia procumbens L. to be used as the cover image for volume 20 and subsequent volumes. The drawing and accompanying colour wash overlay will become part of the RBGE Florilegium - a collection of botanical drawings that form a visual record of the Living Collection and a reflection of the scientific and horticultural interests of the institute. This article describes the process of creating a painting of a small plant with minute details. Colour images of the plant and the drawings are also reproduced
Student Project A comparison of natural & synthetic rooting hormones for vegetative propagation using Saxagothaea conspicua Lindl.
This paper examines the effects of using natural and synthetic rooting hormones for cuttings propagation. The study used Saxegothaea conspicua Lindl, a Near Threatened conifer native to Chile and Argentina. A trial was set on 80 semi-ripe cuttings of S. conspicua applying both synthetic (IBA) and natural hormones derived from willow and lentils. This study evaluates and measures the rooting success of using different types of hormones at the end of the trial (such as development of roots, length, etc). It also aims to examine the level and type of auxins found in the lentil and willow rooting solution, if present. After evaluation of results of the present trial and the wider literature, this paper discusses the potential use of this type of natural hormones in future.
This article is an extract from the author’s HND Specialist Project written for the RBGE Diploma in Horticulture with Plantsmanship in June 2018
Reducing risk to wild ecosystems in nursery production: The Nursery Biosecurity Project at Auckland Botanic Gardens, Aotearoa (New Zealand).
The implication of the nursery trade in the historic movement of the pathogen that causes kauri dieback (Phytophthora agathidicida) instigated a review of nursery biosecurity procedures at Auckland Botanic Gardens. The nursery grows 65,000 native plants a year which are planted at restoration sites throughout Auckland. Threatened plants are also grown in the nursery and returned to the wild. The biosecurity project resulted in a manual of protocols, supported by infrastructure upgrades, to enable the nursery to take all practicable steps to ensure there is as little risk as possible to natural ecosystems through nursery practices. This work also demonstrates the important role of botanic gardens in providing education and advocacy for such schemes in all nurseries
Biological controls in botanic gardens
Biological control of insect pests in horticulture is evolving rapidly but use in botanic gardens can be difficult due to the variety and extent of the plant collections held at these gardens. This paper describes examples of successful biological control of mealybug species at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and looks at some of the challenges to extending the use of such controls in all environments
Student Project Environmental influences on box blight epidemics
Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae are two recently differentiated fungal species responsible for box blight, a disease that threatens the Buxus genus. Infection can be introduced to gardens on new plants and is spread through the use of tools. The fungus survives on stem lesions and fallen leaves when spores are dispersed by rainsplash. In this study, 195 Calonectria UK isolates collected by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Advisory Service were identified to species level. Detached stem assays were performed to assess how long stem and leaf lesions remain infectious, and their sensitivity to fungicides. A survey was also carried out at three National Trust properties on the effect of clipping on box blight distribution and severity. It was found that C. henricotiae was only present in and after 2011. C. henricotiae is more thermotolerant, and the increase in prevalence may be a result of increasing temperature and longer dry spells in the UK. Sporulation could occur multiple times on both stem and leaf lesions in humid conditions, although spore production dropped markedly after six sporulation events. Fungicides were effective at preventing spore production on stem lesions. Long dry spells may also reduce Calonectria’s ability to sporulate, leading to limited box blight spread between plants
Recreation of the Edinburgh potato Solanum × edinense Berthault: A historically and economically important potato hybrid
Solanum × edinense Berthault is a spontaneously occurring hybrid between S. demissum Lindl. and the cultivated potato, S. tuberosum L., found near potato fields in Mexico. Although not described until 1911, this hybrid was in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) shortly after the Irish Potato Famine of 1845–1849 and proved to be highly resistant to late blight, Phytophthora infestans. In the mid-19th century late blight caused widespread failure of the potato crop across Europe and played a central role in the Irish Potato Famine. Using the parent species in controlled crosses we have recreated the hybrid that was named by Berthault in recognition of RBGE as the source of his plant material. We have also researched the early history of this hybrid potato in Edinburgh and demonstrated disease resistance through field exposure during the outbreak of late blight in Edinburgh in 2019. This work underlines the important role of this hybrid in the breeding of disease-resistant potato cultivars