Visits

The combined visit by the Friends and local Plant heritage Group to Binny Plants resulted in 20 people booking. This number made hiring a coach economically possible. Great strides have been made since the Friends' last visit. The two groups united again when we visited Madeleiene Tinsen's garden in Perth to see the Chris North lilies originally developed at SCRI. Due to the lack of sunshine only two varieties were in bloom. This was a spectacular garden enjoyed by 19 people many of whom car-shared. 
Both groups felt that combined outings were the way forward. - one organised by each group. the first of which will be next March when we will go to see the Plant Heritage National Collection of Aloes and Gasteria, held in the Winter Garden, Aberdeen. There we will meet up with those gardeners whom we entertained in Dundee when they visited us in May this year. The numbers should be suffient to organise a coach. 

Report of Meeting

At the meeting of 23rd May the Friends welcomed the statement by Jim McGeorge. Secretary to the University.
"Following the University's affirmation of its continued commitment to its Botanic Garden and the re-establishment of the Advisory Group in 2010, considerable work has gone into developing a new vision for the Garden focussed on supporting the University's educational research and public engagement activities and acting as a key point of interaction between the University and the local and national communities.

The vision forsees the the creation of a 'Horticultural Development Plan' to provide the focus for future investment and fundraising to support the work of the Garden in conserving the natural environment and hosting ex-situ conservation programmes; and a 'Capital and Commercial Plan' to enhance the infrastructure of the Garden in ways that increase its attractiveness as a visitor destination and/or generate additional commercial revenues."


The summary of the Friends' spending during the last year and the report on the background to the Endowment Trust that were presented at the meeting are availble as pages in this blog.

Plant Sale

The suns shone and Saturday's sale organised by the Friends
was a great success,

raising approximately £1000 for the Garden.

Ready, steady.....

GO!

Friends' Meeting

A meeting will be held on Wednesday, 23rd May at 7.0 PM in the Education Centre to update Friends on the progress towards establishing an Endowment Trust for the Garden The form is expected to be short presentations on behalf of the Trust and the University to explain how the Trust fits in with the strategic plans for the Garden, followed by a period for questions and discussion.
There will also be an opportunity to see the proposals for redesigning the front entrance to the Garden.

Plant Sale

The sale will take place on the afternoon of

Saturday, 12th May from 2 - 4 PM

For further informations and plant donations please phone

01382 665719

Dates for 2012

Date	Event	Speaker
12th May	Plant Sale	2 - 4 pm Botanic Garden
16th May at 2.0 pm	Guided tour of  Riverside Nature Park
23rd May	Update on Endowment Trust Evening meeting	7.0 PM at the Education Centre
9th or 10th June	Outing to Binny Plants &  Gardens	details to be confirmed
Ist July	Outing to Madeleine Tinson at Parkkhead  House, Perth, to see the Chris North Lilies	with Plant Heritage provision cost £6
12th September , evening	AGM
17th October, evening	Bulbs of Asia Minor Evening lecture	Michael Almond

Free Talk

There is a talk in the D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum  on Tues 14 February at 6pm when Alan Elliott of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh will speak about the pioneering botanists of Angus.

The early 19th century saw a number of botanists that, despite their humble roots in Angus, had a major impact on the horticultural and botanical world. This talk explores some of these extraordinary characters and the fascinating plants they found from their explorations in Africa, Australia, the Americas and closer to home.  

Refreshments will be served after the talk. Please enter by the main front door of the Carnelley Building.

Wednesday, 15th February at 7.0 pm in the Education Centre
The Importance of Bees - a talk by Gavin Ramsay of the James Hutton Institute.

Everyone welcome - we appreciate a small donation (£2) from non-members.

Note: This year the date of the Friends' AGM is changing from May to September. There will be further information about the change along with details of a possibility of paying subscriptions on line in the next Newsletter.

Questionnaire

In response to one of the comments on the Friend's questionnaire, a list of the current committtee members has been posted.

The questionnaire will be availblee at the Visitor's Centre so it you missed it at the West End Christmas Week Fayre please take the time to fill one in.

I just thought I should let you know that our apple pressing activity on Wednesday 5th October went well. We had a good few visitors and plenty of apples to press. The juice was interesting to sample! Some people brought their own apples in, pressed them and took the juice home which was great. I hope to encourage this more next year and have the press available in 2 hour slots over the course of a week where people can use the equipment for a small charge.

I hope in the next year or so to plant an orchard in the Botanic Garden and I am in the process of looking into funding. This is always time consuming and difficult. Perhaps there is some one who can help!

Autumn Lectures

Check out the new seasnon's talks!

Autumn

Committee meeting have resumed and the minutes of the July meeting ( remember summer?) are now posted. The Newsletter will be out at the end of the month with details of our programme this session.

Meanwhile although the Taste of Autumn Event proposed for 8th October has been cancelled The Garden is hosting Juicy Wednesday on the 5th.

Dundee Fruit and Flower Show

Friends welcome visitors to the Botanic Garden display at the
Dundee Fruit and Flower Show

Exhibition

Sarah's talk prompted some interesting discussion from the sizable audience who visited her exhibition and sampled her picnic last Sunday. Happily for us, her screen prints will remain with the Garden, You can see some of them in detail on her blog (scroll down the RH column for the address.) 

PS: The transcript of her talk is now also on her blog.

Exhibition, talk and picnic

The Same Green

your rice field
my rice field
the same green
Sarah Gittins, artist in residence, is holding an exhibiton of her work from 10th - 17th July ending with a talk followed by a picnic on Sunday, 17th July from 2 - 4 pm.

Visit this site for more events in Dundee's Live Art and Performance Festival:
http://www.d-air.org/dundee-live

Dundee Flower and Fruit Festival

This year the show takes place on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th September at Camperdown Park.
We need volunteers to help host the Friends' stall. For two hours on the stall you will be given free entry to the show for the day.
Please fill in you name and telephone number against the appropriate day and time in the rota in the YELLOW Folder in the Visitors' Centre. The pass will be sent to you nearer the time.

Not the Antiques Road Show

but an opportunity to to have your antiques and collectables valued and identified when Bonhams visit the Garden on Friday, 17th June , between 11.0 am and 3 .0 pm.
Tickets will be available at the Visitors' Centre - £5 for one item and £10 for three.  Profits from the evend will go the Endowment Trust for the Garden.

Tempest tickets now on sale

Just to let you know that the above tickets are now available at the Garden office.

Botanic Garden Fun Run

As part of the 40th aniversary there will be a fun run on the 15 of June. A slower run will start at 6.30 with a faster one at 7.30. Pre enter at the Garden which will cost you £5.

This is a 5K run>

AGM

About 40 people braved the weather and attended the AGM,  In her thanks to the committee Frances mentioned particularly the contibutions made by the retiring members, Glyn, Hugh, and Sylvia.
A copy of Frances's full report will be posted on FUDGB.