Plant of the Month June 2018

Fraxinus ornus (Flowering Ash, Manna Ash)
Family: Oleaceae
Origin: S Europe, SW Asia
Accession: 1978
Location: Beside native hillside

Fraxinus ornus is a small, round-headed deciduous tree 10-15m in height, with deep green, pinnate leaves and showy panicles of fragrant creamy-white flowers in early summer. It is suitable for drier, calcareous soils, and is frequently grown as an ornamental tree in Europe. It is susceptible to ash dieback, but while this fungus poses a serious threat to other European ash species, F. ornus does not appear to be a natural host of the pathogen. In the past it was cultivated for its sap, and an extract of the sap, mannitol, was used commercially as a sweetener and for producing medicine. Today mannitol can be produced synthetically, and traditional manna production has declined, continuing in just a few rural areas of Sicily.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

The Garden 5k Fun Run proved very successful and was enjoyed by all. Images for the event can be found here.

The time for each runner is given below (let us know if you think there are errors):

number time
1 34.34
2 46.35
3
4 34.35
5 47.57
6
7 46.23
8 36.45
9 35.2
10 34.33
11 34.33
12 35.21
13 34.21
14 29.3
15 43.13
16 28.04
17
18 38.23
19 34.36
20 35.09
21 46.35
22 38.11
23 31.53
24 36.45
25
26 37.24
27 37.19
28 33.48
29 38.23
30 56.09
31 33.59
32 31.55
33 32.39
34 29.32
35
36
37 38.11
38 36.08
39 37.33
40 56.1
41 43.13
42 33.59
43 31.09
44 22.51
45 22.51
46 31.09
47 29.30
48 25.27
49 28.31
50 30.02
51 24.45
52 24.35
53 23.47
54 24.28
55 23.41
56 21.34
57 19.14
58 22.19
59 20.01
60 29.05
61 23.08
62 26.55
63 19.14
64 37.1
65 37.1
66 26.57
67 31.44
68 18.57
69 24.56
70 29.54
71 35.06
72 34.5
73 24.27
74 22.14
75 29.37
76 20.04
77 19.41
78 17.37
79 32.27
80 18.15
81 27.04
82 27.42
83 27.17
84 27.17
85 29.37
86 23.45
87 42.57
88 42.57
89 42.57
90 24.28
91 33.44
92 34.5
93 34.5
94 25.07
95
96 23.47
97 35.15
98 50.5
99 23.36
100 50
101 31.16
102 37.43
103 37.43
104 21
105 35.22
106 35.22
107 40.38
108 26.07
109 44.27
110 44.27
111 26.43

Plant of the Month May 2018

Trillium grandiflorum (wake robin)
Family: Melanthiaceae
Origin: Eastern North America
Location: The Americas

T. grandiflorum is a vigorous rhizomatous perennial forming a large clump of erect stems each carrying a whorl of three broadly ovate leaves and a solitary terminal flower up to 10cm across, with three recurved white petals turning pinker with age. Like many forest perennials, it is a slow growing plant. Its seeds require double dormancy, meaning they normally take at least two years to germinate. Due to its popularity as a garden plant it has been heavily collected from the wild, leading to conservation concerns in some of its native areas. It grows best in deep, moist but well-drained, humus-rich, preferably acid to neutral soil in deep or partial shade.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

Plant of the month April 2018

Helleborus foetidus (stinking hellebore)
Family: Ranunculaceae
Origin: central & Southern Europe
Accession: 1983
Location: near the Evolution Garden

This evergreen perennial grows to 80cm tall and 100cm across, with thick succulent stems, glossy palmate leaves, and drooping yellowish-green cup-shaped flowers in spring. The five petal-like sepals contain numerous stamens, as well as up to ten nectaries, which make them attractive to bees and other insects. Each flower produces up to five seed follicles. Despite its common name, it is not noticeably malodorous, although the foliage is pungent when crushed. It prefers a deep, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and dappled shade, though it is also drought-tolerant. All parts of the plant are poisonous.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

Plant of the month March 2018

Rhododendron smithii
Family: Ericaceae
Origin: Himalayas
Accession: 1985
Location:  Asia

This rhododendron specimen was collected by George Sherriff in one of his plant-collecting expeditions to the Himalayas, and planted in his garden at Ascreavie, Kirriemuir. After the deaths of Major and Mrs. Sherriff (in 1967 and 1978), the property was sold on, and in 1983 many of the rare rhododendrons were donated to the Dundee Botanic Garden. This is an early-flowering, long-lasting scarlet rhododendron, similar to R. barbatum, but with indumentum on the leaf undersides.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

Plant of the Month February 2018

Abutilon x hybridum 'Ashford Red'

Family: Malvaceae

Origin: Garden

Accession: 1981

Location: Temperate Glasshouse

Abutilon is a large genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, distributed through the tropics and sub-tropics of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. ‘Ashford Red’ is a hybrid cultivar which can flower all winter in a cool glasshouse. It needs a minimum winter temperature of 5°C. It is a semi-evergreen shrub up to 3m in height, with pendant bell-shaped flowers up to 6cm long. It can be susceptible to glasshouse pests including whitefly and red spider mite.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

The Garden staff have prepared a series of workshops over the spring and summer, starting in February.
They include eg rose pruning, tool maintenance, slab laying and guided walks in the Garden.

These are all bookable through Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ 
For a full list go to Eventbrite, type Dundee as your location and Botanic Garden as the category, and select the workshop you are interested in.

The first two are in February.

Tool maintenance workshop

Tuesday 13^th February 2-3pm

https://www . eventbrite . co . uk/e/tool-maintenance-workshop-tickets-42559499609?aff=efbeventtix

Diana Robertson was a successful Head Gardener for the National Trust Scotland. Her workshop will focus on tool maintenance and provide you with an insight to the essential skills needed for sharpening secateurs.

It is advised that you wear suitable outdoor clothing and bring a waterproof jacket, depending on the weather. Some of this workshop will take place indoors.

Rose Pruning Workshop

Tuesday 27^th February 2-3pm

https://www . eventbrite . co . uk/e/rose-pruning-workshop-tickets-42562509612?aff=erelpanelorg

Diana Robertson's workshop will focus on rose pruning and the care that is needed for these wonderful plants prior to the rose season.

It is advised that you wear suitable outdoor clothing and bring a waterproof jacket, providing on the weather. Some of this workshop will take place indoors.

Sunday 4th February 2018
2pm in the Education Centre in the Garden


Talk by Gavin Broomhall: The Garden of Remembrance at RM Condor. How the garden was formed and the ethos of what has been created, plus a history of the original house and garden before the MOD took it over.

     

Friends' 5k fun run - Ease into '18

Moments...

The leading runners...

The start...

A collection of images can be found here.

Many thanks to all who attended and see you next year.

Plant of the month January 2018

Fitzroya cupressoides (Patagonian Cypress)
Family: Cupressaceae
Origin: Chile, Argentina
Accession: 2007
Location: Americas

 Fitzroya cupressoides is the largest tree species in South America, native to the temperate rain forests in the Andes of Chile and Argentina, where it grows in poorly-drained volcanic or sandy soils, up to 40–60m in height and 5m in diameter. It was named by Darwin after Captain Fitzroy of HMS Beagle. In 1993 a specimen from Chile was found to be 3622 years old, making it the second oldest living tree species. Heavy logging in the 19^th and 20^th centuries for its valuable timber, and clearance by fire for agriculture, has led to its current endangered (Red List) conservation status.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

Botanic Garden New Year Fun Run 2018

Plant of the month December 2017

Carica papaya (Pawpaw, papaya)

Family: Caricaceae

Origin: Tropical America

Accession: 2012

Location: Tropical House

The papaya is a small tree, usually with a single stem, growing from 5 to 10m tall with spirally arranged large, palmately-lobed leaves at the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred from former leaves and fruit. Originally from Central America, it is now cultivated in most tropical countries, where it grows rapidly, fruiting within three years. All parts of the plant contain latex, and the enzyme Papain, extracted from green fruit, is used as a meat tenderizer, chewing gum additive and beer clarifier.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

Apple Tree Pruning workshop with Andrew Lear (a.k.a. AppleTreeMan).  Tuesday 12th December 10-1pm Tickets £10: to be bought online at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/apple-tree-pruning-workshop-with-appletreeman-tickets-40032315734 Numbers are limited, so book early. Andrew Lear a.k.a Appletreeman, will be joining us at the Botanic Garden, to lead a workshop on apple tree pruning. Andrew will walk us through both traditional and modern theory of how to prune apple trees to improve tree productivity and maintain tree health. The workshop will include teaching in the education centre, and practical demonstrations in the botanic garden. Things to bring: Notebook and pen, and warm waterproof clothes for  the outdoor session. Website: https://plantsandapples.com/

Plant of the month November 2017

Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood)
Family: Cupressaceae
Origin: Central and W. China
Accession: 1981
Location: Beside Visitor Centre pond

Metasequoia was originally reported as an extinct genus, based only on widely distributed fossils over 100 million years old, until 1943 when small populations were discovered in central China. The tree is critically endangered in the wild, but has now been planted extensively in arboreta, parks and gardens worldwide. It is a deciduous conifer, with reddish-brown fibrous bark and soft, pale green ferny foliage which turns coppery-pink and russet-brown in autumn. It is fast-growing, makes an excellent specimen tree and is tolerant of waterlogging.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

Of yeasts and men: Wednesday 18th October, 2.15pm

Graeme Walker, Professor of Zymology and Director of the Abertay Yeast Research Group at Abertay University will give this lecture in the D'Arcy Thompson Lecture Theatre in the Tower Building, Dundee University, at 2.15 on Wednesday 18th October. There is a charge of £2.

Yeasts are the world’s premier industrial microbes. Yeast and fermentation technology is entwined with the history of human civilisation – from ancient Egyptian brewing to modern day biotechnology.
This lecture will explore the diversity of yeasts and their products, following a journey from beer to biofuels to biopharmaceuticals and beyond.

We hope to see you there - bring a friend!

Plant of the month October 2017

Parrotia persica (Persian ironwood)
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Origin: N. Iran, Caucasus
Accession: 1981
Location: Beside Visitor Centre pond

P. persica is a wide-spreading, often multi-stemmed deciduous tree or large shrub slow-growing to 8m, with attractive flaking bark and broadly ovate leaves which colour well in autumn, turning yellow, red and purple. It has small but abundant crimson flowers on bare twigs in late winter and early spring. P. persica is one of several relict genera of the tertiary period to be found in the north of Iran. Although extremely hardy, it prefers a rich, fertile soil that does not dry out. Parrotia is named after the German naturalist Friedrich Parrot.

Thanks to Maggie Gowland for photographs.

The Friends had a stand at the Dundee Flower & Food Festival from 1-3 September. A great opportunity for members to volunteer to raise awareness of the Garden, the Botanic Garden Endowment Trust, and the Friends. Bob Sutherland from the Garden and his colleagues created a great display, which earned a Silver Gilt Medal certificate.

Plant of the month September 2017

Nicotiana mutabilis (Tobacco plant)
Family: Solanaceae
Origin: Brazil
Annual
Location: Evolution Garden

Nicotiana can be annuals, biennials, perennials or shrubs, with simple, alternate leaves and tubular or salver-shaped, often fragrant flowers borne in racemes or panicles in summer or autumn. N. mutabilis is an upright half-hardy annual to 1.5m tall with a basal rosette of large, oval leaves. In summer, airy clouds of trumpet-shaped flowers are borne on branching stems changing colour as they age from white through shades of pink. Good for cut flowers, it grows best in fertile soil in full sun. All parts of the plant are toxic.

Friends' Anthology Project, 2nd Focus Day

The second focus day for the Friends' Anthology project will take place on 19th August in the botanic garden. This project offers local writers, poets, artists and photographers a unique opportunity to showcase their work by submitting it for inclusion in an anthology scheduled to appear in the spring of 2019. Further details can be found at the Project web site.

The JOOT Theatre Company entertained us to a very Mad Hatter's tea party last month.
Thanks to Rob Watt for letting us share his photos.

The Mad Hatter

The Cheshire Cat

Alice with the White Rabbit

The Mad Hatter

The Queen of Hearts

Alice in conversation with an admirer

The Cheshire Cat tries to escape but no luck