Essential: Wintergreen’s a seasonal favourite Continue reading November plant of the month: Wintergreen
Tag: plants
October plant of the month: bay laurel
More than a green leaf
The bay laurel, “laurus noblis”, is also commonly known as a bay tree, sweet bay, true laurel and Grecian laurel. It is a superbly fragrant evergreen tree/shrub that originates in the Mediterranean region and its glossy green leaves can be clipped into stunning shapes to add dignity to your doorsteps and panache to your patios. The bay tree is also incredibly easy to grow and October is the ideal month to give it a place in your garden which is why the bay tree is Thejoyofplants.co.uk‘s Garden Plant of the Month of October.
Leaf, flower and berry
Glossy green, stately shape: Laurus nobilis lives up to its name. The strongest feature of the bay tree is its dark green, pointed oval leaves. In May, it produces cream-coloured flowers and in autumn it produces glossy black oval fruit. If you leave the bay tree to its own devices, it can grow up to 40 metres tall and will look strong and ruggedly beautiful, however it is more commonly used in topiary and can be clipped into a variety of wonderful shapes.
Flavour
The bay leaf adds extra flavour to many different dishes such as goulashes, stews, soups, casseroles, marinades and pickling juices and is also a great addition to a Bloody Mary!
Interesting Facts
Historically, the bay tree has been used as both an antiseptic and a digestive and it has also been placed in food jars to deter weevils.
Mice are not bay tree fans so scatter bay leaves in your pantry to deter these furry visitors from your home.
Oil from bay leaves is used in massage products to relieve arthritis and rheumatism and in aromatherapy to treat high blood pressure and earache.
The laurel symbolises high status, prosperity and fame and in Christianity it also symbolised the resurrection of Christ.
Easy
You do not require green fingers to grow the bay tree – indeed, under ideal conditions, it can live for as long as a hundred years. The bay will thrive in containers, particularly if it is watered regularly and placed in a sheltered, sunny or partially shaded position. Feed your plants every two weeks during May and June and ideally re-pot every two years in the spring. Bay trees can withstand cold temperatures but frosts and extreme cold will damage them so they should be covered when the mercury drops or put in your garage or any other frost-free outbuilding.
September plant of the month: Heather
Heather heralds the arrival of Autumn
Heather: Nectar in the Autumn
In September, the summer flowers in the garden and on our terraces have peaked so now it’s heather’s time in the spotlight. Heather begins to flower in September and is a source of luscious late summer colour, and for this reason, it is Thejoyofplants.co.uk‘s Garden Plant of the Month of September.
Carpet
Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is a European classic and is native to the coastal areas of Western Europe, Great Britain and Ireland, as well as being one of Scotland’s most prolific plants. It grows in beautiful long shoots with shingled leaves and small symmetrical flowers. Its purple and pink flowers have a slightly weathered appearance and that gives both the plants and the countryside a tough and natural look. In the garden, the plants provide a hardy carpet that give a calm and authentic effect whilst in pots, heather becomes a robust eye-catcher.
Nectar
Heather will flower from September to early November. The flowers contain an abundance of nectar which enables the bees to have a quick restock before winter begins, thereby providing us with a plentiful supply of their delicious heather honey.
Pure Nature
Heather is a perennial plant that can survive 30-40 years in the wild. It is a little higher and less dense than other types of heath and this gives it a strong and natural appearance. In the wild, the purple and pink flowers create beautiful landscapes. In the garden, heather has the same effect, providing a wonderful contrast to the other green and variegated leaves, with its foliage deepening and intensifying as the year progresses.
Heathers are incredibly versatile and look fantastic in pots and rockeries, as well as providing stunning ground cover alongside flowering perennials and grasses in your flowerbeds.
Care Tips
- Heather loves the light – The more light it gets, the more beautiful the leaves.
- It is a natural survivor and can tolerate very little care and poor soil, but it does prefer well-drained, acidic conditions.
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Heather can be planted at any time of the year, provided the soil is not frozen, and should be pruned every year after flowering.
Interesting Facts
- The scientific name for heather is “Calluna vulgaris”. “Calluna” originates from the Greek word “kallune” which means “to clean” or “to brush” as the twigs were historically used to make brooms.
– Heather provides a great flavouring agent for beer, wine and tea – cheers!
– Heather is used in many cosmetics such as shampoos, lotions, bubble baths and perfumes.
– And finally, in the plant world, Heather symbolizes admiration and good luck!
Plant of the Month: Hebe
Here’s to the Hebe
Fancy giving your summer garden or terrace a boost? The Hebe is definitely the plant for you as it will introduce some sensational colour back into your garden. The Hebe, named after the Greek Goddess of Youth who served nectar and ambrosia to the gods, is deliciously versatile and is also incredibly popular, with gardeners and butterflies alike!
For this reason, Thejoyofplants.co.uk Garden Plant for the Month of August is the Hebe.
Cheerful butterflies
The Hebe is the ideal candidate to cover any dull spots in your summer garden and it will replace them with some much needed colour and vitality. The Hebe’s heavenly blooms will also keep your garden looking richer all the way through the summer months and well into October, enticing butterflies from far and wide to sample their stunning array of nectar filled flowers.
Plant with effect
The evergreen Hebe has numerous different species and their wide range of colourful flowers and decorative leaves will all add a great atmosphere and vivacity to your garden. You can create all kinds of interesting looks with Hebes – Why don’t you combine some white-flowered, shiny leaved Hebes with some paniculata hydrangeas in metallic containers to give that expensive, luxurious feel to your garden, or, if you would prefer to go for the untamed, wild effect, try planting a mixture of blue, violet and deep green Hebes into a variety of wooden pots and weathered containers.
Stay Green
Hebes are wonderfully easy to grow and maintain and they will thrive in most soil types. Their supreme versatility means that they can be planted almost anywhere, in containers, borders, and rockeries, and they will also grow in both sunny and shady areas. But most importantly of all, the enchanting evergreen Hebe will create interest and colour in your garden all year round.
Botanics strengthens links with Nepal
Agreement strengthens 200 year relationship
A new era has dawned in collaborations between the UK and Nepal with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation Department of Plant Resources (DPR).
The agreement flags up a significant commitment to long-term capacity building in plant research, conservation and education in the South Asian biodiversity hot-spot.
While RBGE has connections in Nepal dating back to the early 1800’s, this is regarded as a distinctively fresh form of partnership. The deal was sealed when Mr Yam Bahadur Thapa, Director General of Nepal’s Department of Plant Resources, flew to Edinburgh to meet RBGE Regius Keeper Simon Milne MBE.
Looking forward to a number of imminent new initiatives including plans for a Biodiversity Education Garden to be built at Nepal’s National Botanic Garden, the two agreed the way was open for yet closer working ties.
Simon Milne said: “The connections between the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Nepal date back some 200 years and our working relationship is going from strength to strength. This accord underscores a common commitment to build on the strength of our past affiliation towards even more productive collaboration.
“We can look forward to new opportunities in developing appreciation, education, knowledge and conservation of the plant kingdom and protecting the natural capital that sustains us.”
Mr Thapa said: “King Mahendra was so impressed by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh when he visited in 1960 that he inaugurated Nepal’s first and only National Botanic Garden two years later. RBGE horticultural staff are out in Nepal at the moment giving much-needed training to my staff and we are looking forward to developing our partnership in the future.”
Dr Mark Watson, Head of Major Floras at RBGE and Editor-in-Chief of the international Flora of Nepal research programme explained the significance of the MOU: “Although it is a small country, Nepal has an enormous range of habitats and is home to some 7000 species of vascular plants, making it a globally-important biodiversity hot-spot.
“However, conservation and sustainable use of plant biodiversity is hampered by the lack of primary inventory information and means to identify and characterise species. This is exacerbated by a lack of trained people to undertake plant biodiversity inventory and documentation. Poor facilities, lack of equipment and limited funding also need to be addressed.
“The process is underway. RBGE has led several in-country workshops and hands-on training events. MSc and PhD training of Nepalese botanists at the University of Edinburgh and RBGE is proving a success and many more ambitious plans are in the pipeline.”
Click here for more information on RBGE’s Flora of Nepal research programme.
Here’s to the next 200 years!
Gardeners: a perennial favourite this Sunday
If you are looking for something extra special for your garden then why not visit The Botanic Gardens’ Plant Sale this Sunday (11 May)?
It’s your annual chance to purchase from an enviable collection of plants at truly wonderful prices, plus there’s the Connoisseurs Collection & Home Baking Stall too.
As well as finding something new for your garden, you’ll be helping the Friends of RBGE to raise much-needed funds – last year’s sales raised over £12,000 for RBGE’s research and conservation work.
The sale takes place at the RBGE nursery (Inverleith Avenue South) from 2 – 4pm. Admission £3, free to members.
Botanics plant sale’s on Sunday
Summer’s supposedly here, and this Sunday provides your annual chance to purchase from an enviable collection of plants at truly wonderful prices. Organised by the Friends of RBGE, there’s also the Connoisseurs Collection and the Home Baking Stall.
The sale takes place from 2 – 4pm at the RBGE Nursery, Inverleith Avenue South. Admission is £3 (Members free).
Blackhall Plant Sale this Saturday
Blackhall Horticultural Society Sale this Saturday
The Annual Plant Sale is on Saturday 11 May from 10am – 12noon at Blackhall St Columba’s Church. Great variety of top quality plants at low prices – and there’s teas and coffees too.
Note that the Society’s AGM takes will be held on Monday 13 May at 7.45pm in the small hall.
Plant sale at Botanics this Sunday
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is holding a plant sale at their nursery in Inverleith Avenue South (off Inverleith Place) this Sunday (13 May) from 2 – 4pm. Entry is £3, free to RBGE members.