•

Inside this issue:Director’smessage 2

BotanicGardenweather:fromoneextremetoanother 2

BotanicGardenresearch:Chloroplastdevelopment:newresearchbreakthrough 3

Biodiversitynews:AshDiebackdisease 4 - 5

Newcourse:identifyingtheflowersofLeicestershire&Rutland 5

FriendsoftheGardenpages

Chairman’snotes6

Lecturereview:BirminghamBotanicalGardens6

Forthcominglectures,visitsandnotices7

AGMAgenda8

ForthcomingBotanicGardenevents 8

1234_01/11

No.1: Spring 2013

NewsletterNewsletter

Contact Us

University of Leicester Botanic Garden Stoughton Drive SouthOadby, Leics. LE2 2NEtel: 0116 271 2933email: botanicgarden@le.ac.uk

www.le.ac.uk/botanicgarden

Desert house developments

In a quiet corner at the very northern end of the Botanic Garden sits the Desert House. Thisyear,AlanBrownandTonyMorris,twovolunteersfromtheLeicesterbranchoftheBritishCactusandSucculentSociety,havehelpedwiththemaintenanceofthecollectionofsucculentspeciesintheDesertHouse.Thishasenabledthecollectiontobebettercaredforandsomeofthebiggerjobsundertakenmorequicklyandeasily.Forexample,manyoftheclimbingspeciesandthetallerspecimenshavenowbeencutbacktopreservetheintegrityoftheroof.

ThebiggestimpactofthehorticulturalworkcarriedoutintheDesertHousewiththehelpofAlanandTonycanbeseenjustinsidetheentrance.Here,thelargespecimenofaFanAloe(Aloe plicatilis),whichbelongstothegrasstreefamily(Xanthorrhoeaceae),hadgrowntoaheightofover2msinceitwasaccessionedin1987,butwasinpoorconditionandsohasbeenremoved.Mostofitstrunkwasrotten,ithadnorootsleftaliveinthegroundandtherosettesofleavesweresurvivingbyrootingdirectlyintodeadstemtissue.Afternearly30years,ithadalsoreachedtheroof,andwasnolongerabletoflowerproperly.Anewspecimenwascalledfor.However,initsnativeSouthAfrica,only17wildpopulationsoftheFanAloeareknown,anditistheonlytree-aloenativetotheFynboshabitat,atypeofheathlandfoundintheWesternCapeanditselfofconservationimportance,owingtoitsextraordinarilyhighspeciesdiversity.Sincethecollection

Aloe plicatilis(photo:JamesGaither)

BotanicGarden

andexportofwildspecimensofFanAloethreatenitssurvival,goodconservationpractice(backedbyCITESlaw)demandsthatmaterialshouldbesourcedsustainablyfromnursery-propagatedstock.Fortunately,ayoungplanthadbeengrowninourservicehousefromacuttingtakenseveralyearsearlier,fromtheoriginalplantwithreplacementinmind,andthisisthespecimenyounowseewhenyouvisit.Theplantingintheimmediateareahasbeenreorganised,withsmallerplantsbeingmovedforwardandthelargePuyacutback.Hopefully,whentheyoungFanAloeflowers,itwillnowbeseeninabettersetting.

Rachel Benskin (Botanic Gardener) & Richard Gornall

(Director of the Botanic Garden)

BotanicGarden

•“only 17 wild populations of the Fan Aloe are known

2 BOtaNic GarDEN NEwSLEttEr:No.12013

A new newsletter needs a few words of explanation. It is the first such publication by the Botanic Garden, and our aim is to showcase both the work that goes on here and the people who do it. Botanic Garden activity focuses on the importance of biodiversity, and in this context our mission is:

• tomaintainthemostdiversegardenintheregion,intermsofbothplants,includingspecialconservationcollections,andlandscapefeatures.

• tounderpinresearchandteachingattheUniversity;

• toreachoutintothewidercommunitytodemonstratethecontemporarysignificanceofplantsinarapidlychangingworld.

Agreatvarietyofworkgoesonhereandweneedtoensurethatthisisbothwell-advertisedandacknowledged.TheNewsletter,compiledandeditedintheBotanicGardenoffice,willhelpuskeepallinterestedpartiesuptodatewithwhatwearedoing.AssuchitwillincludenotonlypagesreservedfortheFriendsoftheGarden,butalsoamuchwiderrangeofmaterial.ItsscopewillbeabsolutelyeverythingtodowiththeBotanicGarden.

AwordneedstobesaidabouttheFriendsoftheBotanicGardenformernewsletter,whichisnowincorporatedhere.TheFriendspublicationsaw234issuesproducedovertheperiod1980–2012.Thetimeisrighttoseeittakeonanewincarnationinthesepages.Itisapleasuretorecordmythankstoallthosewhowereinvolvedinitsproduction,especiallyMaryWalmsley,DavidandElisabethWatkin,MichaelParrandJoGreen.

Inthisfirstissue,youwillalsofindnewsandreportsfromtheBotanicGarden,includingthedetailsoflastyear’sweather;DrGeoffreyHall’sarticleabouttherecentlydiscoveredashdiebackdiseaseprovidesatopicalaccountofwhatweknowsofarregardingtheoutbreak(and,yes,itisinLeicester!);andresearchattheBotanicGardenisfeaturedinProf.PaulJarvis’accountofhisrecentdiscoveryofamaster-regulatorgenecontrollingchloroplastdevelopment.Wehopethattherewillbesomethingofinteresttoeveryone.

Theobviousthingtobesaidabouttheweatherin2012isthatitwasverywet.Arecord1051.1mmofrainfell,whichisverynearlytheamountthatfallsinsometropicalrainforests.onethingthatmadeitsuchashockwasthatitfollowedanexceptionallydry2011,whichhad472.9mmofrain.Thisisonlyalittlemorethanhalftheannualaveragerainfallandapproachesfiguresforpartsofthesub-Saharanregion.

WithrespecttothenumbersofpeoplevisitingtheBotanicGarden,itisperhapsnosurprisethatindry2011wehosted52,235casualvisitorswhereas,inwet

Botanic Garden weather: from one extreme to another

Director’s message

2012,thatfigurewasreducedto40,109.Thereductionisnotasgreatasmighthavebeenexpectedhowever:clearlytherearehardysoulswhoarepreparedtogooutwhatevertheweather.Nevertheless,thecorrelationbetweenreducedvisitornumbersandperiodsofincreasedrainfallisevidentfromtherespectivegraphs.Temperaturesin2012wereacoupleofdegreesloweronaveragethanin2011,asmightbeexpectedgiventhelackofsunshine.WhattheconsequencesofthiserraticrainfallwillbeforplantsintheGardenremainstobeseen.

BOtaNic GarDEN NEwSLEttEr:No.12013 3

Plants derive all their energy from sunlight, which they use to make food molecules (e.g. sugars) using little more than carbon dioxide from the air and water as raw materials. the chemical process that enables this remarkable self-sufficiency is called photosynthesis, and it is something that only plants and certain bacteria are able to do. animals, including humans, cannot photosynthesise, and so must obtain their energy and food molecules by consuming plants or other animals that consume plants. as a result, essentially all energy within biological systems on Earth is derived from sunlight through photosynthesis. all life on our planet depends on this process.

Inplants,photosynthesistakesplacewithintinystructuresinsideplantcellscalledchloroplasts.Typically,eachplantcellcontainsabout100chloroplasts,andeachchloroplastisaabout5micrometresacross(roughly1/5000thofaninch).Thechloroplastscontainlargequantitiesofagreenpigmentcalledchlorophyll,anditisthispigmentthatenablesthemtoabsorbsunlightenergyforphotosynthesis–anditisalsowhatmakesplantsappeargreen.

Researchinmylaboratoryisfocusedonunderstandinghowchloroplastswork.Theyareremarkablycomplexstructures,anditisestimatedthateach

Chloroplast development: new research breakthrough

onecontainsasmanyas3000differenttypesofprotein.Mostofthesearenotmadeinsidechloroplasts,butinsteadaremadeelsewhereinthecellandmustbeimportedbythechloroplasts.Wehavebeenstudyinghowtheseproteinsaretargetedtochloroplasts.

Recently,asreportedintheNovember2ndissueofthejournalScience,wemadeasignificantbreakthroughinthisarea.Weidentifiedanewgene,calledSP1,thatcontrolswhichproteinsareimportedintochloroplasts.Becausetheimportedproteinsarelargelyresponsibleforthefunctionsofchloroplasts,theSP1geneisveryinfluential,andisessentiallyamaster-

regulatorofchloroplastdevelopment.TheextensiveplantgrowthfacilitiesattheBotanicGardenplayedanimportantroleinthisresearch,astheidentificationoftheSP1generequiredthesystematicscreeningofmanythousandsofplants.

Chloroplastsarenotonlyresponsibleforphotosynthesis,butactuallyhavemanyotherroles.Forexample,duringtheripeningoffruitssuchastomato,bellpepperandcitrus,chloroplastsundergoastrikingchange,convertingintodifferentstructurescalledchromoplaststhatarerichinred,orangeoryellowpigmentscalledcarotenoids.Theseareresponsibleforthecharacteristiccoloursofmanyfruits,andareimportantdietarynutrients,asprovitaminAandasantioxidants.

ourdiscoverymayfindimportantapplicationsincrops.BymanipulatingtheactivityoftheSP1gene,itshouldbepossibletocontroldifferentaspectsofplantgrowthanddevelopment.Forexample,itmaybepossibletospeeduporslowdownfruitripening.Doingsomighthelptoprolongtheshelf-lifeofcertainfruits,reducingwaste,orenable

ProfessorPaulJarvisinspectsThaleCress(Arabidopsis thaliana)plantsgrowinginacontrolledenvironmentchamberattheUniversityofLeicester.oneofthemanyadvantagesofthisplantspeciesforresearch(knowntomanyasamereweed)isitsdiminutivestature,meaningthatmanyplantscanbegrowninalimitedamountofspace.

ChloroplastsfromthreedifferentvarietiesofThaleCress,superimposedonaphotographofthecorrespondingplantvarieties.Theimagesillustratehowdifferencesinchloroplastdevelopmentcanhaveaprofoundeffectonthehealthandappearanceoftheplants.ThestrikingdifferencebetweenthevarietiesatthebottomleftandbottomrightisentirelyduetoalteredactivityoftheSP1gene.

•“The extensive plant growth facilities at the Botanic Garden played an important role in this research

•“ farmerstoexpeditefruitripening,perhapstoavoidinclementweatherortoensurethatthecropisreadywhenthegrowingseasonislimited.Moreover,becausetheSP1genealsogovernsotheraspectsofplantdevelopment,suchashowquicklyleavesage,itcouldalsobeusedforotherpurposessuchaskeepingcropsaliveforlonger.

Concerningpossibleapplicationsinfruitripening,ProfessorDouglasKell,ChiefExecutiveoftheBiotechnologyandBiologicalSciencesResearchCouncil,whichfundedtheproject,said:“Theripeningprocesscanhappenquickly,anditcantakejustafewdaysforafruitorvegetabletobeconsideredinedible.Thisdiscoverybringsusonestepclosertogreatercontroloverripeningsothatwehavegreaterflexibilityforfarmerswhensupplyingproducesinthebestcondition.”

Sofar,theresearchhasbeenconductedprimarilyusingasmallmodelplantcalledThaleCress(Arabidopsis thaliana).Wearenowintheprocessoftransferringthetechnologyintotomato,andwewillknowwithinayearwhetherthetechniquetrulyhaspromiseinrelationtofruitripening.Ifitworksasexpected,itwillbeseveralyearsmorebeforeourdiscoveryfinallyfindsapplicationsinthefield,tothebenefitoffarmersandconsumers.

Professor Paul Jarvis(Department of Biology,

University of Leicester)

•“

4 BOtaNic GarDEN NEwSLEttEr:No.12013

ash dieback disease causes leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees, and it may lead to death, especially of young trees which are highly susceptible. it has seriously affected a high percentage of ash trees in continental Europe, most notably in Poland (80% infection), and in Scandinavia (90% infection) and the Baltic States. it was first recorded in Britain in February 2012, in a consignment of infected trees sent from a nursery in the Netherlands to a nursery in Buckinghamshire. Early reports in Britain were all from nurseries or recent plantings, and

in June it was found in ash trees planted at a car park in Leicestershire that had been supplied by a nursery in Lincolnshire. the first report from established woods was in October 2012 from East anglia. its extent in the wider environment was unknown at that time, so extensive surveys were undertaken which show that it is present throughout Britain at 323 sites (at 19 December 2012), and that most infections in established woods are in eastern and southern England.

Itiscausedbyamicroscopicfungus,althoughtherewasconfusionaboutitsidentityatfirst.Unlikefloweringplants,thefungushastwonames;oneforthestageinthelifecyclethatproducessporesbyasexualreproduction,Chalara fraxinea,describedin2006,andanotherforthestagethatproducessporessexually,Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus,describedin2010.Theconfusionarosebecauseanalmostidenticalfungus,calledHymenoscyphus albidus,thatgrowsonashleaflitterbutwhichisnon-pathogenic,wasthoughttobethesexualstage.Furtherstudiesshowedthatthetwospeciesof

Hymenoscyphusaredifferent,butcanonlybeseparatedbyDNAsequencing.TheasexualstageofH. albidusissofarunknown,butislikelytobeverysimilartoC. fraxinea.

FromJunetolateautumn,H. pseudoalbidusproducessporesinfruitingbodiesthatareformedonthemid-ribofdeadleavesandshootsintheyearfollowingtheinitialinfection.

Ash Dieback Disease

1. Distributionmapofconfirmedinfections

4.Diamondshapedlesiononashstem2. Fruitingbodiesofthesexualstage,

Hymenoscyphus albidus

3. Chalara fraxineainlaboratoryculture

5.Blackenedleafletmidrib

Credit:ForestryCommission

Credit:ForestryCommission

Credit:CotswoldFungusGroup

Credit:Holdenrieder,ETH,Zürich

Credit:WoodlandTrust

•“the old ash tree in the Botanic Garden may not be at risk

Thesporesaredispersedbythewindandthediseasecanspreadupto20-30kmperyear;longer-distancespreadoccursviainfectedplantsproducedforthenurserytrade.ThesporesinfectleavesandproducetheC. fraxinea stagethatgrowsintheleaftissues,stemsandtrunk.Soon,theleavesstarttoturnblack,thestemchangescolourtobrownandpurplish,andcankersappear,visibleascharacteristicdiamond-shapedlesionsonstems.Thefateofthetreethendependsonitsageandlocation,weatherconditions,andthepresenceofhoneyfungusorothersecondaryinfectiousorganisms.Youngtreesareespeciallysusceptibleandusuallydie

BOtaNic GarDEN NEwSLEttEr:No.12013 5

HowtoidentifyChalaraashdiebackinthefield:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sI7hgFZ-4g&feature=youtu.be

TheForestryCommissionhasproducedawebsitethatallowsyoutoreportinfectedtrees:http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/treedisease.nsf/TreeDiseaseReportWeb#

TheAshTagappforIoSandAndroidallowsmobiledeviceuserstosubmitphotosandlocationsofsightingstoateamwhowillreferthemontotheForestryCommission:http://www.ashtag.org

2013 sees the launch at the Botanic Garden of a new kind of plant identification course, aimed at absolute beginners, and focusing on the wildflowers we see locally.

Weaimtoshowyouwhatgrowswhere,howtofindandidentifycommonspeciesandhow,armedwiththisknowledge,youcangetmoreinvolvedinlocalnatureconservation.

Therearefiveself-containedmodules,eachlastingforonemonthandcoveringadifferenthabitatandgroupofplants:springflowersofwoodlandsandglades;summermeadowflowers;aquaticsandriversideplants;“weeds”oftownandgarden;andtrees,deciduousandevergreen.

EachmodulestartswithatuitionsessionattheBotanicGarden,followed

New course: identifying the wildflowers of Leicestershire & Rutland

withintwoyears,buttreesfrom5-40yearsoldmaytakeuptofiveyearstodie.Incontrast,treesover40yearsoldhavenotyetbeenshowntodieofthedisease.SotheoldashtreeintheBotanicGardenmaynotbeatriskofinfection,butwillneedtobemonitoredforsignsofthedisease.

ThereismuchgeneticvariabilityamongBritishAshtreesandsomemaywellberesistant.Notalltreesdieofthedisease:inPoland15-20%havesurvived.

ThisisincontrasttothesituationforDutchelmdisease,wherethenativepopulationofelmshadalowlevelofvariationandwasdecimatedbythedisease.AlthoughCommonAshandtheEuropeanNarrow-leavedAsh

byvisitstolocalsites,whereyoucantryoutyournew-foundskillswiththehelpofthelocalbotanygroup,membershipofwhichisincludedinthepackage,alongwithatourofthelocalHerbariumandlotsoffreegoodiestohelpyougetstarted.Youcanalsosubmityourfindsto

usandwewillhelpyouidentifywhatyouhaveseen.

ourintroductorypriceisonly£50permodule,withafurther10%discountifyouareaFriendoftheBotanicGarden,amemberofLeicestershire&RutlandWildlifeTrustortheBotanicalSocietyoftheBritishIsles.

Forfurtherdetails,ortoreserveaplaceonthecourse,pleasecontactLouiseMarshatbotanicgarden@le.ac.uk

Louise Marsh

aresusceptible,someAsianspeciesshowlowsusceptibility,whereasafewotherspeciesmayactascarriersofthedisease.

AlthoughBritishnurseriesdogrowashtrees,seedgatheredfromBritishtreesissometimessenttonurseriesincontinentalEuropetobecultivatedbeforebeingreimportedasseedlings.Althoughsometradebodieshavebeenaskingforabanonimportedashtreessince2009,thiswasnotimposeduntiloctober2012afterinfectedtreeswerefoundinestablishedwoodlandownedbyTheWoodlandTrust,whichhassincecampaignedvociferouslyforactiontoprotectBritishwoodlands.TheGovernmentwasreluctanttoactbecauseH. albidus,whichhadbeen

thoughttobethecause,iswidespreadinBritain.Itonlyactedwhenthenewspecies,H. pseudoalbidus,wasidentifiedasthesourceofthedisease.on29october2012,emergencylegislationwaspassed,restrictingimportsofashplantsandseedstopreventanymoreaccidentalintroductionsandtheirspreadwithinBritain.C. fraxineaisnowaquarantinepest.

Ashisahabitatformanyotherlivingorganisms:66speciesoffungi,includingthreeveryrareRedDataListspecies,alongwithlichens,flies,beetlesandotherinvertebrates,areassociatedwithashtreesandtheseareatriskifashtreesdeclinesubstantially.AshisthethirdmostcommonbroadleafnativetreespeciesinBritainafteroakandbirch,andashwoodlandshavehighconservationvalue.Theiropencanopyandshorttimeinleafallowalotofsunlightthroughtothewoodlandfloorallowingarichandvariedgroundfloratogrow,whichprovidesfoodforawidevarietyofinsectsandbirds.

Dr Geoffrey Hall (Leicestershire Fungus Study Group)

6 BOtaNic GarDEN NEwSLEttEr:No.12013

Chairman’s Notes

Lecture review: “Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Past and Present”

the Birmingham suburb of Edgbaston has two Botanical Gardens: winterbourne is run by the University and i had assumed that the Birmingham Botanical Gardens were managed by the city council but, as we learned from Philip aubry, they are actually independent. the only other one in Britain that is in this category is the chelsea Physic Garden.

Inhislectureon6thDecember,Philip,whoretiredasDirectoroftheGardenin2005,describeditsfascinatinghistory.In1829agroupofbusinessmendecidedthattheywouldliketojoinintheVictorianfashionforplantcollectingandestablishaprivategarden.TheychoseafarmontheoutskirtsofthecityandaskedJCLoudontodesigntheplantingandthegreenhouses.Hislayoutsurvivedbuttheownerscouldnotaffordhisglasshousedesignandtheypartedcompany.Initiallythegardenwasprimarilyfortheenjoymentofthebusinessmenandtheirfriends.Thisarrangementwasreplicatedinmanycitiesinthe19thcentury.

overtheinterveningyearstherehavebeenperiodicfinancialproblems,despitetheownersofthelandrequiringonlyanominalrent.Toincreaseincome,aballroomwasbuiltanditbecamealeadingfacilityforlargesocialfunctions.Earlyinthe20thcenturyanimalswereadded(wewereshownaslideofanalligator)butnowonlyanaviaryremains.WhenthecitywasbuildingtheInternationalConferenceCentre,

AHappyNewYeartoall,andwelcometothenewstyleNewsletter.ThecommitteehasdecidedtojoinwiththeBotanicGardeninproducinganexpandednewsletterwhich,inadditionto“Friends”information,willinfuturealsocontainitemsofamorediversenaturethatfeatureallaspectsoftheworkoftheBotanicGarden.

AsIhopeyouwillagree,theresultantcombinedeffortenablesustoproduceanewsletterthatwilldojusticetothesubject.Theabilitytoreproducephotographsincolourwillhopefullyencouragemorepeopletosubmittheirphotographsforpublication.We,theFriends,willstillmaintainourownsectionwithintheperiodical,andwewillstillcontributearticlesandpiecesofinformationjustaswehavedoneinthepast.Idohopethatyoufindthenewstyleacceptableandindeedanimprovement.

Wehaveabusyyearcomingup.Wewillagain,asreportedelsewhere,behavingtwoCrocusSundaycharityeventsattheendofFebruaryandthebeginningofMarch;andourannualPlantSaleandFamilydaywillbeonthe30thJune.

AveryinterestingprogrammeofvisitshasbeenarrangedduringthesummermonthstoothergardensandvenuesandIwouldurgeanyonewhohasnotjoinedusonthesevisitsbeforetogiveitatry.Thoseonthecommitteeresponsiblefororganisingthevisitsworkveryhardtoensurethattheprogrammecatersforawidevarietyofhorticulturalinterest,andIbelievetheseasoncontainssomethingforeveryone.

Finally,mybestwishestoallfor2013andifanyonehasanycomments,criticismorsuggestionspleasedonothesitatetocontactme.

David Chambersdavidchambers@btinternet.com

thecouncilsupporteddevelopmentsintheGardenstoprovideanadditionalattractionfordelegates.Thenin1998theG8summitwasheldattheBotanicalGardens,promptingreplacementofthepotholedtarmacontheterracewithlimestone.Nowthefinancesareagainbeingchallengedasthedemandforfunctionshasfallenandthecaterers’leaseisdueforrenewal.

Weweregivenavirtualtourofthe15acresofgardens,includingthefourglasshouses,formalbedding,amassiverockery,achildren’splayarea,thebandstandandofcoursethecaféandshop.Duetodiminishedincomethenumberofstaffhasfallenfromapproximately50toabout25,whichstillsoundsverygenerouscomparedwithourGarden!TheGardensaresupportedbyover5,000members(friends)whoprovideabout50volunteers.

Thiswasamostinterestinglecture,notleastbecausetheissuesparallelsomeofthoseaffectingtheUniversityofLeicesterBotanicGarden.

David Watkin

Have You Paid Your Subscription?

Ifyouhavenotalreadypaidyour2013subscription,pleasecompletetheenclosedform.Yournewmembershipcardwillthenbeenclosedinthenextnewsletter.

Thank you

Friends of the Garden

BOtaNic GarDEN NEwSLEttEr:No.12013 7

Next lecturethursday 14th February: “Roses, Old and New” by ann Bird

Fornearly40yearsAnnBirdhasbeenaroseenthusiast,havingstartedfromscratchinaneglected,long,narrowgardenwhichshelaterredesignedasthree‘rooms’.ShebecamethefirstwomanpresidentoftheRoyalNationalRoseSociety,overseeingtheplantingoftheSociety’snewGardenoftheRoseatStAlbans.AnnwasafoundermemberoftheRNRSHistoricRosesGroupin1990,andlaterbecameitschairman.ShegardensinMarketHarborough.

Venue: Ken Edwards lecture theatre 3 on main campus at 7.30pm

Winterbourne House and Garden Wednesday May 22nd 2013 Birmingham

WinterbourneHouseandGardensaredescribedashiddengemslocatednearbusycentralBirmingham.TheArts&Craftsstyleestatewasbuiltin1903forJohnandMargaretNettlefold,whosefamilyfirmwastheworld’sbiggestmanufacturerofnutsandbolts.ThegroundfloorshowshowthedecorwouldhaveappearedwhentheNettlefoldslivedthereover100yearsago,withbeautifulArts&Craftsfurnitureandantiques.

Margaretdesignedthe7acregardeninspiredbythebooksanddesignsofGertrudeJekyll.AfteraperiodofrestorationitwasGrade2listedbyEnglishHeritagein2008.Thegardenofferscolourandinterestthroughouttheyearandishometoawalledgarden,colourthemedborders,anoriginalsandstonerockgardenandstreamsideplanting.YouwillfindcollectionsofplantsfromChina,NorthandSouthAmericaandtheAlpineareasoftheworld.Wewillbegivenaguidedtourofthegardensandhaveampletimetobrowseortovisitthehouse.Thereisasmalltearoomprovidinglightlunchesoryoumaybringapicnic.

we shall leave Glebe road at 8.00am and depart from winterbourne House at 4.00pm. the cost of the trip is £20.75. Non-members of the Friends should add £2.Please send your booking form to Dianne Bang by 8th May 2013

Garden visits 2013

dates for your diary

22 May

WinterbourneHouseandGarden,Birmi

ngham

12 June

Gardeners’WorldLiveShow,Birmingha

m

13 July

GreysCourtandScotlandsLodgeGarden

,

near Henley on Thames

17 August

HamptonCourtPalaceandGardens,Lon

don

17 September

UptonHouse&GardenandPettifers,ne

ar Banbury

ThisismyusualpleaforvolunteersforCrocusSundays,24thFebruaryand3rdMarch.Ifyoucanspareanhourbetween10amand4pmonthosedatestostandatthegateandwelcomevisitors,andtellthemwheretofindthecrocusandotherseasonaldelights,thenIwouldbedelightedtohearfromyou.

Pleasereplytome,tel.01455272953oremail:janejones17@btinternet.com

JaneJonesTheBathHouse,19StantonRoad,Sapcote,Leicester,LE94FR

Forthcoming lectures and visits

Friends of the Garden

Gardeners’ World Live ShowWednesday 12th June 2013 Birmingham

Thiswillbethefirsttimewehavevisitedthispopularshow.Manyofourkeengardenerswillnowhaveassessedtheirgardensandknowwherethespacesforadditionsareorwherechangesneedtobemade.Comealongandbeinspiredbytheshowgardensandtemptedbythemanynurseriesexhibitinghere.Therearenumerouscateringfacilitiesattheshow,offeringawiderangeoffoodanddrinkoptions.ourticketshavetobepaidforinadvanceoftheshow,wellbeforetheendofMay,andafterthatwecannotofferthereducedgroupprice.

WeshallleaveGlebeRoadat8.00amanddepartfromBirminghamat4.00pm.Thecostofthetripis£29,seniorcitizens£27.25.Non-membersoftheFriendsshouldadd£2.Please send your booking form to Dianne Bang by 12th May 2013

Crocus Sunday volunteers

5309_01/13

Botanic Garden Lecture: 16th May 2013, 8pm

“Withering - the English Linnaeus and the flowering of pharmacology”

Venue:University of Leicester main campus Ken Edwards lecture theatre 3

Everyone welcome, admission free

AGENDA1.Apologiesforabsence2.Minutesofpreviousmeeting(8thMarch2012)3.Mattersarising4.Membershipsecretary’sreport5.Chairman’sannualreport6. Treasurer’sreport7. DirectorofBotanicGarden’sreport8.Electionofcommitteeandofficersfor2013-2014*a. Re-electiontocommittee SallyTowers RichardYatesCatherineWatt JaneJones

b.Chairman DavidChambers Hon.Treasurer DavidWatkin Hon.Secretary GayDent9.Anyotherbusiness*AnyfurthernominationsshouldbesenttoGayDent,163ColeridgeDrive,Enderby,LeicsLE194QJ,by15thFebruary

Friends of the University of Leicester Botanic Garden Annual General Meeting

The2013BotanicGardenLecturewillbegivenbyDrPeter Sheldon,aretiredSeniorConsultantRheumatologisttotheUniversityHospitalsofLeicester,andClinicalSeniorLecturerinImmunologytotheLeicesterMedicalSchool.HistopicfocusesonWilliamWithering,aphysicianandalearnedbotanist,whosepioneeringworkonthemedicinalpropertiesofplantsledtoamorescientificapproachtowardstheirexploitationastreatmentsfordisease.DrSheldon’slong-terminterestinbothWitheringandmedicinalplants,particularlyFoxglove,MeadowsweetandWintergreen,ledtothepublicationoftwobooks:The life and times of William Withering, his work, his legacyandThe fall and rise of aspirin: the wonder drug.

Thursday 7th March 2013 at 7.30pmKen Edwards Lecture Theatre on the main University campus

TheAGMwillbefollowedbyalightheartedtalkbyEricWebsterentitledLesser Known Uses of Plants.Hetaughtmediastudies–photography,videoandtheuseandprocessingofimages.Hehasalife-longinterestinplantsandisamemberoftheAlpineGardenSociety

Crocus Sundays: spring flowers at the Botanic Garden 24th February and 3rd March 2013, 10am-4pm

TocelebrateaspectaculardisplayofbeautifulWoodlandCrocusthroughouttheSandstoneGardeninfrontofBeaumontHall,theFriendsoftheBotanicGardenhavearrangedtwo‘CrocusSundays’.AshortwalkinthefreshairwilltakeyoupastborderswhereyoucanseecolourfulHelleboresandWinterAconites.YoumightstillbeabletoseesomeViburnums,Witch-hazelsandtherelatedPersianIronwoodiftheyarestillinflower.

Tea,coffeeandhome-madecakeswillbeservedinBeaumontHall,whereyoucanseedisplaysonourcrocusresearch.

EntrancetotheGardenisbydonationtotheUniversityofLeicesterCardiovascularResearchCentreAppeal,GlenfieldHospital.

PleasecometotheGlebeRoadentrancewhereyouwillbewelcomedandshownwheretogobyFriendsoftheGarden.

4th March 2013, Leicester Literary & Philosophical Society

8pm at the Hugh Aston building lecture theatre, De Montfort University

“Exploringandexplainingtheworldofplants–ahistoryofbotanicaldiscovery”,alecturebyRichardGornall(Director,UniversityofLeicesterBotanicGarden)

UniversityofLeicesterBotanicGarden-aworldofplantsPublic entrance:GlebeRoad,oadby,LE22LDOpening hours: everyday10am-5pmEntrancefreeexceptforspecialeventsMoreinformationat:www.le.ac.uk/botanicgarden

© University of Leicester

Friends of the Garden