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

Managing botanic garden collections of high conservation value

The author has spent 30 years co-ordinating the International Conifer Conservation Programme (ICCP), based at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and uses this significant milestone to reflect on some important aspects of managing genetic resources in plants of conservation concern. The main driver of the ex-situ component of the ICCP has been to develop robust protocols for broadening the genetic base of threatened conifers and a range of conservation dependent Chilean woody plants in cultivation. This is achieved using well-documented known wild origin material distributed through a dedicated network of ‘safe sites’. Examples of threatened species for which collection and cultivation of a breadth of genetic material has enabled meaningful conservation are given here. The strategy to increase genetic material in cultivation sometimes involves using novel methods including conservation hedges. The great challenge facing all managers of botanical collections is how to develop effective programmes that integrate ex-situ with in-situ conservation. The biggest contribution collection managers and growers can make is to maximise the value of collections in their care and actions which achieve this are listed

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

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

Student Project: Horticultural protocols for experimental studies of eyebrights (Euphrasia, Orobanchaceae)

Parasitic plants are particularly challenging to cultivate as the growth conditions must be suitable for the parasite, the host, and their interaction. Here, we review our progress growing British native eyebrights (Euphrasia), a group of hemiparasitic plants found in diverse habitats in Britain and Ireland. We consider the protocols required to grow them under a range of conditions, including the laboratory, in pot trials, in cultivated fields, and in the wild. We highlight the need to use seed stratification to break seed dormancy, to replicate planting to overcome low seed viability, and to manage host plants to avoid competition. While Euphrasia can be successfully grown in different environments more work is required to develop reliable horticultural protocols for growing plants under natural conditions

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

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

Maurice Mason – farmer, plant hunter and friend to the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland

Maurice Mason is well documented as an accomplished amateur horticulturist and plant collector. His contributions to horticulture were recognised by his guest attendance at the Kew Guild Annual Dinner in 1960 and the award of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour in the same year. He was generous in sharing his plant collections, and this generosity extended to Ireland. His less well-known contribution to Irish horticulture through the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin is outlined here

Horticulture in 2020

To close the Promoting Excellence in Horticulture Conference in October 2020, a video consisting of recorded opinion pieces was created with contributions from a wide range of individuals working in horticulture. Contributors were asked to provide their perspectives and experiences on four topics which the conference convenors considered to be prominent in 2020: COVID-19, Brexit, plant health, and diversity and inclusion in horticulture. We consider their contributions here

The Climate Change Alliance: botanic garden horticulturists as agents for change

In 2016, the publication of the pioneering Landscape Succession Strategy heralded a horticultural response by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria to climate change risks faced by their living collections. This initiative led to the botanical world’s first Climate Change Summit in 2018 and the subsequent establishment of the Climate Change Alliance for Botanic Gardens. This article describes some of the anticipated climatic changes facing the Melbourne Gardens site, the strategic management of collections when considering these challenges, and how other botanical organisations can benefit from this approach through collaboration and sharing of expertise