The Gentian - Ness Botanic Gardens
Transcription
The Gentian - Ness Botanic Gardens
Free to Friends of Ness Gardens NESS, NESTON CHESHIRE CH64 4AY T 0845 030 4063 Email [email protected] Website www.nessgardens.org.uk The Gentian REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 511294 The Newsletter for the Friends of Ness Gardens ISSUE 232 SUMMER 2013 £1 Headline News Contents ISSUE 232 SUMMER 2013 Headline News ............................................................................................... 1 Josiah Hope remembered ............................................... 2-3 Wildlife Week .................................................................................................... 4 Try Our New Tree Trail ................................................................ 5 Friends’ News ........................................................................................... 6-9 Alpine Trough Makeover ............................................. 10-11 Meet your Gardening Favourites! .......................... 12 Gardening Tips - Andy Lambie ................................... 13 A New Book for Ness ................................................................ 14 Wildlife at Ness ............................................................................ 15-17 What’s On ............................................................................................ 18-19 Editorial Board: Helen Watters, Kevin Reid, Fiona Harrison, Tracey Crich. Design: Big Drum Communications. Printed on recycled paper by The Printroom UK, Liverpool. Cover picture: Agastache ‘Golden Jubilee’ The Friends of Ness Gardens is a registered charity No 511294. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Ness Botanic Gardens or the Friends of Ness Gardens. Material for the next issue should reach the editor by 19 October 2013. Email [email protected] University of Liverpool, Ness Botanic Gardens Tel 0845 030 4063 Website: www.nessgardens.org.uk Email: [email protected] Gardeners’ Question Time returns! Have you got your ticket yet? Welcome! A The cold, wet Spring finally passed and we have been able to get out into our gardens and enjoy some warm, sunny days. At Ness, May saw the children searching out signs of small creatures and creepy crawlies through the Wildlife half-term week activities - you can read more about these inhabitants of Ness Gardens in our centre pages. We have also seen a steady number of people joining the Friends especially as Families – Welcome to you all! Don’t forget, as a member you can enter the Gardens after 5pm and enjoy the special evening light – see the Friends section of the website for information on access. You may be aware that some changes are in progress at the Gardens. Ness, like all University Botanic Gardens, is facing difficult times due to changes in Higher Education funding, compounded by the economic difficulties all outdoor visitor attractions are experiencing due to a combination of the recession and the poor weather. More information is provided with this issue of The Gentian. Sadly we said goodbye to Curator Paul Cook at the end of June - with many thanks for his constant support of the Friends and enthusiasm for what we do for the Gardens. We wish him all good fortune in whatever comes next. The Summer season is well underway and the Gardens are looking wonderful – so do come along and enjoy all Ness has to offer! Fiona Harrison Eric Robson fter the brilliant triumph of last year, Ness Gardens is delighted to welcome back the BBC Radio 4 Gardener’s Question Time Summer Garden Party! It was Radio 4’s biggest outdoor audience event and last year brought 2,000 guests to Ness. This year we are hoping for an even bigger turnout and we’d like to invite you to come and join in with the fun! EVEN if you are not hugely into the radio show you will love what we have on offer. Expect to see big names including Bob Flowerdew, Eric Robson, Matthew Biggs and Pippa Greenwood and welcome new faces l-r: Anju Chandna, Claire Lara, Yasmin Limbert, Malcolm Williams, such as James Rachel Saunders Wong. Bob Flowerdew going to make it all happen for them! The popular Plant Hunters’ Fair and related stalls will also grace our lawns so you can get going straight away with your newly-acquired Pippa Greenwood knowledge on what to grow in your garden and our own trusty team of volunteers will be giving guided Garden tours once again. This unmissable event is on Saturday 7th September from 10am-6pm. Tickets are £8.50 (no concessions) and are available now at Ness Gardens or via the website www.nessgardens. org.uk. Meeting the GQT Celebrities - see p12! Matt Biggs Both our own Ness expert gardeners and those from GQT will also be on hand to provide demonstrations and give personal advice on your gardening dilemmas. Come and see cookery demonstrations from Claire Lara, Masterchef winner 2010; Anju Chandna, North Indian cuisine specialist;Yasmin Limbert of BBC Great British Bake Off fame; and Malcolm Williams, local artisan baker. All will be using produce grown at Ness this year. They are pictured (above) with Rachel Saunders, our gardener who is One of the many entertainments which thrilled last year’s audience James Wong Summer 2013 1 100 years ago at Ness... The debt Ness owes to the incomparable Josiah Hope O ver the years, the various Directors, Curators and Head Gardeners have all left their mark on Ness Gardens and made it what we see today. This year marks a century since the start of Josiah Hope’s involvement in 1913. This account is adapted from one written by former Director Ken Hulme following the death, in December 1970, of Josiah Hope, the original Head Gardener. He was in his 96th year. BORN at Acomb, York in 1875, Josiah Hope started work at the age of 13 at the famous Backhouse’s Nursery, considered in those days as a training ground for potential head gardeners. Shortly before his 18th birthday he moved to gain further experience at the University of Cambridge Botanical Garden where he stayed for about three years (1893 -1896) before returning to Backhouse’s Nursery. for the development of Ness Gardens. Josiah Hope reached retirement age in 1939 but the outbreak of World War II resulted in his remaining in post. A K Bulley died in 1942 and for the duration of the war Josiah Hope had one gardener to help. In his role as Head Gardener, Josiah Hope was expected to possess complete knowledge of the cultivation of plants and his achievements were an example to many of his contemporaries. The list of notable horticulturalists of the time who visited Ness in the inter-war years was a testament of the esteem in which his workmanship was held. The collection of rock garden plants was particularly outstanding and widely admired. At the end of the war the gardens at Ness were in a sadly neglected stated. But undeterred, Josiah Hope started with a staff of four to rehabilitate the wilderness which had begun to encroach in all areas. In 1948, Miss Agnes Lois Bulley presented the Gardens to the University of Liverpool; Josiah Hope continued as Head Gardener until 1956, aged 81! His involvement in the Gardens did not end with his formal l-r: A K Bulley, Miss Matthews, Bill Cottrell (Josiah Hope’s assistant) and Josiah Hope, circa 1932 retirement and he continued to participate during the Directorships of James Duncan and Ken Hulme. Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour recognised the importance of Josiah Hope’s work in Edinburgh and Primula hopeana was named in his honour; since reclassified it is now known as Primula ioessa var. hopeana. In 1948 he was made an Associate of Honour of the Royal Horticultural Society. In 1962 the University of Liverpool agreed that the Rock Garden at Ness should in future be known as the Josiah Hope Rock Garden. To mark his 90th birthday the Friends of Ness Gardens paid for a plaque which can still be seen in the Rock Garden. Josiah Hope in the greenhouse From 1896 to 1908, Josiah worked on a number of estates including Elvedon Hall and Kenton Hall near Henley and Sir Edmund Loder’s garden at Leonardslee, Sussex. In 1908, he joined the staff at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh to take charge of the herbaceous section. It was here that he gained first hand experience with the plants collected in Yunnan by George Forrest. A significant part of Josiah Hope’s professional life was to be devoted to raising and cultivating the plant introductions of a number of important plant hunters of the period including Forrest and F Kingdon Ward; these two were launched on their careers as plant collectors by Ness Gardens’ founder, A K Bulley. In 1913, Bulley required a new head gardener who would convert the previous market nursery (Bees Seeds having moved to Sealand, Chester in 1912) into ornamental gardens, planted with many of the new plant introductions of Forrest and Ward. On the recommendation of Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour, then Director of RBG Edinburgh, Josiah Hope was appointed. The 30-year association between A K Bulley and Josiah Hope proved notable Josiah Hope and Ken Hulme with Lois Bulley and the gardeners of Ness 2 The Gentian Summer 2013 3 Wildlife Week! THE May halfterm week offered a great opportunity to introduce youngsters to the wildlife on their doorsteps. The Wildlife Family Game Trail took families around the Gardens on a self-guided trail searching out signs of activity by small creatures ie. trails from badger and fox as well as checking out the contents of a barn owl pellet to find out what it had eaten! Wildlife expert, Rob Rhys Bond, led intrepid explorers on an Interactive Wildlife Trek. He was in role play as an ecologist showing families various creatures and plants around the Gardens. Environmentalist Dr Richard Osmond, brought is Hi-Tech Wild Trek mobile field ecology trailer to the Gardens to help visitors spy into the microscopic world of Tree Trail Tim Baxter, Maria Knowles Take the trail around our lovely trees pond creatures and mini-beasts. Using video equipment and microscopes and computers, children were able to capture images of their discoveries Meanwhile in the Hulme Room, a range of Wildlife Craft Activities were enjoyed. Children made origami flowers and minibeasts. Rose Froud entertained with her Bee in Bonnet interactive show about the importance of pollinators. For what’s coming up next, keep a look out on the Ness Gardens website. NESS Gardens is proud to announce the publication of the Tree Trail. The Trail is a selfguided walk around the main part of the gardens and looks at a selection of 22 trees of interest. Ness has one of the most interesting collections of trees and shrubs in the country and the Trail answers the numerous questions about what plants we have and where they grow. The Tree Trail has been a work in progress for over a year and the final version is now available to both Friends and general visitors alike. Pick up your copy from the Visitors Centre and enjoy! Following the interest the Trail has created, we will be running a series of guided walks about trees at the Gardens during the summer and autumn. The walks will only be available to members of the Friends of Ness Gardens and spaces are limited. Dates are to be announced nearer the time so keep an eye on the website and in the Visitors Centre. Thank you to the Friends for their continued support and to the many volunteers who helped to test the Trail while it was being developed. Friends Plant Sales Day 6th May 2013 THE weather was sunny and bright (a welcome change from last year!) and the shrubs and plants for sale set out in the herb garden looked attractive and interesting. Dovecote Nurseries have been staunch supporters for many years whilst gardeners Peter Foley, Paddy Christian, the Poterills, Station House and the Alpine Garden Society all brought diversity and expert knowledge to the day. That we raised around £1,300 was due to all of you who arrived that day and bought plants and who helped set up and then enthusiastically sold the large number of plants donated by kind Friends. Thank you very, very much and I’m look forward to seeing you on May 5th next year! Olwen McLaughlin 4 The Gentian Summer 2013 5 Friends News O n 12 May Friends of Ness Gardens volunteers once again represented Ness at the Secret Gardens of Oxton. This annual one-day event, which was awarded the 2013 Wirral Tourism Event of the Year, has attracted over 40,000 visitors during its 13 years and raised around £231,000 for small local charities. Garden visitors given special incentive to pay Ness a visit this summer WHAT makes Oxton’s Secret Gardens different from other open-garden schemes is that there is no selection process. The 20 to 30 gardens offered each year by their owners are always accepted. The result is liked by visitors – the chance to see what ordinary gardeners can achieve in spaces that vary from the tiny to the large, with styles from the informal to the formal, simple to elaborate. Although it focuses on gardens the event includes a substantial community fete with refreshments in gardens, music and entertainments, local arts and crafts, activities for children, shops, restaurants and pubs. The Secret Gardens’ visitors mainly come from Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales and more than half have not visited Ness in the last five years – if at all. The Friends’ volunteers at the Ness Gardens stand were raising the profile of Ness by providing literature, horticultural advice and, new this year, distributing 50% off Ness entry vouchers. Disappointing wet weather had a major impact on Secret Gardens’ visitor numbers this year, yet over 800 vouchers were distributed. Ness will be monitoring the uptake of this offer and its impact on Friends’ memberships. 6 The Gentian Visit until dusk THE Gardens are looking absolutely lovely... and as members of the Friends you can enjoy them throughout the summer long after the day visitors have left. Membership allows you access to the Gardens after the usual closing time. Just use the gate from the tarmac carpark alongside the Visitor Centre to come in. The gate is opened at 5pm for the exclusive use of Friends of Ness Gardens, and you can stay until dusk. The Gardens are patrolled by security staff, so do have your membership card on you to show if asked. Thank you for your patience... THE implementation of new systems is never easy so why should it be any different for the Friends of Ness Gardens, especially when you are trying to do several things at the same time?!? As previously reported in The Gentian, the Society transferred over from its long-standing Dataease to Raisers Edge system. We started rolling out the new permanent-style membership cards; re-introduced a Family subscription and... carelessly lost our Administrator to Jodrell Bank. Therefore, whilst the new system is working well there have been some administrative delays which we are working our way through. Any concerns with regards to your membership please contact [email protected]. ...and welcome to Natalie! WE are delighted to welcome Natalie Wharton as the Gardens’ new Membership and Finance Administrator. She started on 1 July. Natalie joins us from Wirral Borough Council, specifically Irby Library. A fuller profile will be in the next issue of The Gentian. A Living Legacy Help secure the future of Ness Botanic Gardens... When you are thinking about making a will, please conside leaving a legacy to the Friends of Ness Gardens, to help secure the long-term future of this lovely place with a gift which will continue to grow. If you would like to learn more about Ness Gardens, and how a legacy may be used, please call 0845 030 4063 and ask to speak to Kevin Reid. All discussions will be totally confidential. Summer 2013 7 Friends News Key outcomes from the Society’s AGM Rescheduled from January, the Society’s AGM for the reporting period to 31 July 2012 took place on 21 April 2013 and was attended by 87 Friends. •The change to the style and format of the Annual Report with summarised accounts was noted and accepted by the meeting. •The wide range of marketing activities undertaken by the Committee was detailed including the support of A Taste of Ness and Making Waves gardens; •Subscription rates had remained static for a further year but the reintroduction of two Family categories had come into place on 1 February 2013; •The Society allocated £267,538 of subscription and grant income to the Gardens reducing down the level of unrestricted funds which it had retained to 31 July 2011; •The Society had 7,511 Members (7,397 the previous reporting period) which is 4,528 memberships (4,452 previously); •The proposal to change the year end of the Society was discussed. There was no consensus from the AGM but subsequently the Committee agreed to a 31 October reporting year end; •The proposal to appoint a President was discussed with an agreement that there was no requirement for the Society at the moment but to be reviewed at a future date; •Honorary memberships were conferred on Keith Cade and Barry Fowler. Following the business of the AGM there was a presentation by the Director of the Gardens followed by a Q&A session. Copies of the Minutes of the AGM are available on the website and by request from the Secretary at [email protected] or [email protected] Farewell to Paul Cook - a man of vision and a superb ambassador for Ness IT is with sadness that we bid farewell to our Curator Paul Cook, who left the Ness team at the end of June. RHS Tatton Park Show. We acknowledge with gratitude all he has achieved for Ness and wish him well for the future. Kevin Reid During his 11 years at Ness Paul improved the structural form of the Garden, not least in the controversial felling of selected trees to open up the stunning vistas which are so characteristic of Ness both past and present. Paul’s keen eye for colour combined with gift in the architectural use of plants and trees within natural and sculptural planting schemes and borders built upon the work of his predecessors Peter Cunnington and Ken Hulme. The rebuilt Terraces are just the latest example of the legacy of this work to enhance the Gardens and improve access for visitors with a new rich planting scheme that compliments the scale, topography and yet intimacy of the setting. Paul’s contribution to Ness has spread far beyond the Garden gate through his commitment to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with his team, volunteers and Friends and others - and not least in the education of the next generation including serving on board of the Botanic Gardens Education Network and PlantNet. Yew Tree House, Hankelow, CW3 0JB 5 miles south of Nantwich on the A529 www.specialperennials.com 01270 811443 8 The Gentian Paul has been a superb ambassador for Ness, helping to raise the profile of the Gardens both locally through his numerous talks and tours, and on the national stage by leading his team to a coveted Gold Medal at the Summer 2013 9 The Alpine Troughs of the Potager Kasia Babel Kasia’s lovely little plants bear close inspection K Allium narcisifolium asia Babel, who was previously at Birmingham Botanic Gardens, has been at Ness for a year under the Historic and Botanic Gardens Bursary Scheme, with part funding from the Friends of Ness Gardens. One of her projects at Ness has been to plan and carry through a new alpine planting scheme for the lovely sandstone troughs in the Potager. “MY recent project was concerned with restoration of the alpine troughs which have been neglected over the past year. I could not resist the opportunity to expand my knowledge about this particular type of plant. Troughs stripped and ready for planting The first stage was to decide on the main features. Following a consultation with Curator Paul Cook I chose to focus on the amazing variety of alpine plants and their habitats - and also on George Forrest, a plant hunter who is closely associated with the history of Ness Botanic Gardens. The most simple definition of alpine plants is that they are plants growing beyond or about tree line. Because of the harsh environment they grow in (low temperatures, Rhodanthemum catananche short growing season, dryness) alpine plants are characterized by their small size and slow growth. A plant like Salix reticulata (above, right) is one of the many examples of adaptation to the alpine climate. Furthermore, it also shows how closely related plants can vary in size to survive in the ecological niche in which they grow. Salix reticulata... a willow perfectly adapted to living above the clouds the danger that a European man faced at this time in this part of world. Above all, it was a time of incredible changes in horticulture and the I am sure that introduction June 2013 - planted to perfection for most visitors of new plants, seeing a willow made possible plant not exceeding more than a largely because of the contribution few centimetres height will be a of people like G. Forrest. I hope surprise! that his endeavours can capture the George Forrest was a plant hunter imagination of young people and who collected seeds of alpine and encourage their interest in plants. herbaceous plants for A.K. Bulley I would like to express my gratitude between 1904 and 1912. His trips to the Alpine Garden Society, to China are fascinating and show Wirral and West Cheshire group, especially to: Liz Carter, Peter Cunnington and Christine and Mike Brow for their help with organising plants suitable for this project, and for their advice. I would like to use this opportunity to say to everybody at Ness Botanic Gardens - thank you for all the energy you put into teaching me and also for giving me the opportunity to work in such a wonderful place! And a special thank you for Derek for his English lessons! “ Trachelium asperuloides Summer 2013 11 A word to the wise (who’d like to get wiser!) FRIENDS who are planning to take a course at Ness during the late summer / autumn, may welcome knowing that the current season’s What’s On booklet for Ness has flown off the Visitor Centre shelves. While an updated guide is being planned, it would be sensible for Friends who are planning to brush up on any areas of their gardening know-how to get their place safely booked! The courses are listed at the back of this issue of The Gentian and topics include gardening basics, botany, propagation, fungi foraging (always very popular), planning for colour, gathering seed, soil types, composting, photography - and much more. A chance to chat with your gardening favourites! WHO would you like to meet from the GQT presenters - and why? Tell us in 150 words or less, and you might be chosen to have your own get together with a selection of the team at this year’s GQT Summer Garden Party. Share a coffee break or show them your favourite part of the Gardens - it’s up to you! Send your submission to the Ness Team at [email protected] by 16 August 2013. In memoriam JEFF IRONS, who died April 2013, was a loyal and diligent volunteer at Ness for many years till his death. He came regularly to the gardens to help run the seed lists for both the International Botanic Gardens’ seed exchange and the Friends’ seed list and contributed many very unusual species from his own garden. He was also heavily involved with the Half-Hardy Plant Society and the Australasian Plant Society. MICHAEL IDDON (May 1949 – 27 April 2013) was a member of the gardening staff at Ness for much of his working life beginning around 1972 and leaving in the 1990s. He started knowing nothing about plants and developed such an extensive knowledge that he was able to serve as Chairman of both the Heswall and Irby Horticultural Societies for many years. He was universally recognised as someone who would be helpful to anyone. JAMES CULLEN who died 11 May 2013, was appointed Assistant Director of Ness under Ken Hulme in 1965 and left in 1972 to become Assistant Regius Keeper (effectively Deputy Director) of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. In 1993 he became Director of the Stanley Smith Trust which awards grants in support of horticultural initiatives, including in recent years students working at Ness. 12 The Gentian Getting the most from your garden Andy Lambie Keep on top of the weeds... but let most of the watering take care of itself Things to do now... • Keep mowing lawns regularly to about 1.5 inches (40mm). Don’t cut grass too short or you will weaken it - and leave your grass box off until September. • The only plants that definitely need watering are those in containers, hanging baskets and any that have been recently planted or sown. If in doubt, dig a hole about three inches (80mm) deep - if the soil is damp to the touch it’s fine. • You don’t need to top up ponds, it is normal for water levels to drop in the summer! If you can’t cope with lower water levels use collected rain water - tap water - is too rich in nitrates. • Now is a good time to plant autumn flowering bulbs such as autumn crocuses, Colchicum, Sternbergia, and Nerines. ... And some jobs for the autumn • Scarify, aerate and top dress lawns. • Divide congested clumps of herbaceous perennials. However, resist the urge to cut back perennials - the stems and seed heads are important for wildlife over the winter (besides many are decorative - much better than an empty border!). • Net ponds and clear up leaves from paths, driveways, lawns and low growing plants. Leaves can be left in borders as mulch. • Dismantle hanging baskets and summer containers; non-diseased plants can go in the compost bins, compost can be put on borders or used in the top dressing for the lawn. • Plant spring flowering bulbs, if there is no where obvious in the beds and borders, plant some in pots. • In September, sow vegetables for overwintering, for example turnip, spinach, winter lettuce, Oriental vegetables to mature and be harvested next spring. • Start saving seed for sowing in the autumn or next spring. • From the end of the month, you could have a go at taking semi ripe cuttings. • Finish pruning spring flowering shrubs and start pruning trained fruit and gooseberries. • Don’t forget about the weeds! Remove the roots of perennials weeds and mulch areas as you finish weeding. • Do your bit for bees and butterflies; check that there is something in flower from January through to November. If not, what could you plant in the autumn? • Prepare new areas for planting. Tree and shrub planting season begins on the 23rd of November, marked by National Tree Week. • Clean out nest boxes and fill up bird feeders. • Don’t forget about the weeds! Nerine bowdenii Andy Lambie Summer 2013 13 Wildlife at Ness Tim Baxter and Phil Putwain A new book for Ness Hugh McAllister H ugh McAllister, one-time Botanist at Ness Botanic Gardens, has spent over 30 years researching birches. This life’s work has now been published. Hugh comments... ‘MUCH credit must be given to Ness Gardens, to its past directors and current horticultural staff, for providing an almost perfect situation for me, a taxonomist with a particular interest Betula utilis spp. utilis ‘DarkNess’ in trees, to study two particular genera in great detail here at Ness. The direct result of this ‘Ness opportunity’, as I have always considered it, has been the publication of two significant monographs by Kew Publishing: The Genus Sorbus: Mountain Ash and other Rowans in 2005 and now, this May, The Genus Betula: a taxonomic revision of birches. For the second one Ness Gardens worked very closely with Stone Lane Gardens, Chagford, Devon, a specialist birch and alder arboretum created by the late Kenneth Ashburner, co-author of The Genus Betula. themselves with patterns of variation of species in the wild when what they are looking for is a very attractive space-worthy tree for their own garden. And yet surely this is precisely what many Friends and visitors to Ness, particularly those who have a deep interest in plants and gardening, appreciate above all else: the chance to see through all the changing seasons of the year interesting, unusual, sometimes very rare species of trees and other plants against the beautiful backdrop of the Dee estuary and the hills of North Wales. Some might also become common garden trees of the future, several Ness trees already having lost many twigs to nurserymen who select desirable specimens for grafting, for instance the Butanese B. utilis ‘Dark-Ness’, above ‘The Gully’ on the way down to the railway. ‘So, while not recommending my own book, please let me urge you to take a look at the copy made available to visitors to the shop, flick through to see all the photographs of birches growing at Ness and the botanical plates by ‘Let me be the first person to say that I am not Josephine Hague, painted from specimens recommending entirely taken from either monograph the Gardens, and as a ‘must read’ then go out and to the Friends of see for yourselves Ness Gardens the living birches, and the readers of particularly in The Gentian. Both January and of these books February when which have come you can see against out of work done clear winter skies here at Ness are the expanding serious taxonomic catkins on the studies and the leafless branches majority of keen Devon book signing: June Ashburner (Kenneth Ashburner’s widow), of the birches and Hugh McAllister, Keith Rushforth (behind), Paul Bartlett (Manager gardeners have no the closely related Stone Lane Gardens) cause to concern alders.’ 14 The Gentian Ness is an amazing place for its wildlife. Across the 64 acres, the range of habitats brings a wealth of birds, butterflies, bees and mammals into the Gardens. This article looks at some of the highlights, and introduces the WilderNess project. T he status of Ness as a local gardens is an important feeding site biodiversity hotspot is in part for many birds and insects. Ness due to its close proximity to the has some spectacular dragonflies nationally important wetlands of and numerous species of damselfly Burton Marshes. Much of Cheshire that live in the ponds. These ponds and Wirral are also intensively are fantastic places for amphibians farmed, which on the whole provide including very healthy frog and toad Flowering beetle Oedemera less suitable habitats for wildlife than populations. These help to eat the nobilis on oxeye daisy more extensively managed farms. vast numbers of slugs and snails Ness by contrast has a patchwork on site, even though we have no of habitats which makes it highly attractive for problem growing Hostas! Ness is also thought to wildlife. The mixture of both young and old have the Great Crested Newt, although this has plantings of herbaceous, shrubs and trees that not been confirmed in recent are found in both the formal inner gardens years. Open water is also an and informal outer areas ensures there is an important feeding habitat for abundance of shelter many species of bat and in and food all year particular the Daubenton’s. This round for wildlife. species has the amazing feeding The sheer variety of habit of flying about 5cm above Damselfly plants to be found at the surface of the water to eat Ness is also a great midges and other biting nasties. contributor to the Ness has a few good areas of mature woodland, diversity of wildlife with the Spinney and Pine Wood giving many found in the gardens. opportunities for nesting birds and roosting One of the most bats. Ness operates a bird nest box scheme of interesting features about 40 boxes. Wirral is not an area containing in the Gardens is the many of the nest box specialist species, so the The Water Gardens bare soil and exposed boxes are mostly used by Blue and Great Tits. geology in Tree-roosting bats have the Heather Garden. Solitary bees been recorded from Ness use this bare soil as their home and including the Brown Longburrow into the path to raise their eared bat. eggs. Leaving patches of bare soil in In the main part of the south-facing sites can attract similar Gardens, there are some bees in your own garden. fantastic areas for wildlife that The Spinney Open water found around the could easily be replicated Summer 2013 15 Membership Wildlife at Ness... update... at home. As Ness is an all-year-round garden, many plants attractive to wildlife can be found in flower here during the winter. Of particular merit are Hamamelis spp., Mahonia x media ‘Charity’, Sarcococca hookeriana and winter-flowering heathers such as Erica carnea. In years such as this, the long Phlomis russeliana cold winter has been awful for many overwintering insects, with bees in particular being hit hard. Plants such as Phlomis russeliana, Sedum spp., and Monarda ‘Violet Queen’ are much loved by bees when in flower but also provide places to hide in winter. Rather than being tidied up in autumn these can be left to provide seeds for resident birds and shelter for overwintering insects. The most notable displays in early spring are the snowdrops and hellebores found in the Pine Wood and Woodland Garden, both of which are bee pollinated and important sources of nectar for newly emerging queen bees. Mass displays of R. sutchuenense, R. yunnanense, R. decorum, and R. rubiginosum in the Pine Wood signal spring is in full season and provide a great source of nectar and pollen. Some of the most important habitats for summer interest are the herbaceous areas which have a range of plant types. Here a great range of pollinator friendly plants can be found such as Allium cristophii, Geranium (top) and Echinacea (left) 16 The Gentian A. ‘Gladiator’, Echinacea purpurea, Veronicastrum virginicum, Echinops bannaticus ‘Taplow Blue’, Rudbeckia fulgida, Inula hookeri, Aster spp., and Geranium spp. Ness has one of the largest collections of woody members of the Rose family (Rosaceae). The flowers of Rosaceae are bee pollinated and Cotoneasters in particular are much loved by bees as well as other insects. Long-tailed tit Some of the best Cotoneasters to grow include C. conspicuous (Heather Garden), C. splendens (top field), and C. ogisui (Rhododendron Border). The dense and low-growing habit of many cotoneasters is also great nesting habitat for many birds, especially blackbirds and dunnocks. In autumn, the fruits of many Rosaceae, especially Sorbus and Cotoneaster, are enjoyed by birds and can provide an almost continuous supply of food from July through to January. Some of the best to grow are Sorbus decora (bottom field), S. filipes, S. pseudovilmorinii and S. carmesina (Pine Wood). The large numbers of birches (Betula spp.) in the Gardens are favoured by herbivorous insects, especially the caterpillars of many species of moth. These are a vital food source for many species of breeding bird and small mammals. The Wilder-Ness project A t Ness Gardens the outer areas are now managed specifically for wildlife, under the Wilder-Ness project. The sheer scale, aspect and wild feel of these outer areas is unique in a botanic garden in the UK. They contain the most important botanical collections at Ness and offer something special to anyone who gets to know them. The Wilder-Ness project has three aims. • Firstly to manage the area for the benefit of wildlife through best practices of habitat management. For example, certain small areas will be left as bramble cover for nesting birds and small mammals and will be cut on rotation across the area. • Secondly to manage and promote the internationally important botanic collections in the area. Many taxa of plant of botanical significance grow in this area but regular maintenance, development and scientific use is needed in order to maintain their significance. • The third aim is to use the area for education and to interpret what we are doing and why. The Wilder-Ness project started in 2008 when the wildflower meadow was created. A mix of annual and perennial seed was sown giving the first year a WOW! factor. This has now developed into a perennial meadow with a mix of wildflowers and grasses providing many good habitats. One of the most important is the extensive areas of tussock grasses which provide overwintering Harvest mouse habitat for insects and nest nest at Ness sites for small mammals including a healthy population of harvest mice. Barn owls and the resident pair of kestrels use these areas extensively for feeding. The introduction of Hay Rattle, Rhinanthus minor, has helped reduce competitive grasses in the main meadow. In the most sheltered areas towards the bottom of the slope, plants such as thistles, willowherb and spring-flowering willows provide an abundance of food for the many butterflies and bees in the area. A group of dedicated volunteers regularly record numbers of butterflies and bees throughout the year. One species of note is the Five-spot Burnet Moth, Zygaena lonicerae, which is a day-flying moth. Its presence is a sign of a healthy meadow. The Friends have agreed a fund to help the management of this area which will help this botanical and wildlife gem of Ness to continue. Many thanks to all the volunteers, staff and Friends who help to keep it on the Ness radar. Burnet moth Summer 2013 17 What’s On at Ness Tuesday 30 July 10am-4pm Children’s Funday! Most activities free. Usual admission charges to the Gardens apply. Pony rides, Falconry display, Crèche, Crafts, Family Trail, Story time, Circus tricks. Friday 2 August 7.30pm and Sunday 4 August 2pm Off the Ground Youth Theatre Company presents: Comedy of Errors. Adults £12, senior citizens £7, under 21s £5. See website for details. Saturday 14 September 9.30-4pm Camera Confidence. Art in the Garden photography course. To book contact AIG 07800 847 729. Sunday 15 September 10am-5pm Bulley’s Free Entry Heritage Day. The Gardens’ founder Arthur Bulley shared his beautiful garden freely with his neighbours and friends. That heritage is celebrated on this special day, when entry to the Gardens is absolutely free to EVERYONE. Tuesday 6 August (10am-12.30pm) Plants that bite back! Discover the fascinating Thursday 19 September world of plants that trap and eat prey. Friends Discover Gardening. An introduction to all of Ness Gardens £8, £10 nonthe basics of gardening. members. 10-weekly sessions: COURSES KEY Mornings 9.30am-12noon Saturday 10 August 10am-1pm OR Evenings 6.30-9pm; £55 Green = One Day Courses Summer Propagation. Friends of Ness Gardens, Purple = Longer Courses Learn how to propagate plants £60 non-members. For booking courses and (including taking cuttings from events, call Ness on 0845 030 plants in the Gardens). £10 Sunday 22 September 4063 unless otherwise stated. Friends of Ness Gardens, £12 9.30am-4.30pm For further information see non-members. Edible Mushroom the website: Hunting Day. This hugely www.nessgardens.org.uk Tuesday 3 September 10ampopular course is back 12.30pm again this year! £45, no Essential Gardening Jobs concessions, includes lunch. for the Autumn £8 Friends of Ness Gardens, £10 non-members. Sunday 22 September 2.30pm-4pm Friends of Ness Gardens Sunday Lecture. Saturday 7 September 10amA Treasury of Plants: Tim Baxter, Maria Knowles, 6pm Philip Putwain & Andrew Lambie. Full details The return of BBC Radio on our website nearer the time. FREE. (Usual 4 Gardeners’ Question admission charges to the Gardens apply). Time and Summer Garden Party. If you missed Thursday 26 September 1pm-3.30pm it last year, make sure you don’t Botany for Gardeners. 6 weekly sessions. miss it again – get your tickets before they sell Plants are remarkable, yet many gardeners know out! See our website for details. Tickets £8.50. very little about how they work. This course looks at some of the science that underlies many Saturday 14 September 10am-1pm familiar gardening practices and explains the Composting. Everything you need to know complex processes of plant growth, functions, for successful home composting. £10 Friends of adaptation, responses, and reproduction in simple Ness Gardens, £12 non-members. language. £45 Friends of Ness Gardens, £50 non -members. 18 The Gentian Sunday 29 September 12noon-4pm Wedding Fair. Meet local suppliers and talk to the wedding team at Ness. Access to the Gardens is free for prospective couples. Entry to fair FREE. Tuesday 1 October 10am-12.30pm Planting for Year Round Colour. Autumn is the best time for planting, so learn how to create fabulous colour in your garden next year. £8 Friends of Ness Gardens, £10 non-members. Sunday 6 October 2.30pm-4pm Friends of Ness Gardens Sunday Lecture. Fletcher Moss Gardens: its history and plants: John Steedman (former curator). FREE. Saturday 12th October 10am-1pm Secrets to a Good Looking Lawn. Find out the secrets that turf scientists and golf course managers use. £10 Friends of Ness Gardens, £12 non-members. Saturday 19 October – Sunday 27 October 10am-4pm Half-term Halloween Pumpkin Trail. 50p to follow the trail. Usual admission charges to the Gardens. Sunday 20 October 2.30pm-4pm. Friends of Ness Gardens Sunday Lecture. Alfred Russel Wallace: the mind in the Jungle: Robert Callow (former lecturer in Botany at Manchester University) explores the contribution of the co-discoverer with Charles Darwin of the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. FREE. Friday 1 November 9.30-4pm Ness Autumn Garden Photography. Art in the Garden photography course. To book contact AIG 07800 847729. Sunday 3 November 2.30pm-4pm Friends of Ness Gardens Sunday Lecture. Gardening and Wildlife Fifty Years after ‘Silent Spring’: Stuart Bailey (former lecturer in zoology at Manchester University) looks at the aftermath of the book that heralded the start of the modern wildlife conservation movement. FREE. Tuesday 5 November 10am-12.30pm Harvesting and Sowing of Seed. The complete guide to growing plants from seed. £8 Friends of Ness Gardens, £10 non-members. Thursday 7 November 6-10pm Star Party. An evening of talks, telescopes and viewing the night sky, presented by the Liverpool Astronomical Society. £10 includes soup & roll. Saturday 9 November 2-4pm. Leonard Broadbent Memorial Lecture. Training for International Conservation: Leigh Morris (Director of Horticulture, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh). Raising the horticultural capacity of botanical gardens. Tickets £3. Thursday 14 November 1pm-3.30pm Soils: An Introduction for Gardeners. 6 weekly sessions Understanding what soil is and how it works is fundamental to a successful garden. This course looks at how to identify the sort of soil you have and how to look after the amazing ecosystem beneath our feet. Healthy soil is the first step to growing healthy plants. £45 Friends of Ness Gardens, £50 non-members. Sunday 17 November 2.30pm-4pm Friends of Ness Gardens Sunday Lecture. Gardens and Gardening in Madeira: John Tallis (former lecturer in botany at Manchester University). FREE. Sunday 1 December 2.30pm-4pm Friends of Ness Gardens Sunday Lecture. The Geology of Wirral: Maggie Williams (School of Environmental Sciences, Liverpool University). FREE. Tuesday 3 December 10am-12.30pm Essential Gardening Jobs for the Winter. £8 Friends of Ness Gardens, £10 non-members Saturday 14 December – Sunday 15 December 10am-4pm Christmas Weekend! Father Christmas and Christmas crafts. Summer 2013 19 Stafford-125x185-Try_Us_for_£10-PRINT.pdf The Gentian welcomes advertisements. If you would like to advertise your company, contact the Editor for details of technical requirements for copy and rates. Special rates offered for repeat advertisements. F. MORREY & SON 1 Tuesday09/000007/2013 15:14 Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinics, Podiatry and Massage Clinics in Bromborough, Hoylake, Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port and Liverpool (Est. 1910) SPECIALIST GROWERS Ornamental and Amenity Trees RHODOS • AZALEAS • MAPLES 10% discount for Friends of Ness. No waiting list. Full Shrub Range Garden Shop 8.30 am — 5.00 pm DAILY CLOSED SUNDAY Catalogue on Request 0844 415 4895 www.jointsandpoints.co.uk FOREST NURSERY, KELSALL A54 near TARPORLEY, CHESHIRE CW6 0SW Tel: Kelsall 01829 751342 A SPECIAL INVITATION TO THE FRIENDS OF NESS GARDENS... “The Late Night Garden Kitchen” We look forward to welcoming you to Ness Botanic Gardens on the first Wednesday Evening of every month to enjoy this exclusive dinner event. You will have the opportunity to dine from a delicious threecourse choice menu, choose wines from our recommended list and benefit from good company whilst sat at tables laid with crisp white linen and tea lights. 3 Courses with Coffee only £19.75 per person Reservations necessary, to book call: 0161 273 3469 and ask for Ella who will be delighted to assist you. 20 The Gentian