THE FRIENDS OF TREBORTH BOTANIC GARDEN

CYFEILLION GARDD

FOTANEG TREBORTH

NEWSLETTER CYLCHLYTHYR

Number / Rhif 60 September/Medi 2017

Fig. 1. The Jo Whiley Scent Garden, RHS Chelsea 2017 (Photo - RHS) [p.14]

Fig. 2. The Chelsea team (Photo - N. Chivers) [p.14]

COMMITTEE

Sarah Edgar (sarahedgar70@hotmail.com) Chair Angela Thompson (act.celyn@gmail.com) Vice Chair, Membership Sec Cath Dixon (catherine@velella.force9.co.uk) Treasurer Natalie Chivers (n.j.chivers@bangor.ac.uk) Curator Rosie Kressman (r.kressman@bangor.ac.uk) Horticulturist Dr John Gorham (johnandchris.gorham@btinternet.com) Events Secretary Thomas (Tomos) Jones (thomassionjones92@gmail.com) Publicity Dr David Shaw (shaw@sarvari-trust.org) Committee Member Enid Griffith Committee Member Tom Cockbill (thomasjames83@hotmail.co.uk) Committee Member Dr Ann Illsley (pencefn@rhiwlas.org.uk) Committee Member Berta Rosen (bertarosen@waitrose.com) Committee Member James Stroud (jamie.a.stroud@gmail.com) Committee Member Rosie Barratt (rosannabarratt@gmail.com) Committee Member Jen Towill (jl_towill@hotmail.com) Committee Member Bethan Hughes Jones (bethanhughes.jones@gmail.com) Co-opted

Newsletter Team

John Gorham (e-mail as above) — layout, photos Grace Gibson (grace.gibson@btinternet.com) — adverts, articles Angela Thompson (e-mail as above) — commissioning articles, planning, editing Cover Photos: Front: Ernst Haeckel - Kunstformen der Natur (1904), plate 72: Muscinae courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [p. 40] Back: Tree-planting to celebrate establishment of FTBG in October 1997 [p. 5] Unless otherwise stated, all contributions to the newsletter are copyright of the author. For more information about The Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden, please visit our website: http://www.friendsoftreborthbotanicgarden.org or write to: The Chair, Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden, Treborth, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2RQ, UK

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Issue No. 60 September 2017

Contents

Chair’s Introduction, September 2017 3 News in Brief 4 FOMO and FOBLO 4 The Friends Coming of Age 5 Curator’s Report: January - April 2017 9 Arboretum Restoration Project 12 New Labels for the Treborth Arboretum 13 A Chelsea Experience 14 Gardens of the West Midlands 17 An Anglesey Garden – Autumn 26 Wild Orchids of Scotland 29 Orchid Counting at Caeau Tan y Bwlch 31 Mycology Matters 33 Hair Ice 38 What is the Point of Mosses 40

If possible, please access the online version of the Newsletter to save paper and printing costs, and tell Angela Thompson (act.celyn@gmail.com) that you do not require a printed copy.

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Chair’s Introduction, September 2017

We are reporting in this newsletter on many aspects of our work at Treborth. One of the big projects this spring and summer has been the improvement of the arboretum, where student interns Sarah Ellis and Jake Burton have been helping the Treborth staff by strimming brambles and other unwanted vegetation. You can now properly see the trees and also identify them, as labels have now been erected on wooden posts made by Erle Randall. The labels themselves were ordered by Pat Denne and paid for by donations from Friends members Pat Winsor and Margaret Evans. More details are given in a couple of articles, but I wanted to emphasise that this is how we get many things done at Treborth - a combination of volunteers, students, staff and generous donors. Natalie also reports on other activities at Treborth, such as the new interpretation boards (again, a team effort to design these, and funded by the Friends, Huw Thomas, the Confucius Institute and the Glastir scheme) and mapping work. Shaun Russell writes about mosses, lichens and liverworts, those fascinating, but often overlooked, lower plants that grow so well at Treborth. Many of us enjoy watching the RHS Chelsea Show on television every year and there is always added interest if we know someone who is actually involved. Sometimes we might see members Sue and Bleddyn Wynn Jones of Crug Farm Nurseries, but this year we were keenly watching out for Natalie Chivers and Jen Towill, who were helping to prepare the Jo Whiley Scent Garden designed by Kate Savill and Tamara Bridge. Jen’s article for this newsletter tells us about her first experience of setting up a Chelsea show garden. Gerry Downing reports on a day spent counting orchids at Caeau Tan y Bwlch. We reproduce, from the online magazine Biome Ecology, two articles by familiar names: Nigel Brown and Dan Brown. Nigel writes about mycology and Dan about hair ice. We also have another report from Nigel on nature in his Anglesey garden. Finally, there are two articles on Friends’ activities: one on our recent coach trip, with members of the north Wales branch of the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust, to gardens in the West Midlands, and one on the history of the Friends. We suddenly realised earlier this year that we reach our coming of age next May – 21 years since a few people decided to set up a support group for the Garden. You can read about some of the ups and downs of the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden in my article.

Sarah Edgar

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News in Brief

Gardens Coach Tour 2018

Following the success of this year’s trip to gardens in the midlands, the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden and the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust will again be organising a joint gardens coach tour next year, this time to Cumbria, from 3rd to 5th July 2018. Anyone interested should please contact Olive Horsfall, preferably by email, at oandmhorsfall@btinternet.com, or phone 01766 780187, with no obligation. A booking form will be sent out to both groups on the same day when the details are finalised. The cost should be similar to this year’s, i.e. £220.

Donations

We should like to thank K Laurie for kindly donating to the Friends.

Angela Thompson

FOMO and FOBLO No, they’re not Treborth’s revamped versions of the Flowerpot Men… They are acronyms, along the lines of other more familiar ones like NIMBY (not in my back yard) or DINKS (double income, no kids). These two newcomers play on people’s niggles about not being part of things: FOMO stands for ‘fear of missing out’, and FOBLO ‘fear of being left out’, perhaps a rather more uncomfortable experience. Anyway, these phrases need not bother you in the botanical sense if you renew your subscription to the Friends. It’s that time of year again – the next membership year starts at the end of October. Through the newsletter and the events programme that you will continue to receive, you will keep up with developments at Treborth and events ahead – you will then be ITHEK (in the know). If you have a standing order, you need do nothing. If you pay by cheque or with cash, please would you complete the enclosed form and return it to Treborth with your subs. We really do appreciate your continued support of the Garden. For example, your recent subscriptions have contributed to the erection of interpretative boards and smart, clear labelling of trees etc. This helps to inform and educate the community about the importance and pleasure of Treborth. And

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the Friends have been able to pay for casual labour again over the summer when there is much to do. Please help us to continue this and other vital work. Many thanks

Angela Thompson

The Friends’ Coming of Age

On 21st May 1997, a few people met together at Treborth to talk about setting up a Friends group to support the Garden. So next May we celebrate our 21st anniversary! I have had a fascinating time looking through the files of the Committee minutes and old newsletters, to put together this summary of the history of the Friends, and of some of our high- and low-lights. Nigel Brown’s hand-written notes of that first meeting record his concerns about financial constraints and “the enhancement of the sports facilities at the nearby Playing Fields [that] threatens to reduce the natural appeal of the Garden and jeopardises its future development. Treborth needs a strong voice to maintain and develop its own unique character”. By the end of that year a Committee had been formed. It was comprised of the Curator, Nigel, and Gardener, Mike Roberts, Alfred Williamson (Chairman), Helen Hughes and Jane Wright (joint Secretaries), Trevor Dines (Newsletter Editor), David Toyne (Publicity Officer), Pauline Perry, Ann Wood and Grace Gibson. Membership subscriptions were set at £5 for singles, £8 for couples and £10 for a family; but, to kick start the Friends, people were invited to become Founder Members and pay £50, receiving in return free newsletters and an occasional Founders’ event. An open day was held in June 1997 and an official launch in October. 300 people - a very respectable turn out even today for a public event - attended the launch and the Taiwania that Vice-Chancellor Prof. Roy Evans planted (Fig. 26) can still be seen growing strongly in the arboretum. The first mission statement was proudly declared in issue 1 of the Friends’ newsletter: “To improve public awareness of Treborth Botanic Garden and provide help and financial support for future developments which would enhance its educational, research and conservational

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roles as well as its amenity value.” The core activities of the Friends quickly became well established: a programme of talks was set up (the first one being Maldwyn Thomas on “A Plantsman in China”) and a fungus foray, plant propagation workshop and work day were all planned in the first year. The Friends continued the arrangement with the Alpine Garden Society of the annual Len Beer Memorial Lecture. Some of the issues that the Friends had to deal with in those early days were resolved (for example, a slightly sticky relationship with the Friends of Plant Biology; the two Friends groups did become friends eventually!) but many continue to chunter on. I don’t want to depress the current Committee too much, but, back in 1998, Nigel “confirmed that the lab is to be linked to the University’s main computer network very soon” - we are still waiting! The Garden’s plant records database has been a recurring topic; in 1998 Nigel hoped that the University would buy BG Base for Treborth, but this did not happen and in 2000 the Friends set up a database on an Excel spreadsheet - which continues today, although we do plan to buy the current industry standard, IRIS, once the network issue has been resolved. The Friends have promoted not only plant records, but also plant labelling, seeing that as an essential requirement in a botanic garden. We have bought and trialed various machines and types of labels in the search for a perfect (and probably unobtainable) system that is resistant to weather, dogs, vandals and errant strimming activity! We have also tried a variety of plant labels for our plant sales. The coloured label pricing system was introduced quite early on, which makes totting up at the till much quicker, and the printed information labels were introduced two years ago by John Gorham. We feel this is an important factor in making the plant sales such successful fund-raising events for the Garden. That, and the tea and cakes of course. I don’t know where we would have been without stalwart bakers and tea servers who have been the backbone of every plant sale, fungus foray, student work party and open day over the last 21 years. We have had some keen composters among our members and in 2001, at Ann Wood’s instigation, two plastic Rotol compost bins were bought; later the Friends built wooden ones and we also held a couple of composting workshops. Unlike some Friends groups, practical gardening has always been one of our roles, and volunteer work parties started in 2000. These became even more important after 2006 when the only gardener was made redundant. At that time, the University Estates department took over the mowing of the lawns, but it became apparent that their staff were too stretched to do this regularly enough, and so the Friends formed a mowing team. We bought a new ride-on mower (and another one later) and nearly all the mowing and strimming is still done by that team today.

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The subject of dogs (and their owners!) arises regularly over the years. In 1999 the Committee felt that dog poo bins would be unsightly, but eventually, when the Coast Path was established, the Council did put up bins and the Friends (mainly Pat Denne) empty these out - a sterling job that has greatly improved the situation. The Friends believe that plants should be celebrated in many ways, including bringing botanical art into the Garden, and we have been fortunate to have among our members botanical artists Kay Rees Davies and, more recently, Doreen Hamilton, who have created artworks inspired by Treborth. Angela Thompson arranged for the wonderful Plantlife “Patchwork Meadow” exhibition to come here in 2014. We have made an effort to create links with other gardens, have participated in PlantNetwork conferences in the UK, and have supported students to attend conferences abroad. We also made contact, and subsequently twinned, with the Lesotho National Botanic Garden at Katse, which also led to our funding a visit from the Katse Curator in 2004, and helping two students, Sophie Williams and Tom Little, to visit Lesotho as part of their degree course. Whenever a particular skill has been needed in the Garden, we have looked to our members to provide it. General gardening of course, but also specialist expertise in propagation, pest control, looking after tricky groups of plants like orchids and carnivorous plants, and garden design. And don’t forget those handy men and woman who have renovated the kitchen, painted the office (included our very own Curator in her student days), built bird hides and laid paths, as well as computer experts to manage library, plants and moth data. However perhaps the most important role of the Friends has been to champion the Garden and fight for its survival. One prescient point caught my eye as I read the notes of that first Friends’ meeting: “The level of financial support for the Garden from the University may decrease in the future” - a theme that was to reoccur with depressing regularity. In 1999, we had discussions with Maurice Lock in the University about an application for European Objective 1 funding. Committee members Peter Frost and David Toyne in particular worked on this, turning ideas for development into feasibility and business plans. Eventually in 2003 a bid was put forward to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a major renovation, but this was unsuccessful. Then in 2004, we heard that the Plant Biology degree course would be cancelled and staffing cuts were being made. Then followed several worrying years when the Friends wrote endless emails to the University staff, and put forward ideas for reducing running costs and bringing in extra income. However, in 2005, the University said that they would no longer pay for heating the glasshouses, and later we heard that Mike Roberts would be made redundant, reducing the staff complement to just the Curator, i.e. Nigel. 2006 became the year of the Save

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Treborth Campaign, with letters going out to everyone from University staff to Prince Charles. Though in some ways it was a period of dark days, it was also very cheering to discover a huge amount of local support for Treborth, particularly from the students, who set up the Students for Treborth Action Group (STAG), and as a result the glasshouses did continue to be heated. A few years later, the Friends paid for a six-month part-time Horticultural Technician post which then became a full-time University post. We have always recognised that the University has to make tough decisions in times of financial constraint but we feel strongly that the Garden gives excellent value for money. We like to feel that our efforts have shown the University that, while there may not be a botany degree course any more, the Garden still has great value for the University’s many students who come to learn about living plants as part of other courses. The Friends also make a significant contribution to the University’s community engagement mission. The last ten years have seen a big improvement in the way the University views Treborth, as is shown by the recent investment in both the buildings and the staffing complement. The Friends have also made a considerable investment in the Garden; over the last eleven years we have spent over £100,000 on equipment, plants, labour, tools, infrastructure etc. The Friends have given Treborth that “strong voice” that Nigel said, back in 1997, was urgently need, and this has carried Treborth through some difficult times in the past 21 years to a point where we can be much more hopeful about the Garden’s future for the next 21 years, and hopefully beyond.

Sarah Edgar

Curator’s Report: May – August

In my last report, I shared with you my preparation for my talk ‘The Power of Volunteers’ which I presented at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh for the Annual PlantNetwork Conference. The feedback I received was very positive and the members of PlantNetwork were astounded at the tenacity and commitment shown by the Friends of Treborth over the last 20 years and to that end, applauded you all and wished you the best for the next 20 years. I was extremely proud to stand up and celebrate your efforts here at Treborth, and I can’t believe my luck that we have such a wonderful, supportive network with which to take the garden forward - thank you!

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I was also able to represent Treborth at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show again this year, alongside Jen Towill as part of the planting team for BBC Radio 2’s Feel Good Gardens, designed by Kate Savill and Tamara Bridge. We worked on the Jo Whiley Scent Garden and were responsible for the soft landscaping that evoked people’s scent memories (more information in Jen’s report in this issue). Back in our Garden, I think I can safely say that we haven’t stopped! Our workforce has grown this summer and we have been lucky enough to not only have Sarah, Jemima and Tom working on the arboretum and GIS mapping, but were given the opportunity to recruit four more interns in July. Gina has a background in mental health and wellbeing, so is working on a set of guided mindful walks through the garden, as well as developing her horticultural skills. Kerry is very keen on parasitism, and along with assisting Sarah in the arboretum, has been investigating effective bio-control for our glasshouses. James has been increasing our photographic portfolio and indexing the existing collection of historical images and papers relating to the garden. He is also very interested in land management and is helping us with the day-to-day gardening. Grace has an extensive background in environmental education, and is working with us and Wild Elements to increase the glasshouse interpretation and develop lesson plans for school visits, including ‘Botanist for a Day’. I am sure you will join me in wishing them all the very best with their studies and hope they enjoy their experiences whilst at Treborth. The Friends have generously part-funded a plant records manager for three months to continue to improve and update our existing plant database. Ruby Bye is a horticulturist at Crug Farm and is using her plant identification skills and knowledge of databasing to reformat our current database, and start to update records so they can be transferred to IRIS BG. Ruby will be leaving us in September and relocating to London, where she will study for a Specialist Certificate in Propagation at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. We wish Ruby the best of luck with her course. If anyone is interested in helping us to continue our plant records management, please let me know. We have also engaged with the University’s Talent Opportunities Programme (TOP) again this summer, a scheme to raise school pupils’ aspirations and awareness of Higher Education. Shaun Russell and Tom Cockbill ran 10 sessions for secondary school pupils during June and July, with the aim to introduce them to the importance of botany and ecology. It was fantastic to see the pupils all using microscopes to dissect flowers, explore the ponds and engage in nature-based discussions. Treborth also hosted the School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography (SENRGY) Teaching Away Day in July. The academic staff use this day to

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review new and existing modules, field trips, peer observation of teaching, recruitment and outreach and engagement. It was a lovely sunny day and they were able to utilise both indoor and outdoor facilities. We very much hope they will come back to Treborth for future meetings. Also in July, I was invited to a meeting on the Great Orme, with the National Botanic Garden of Wales (NBGW), Chester Zoo and staff from the Orme’s ranger team to discuss the conservation efforts for the Cotoneaster cambricus (Great Orme berry). As many of you know, the history of this plant is somewhat elusive. It was originally thought that this plant may be Cotoneaster integerrimus, which may have been introduced to the UK. However recent genetic evidence from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has shown it to be a native species in its own right, Cotoneaster cambricus. When the plant was first recorded in the eighteenth century, it was described as widely distributed on the limestone cliffs but was sought after by Victorian souvenir hunters, and by 1978 it had declined to six individual plants. It was presumed that this habitat is what the Cotoneaster prefers: very exposed rock crevices, growing in shallow soil. However, these inaccessible crevices were the only places that the Victorians could not reach to uproot the plants. Large cultivated specimens of C. cambricus are found in the gardens of some Orme residents such as Tom Parry, and we have two specimens here at Treborth, both of which are growing in fairly sheltered sites, in deep soil. Sally Pidcock, Head Warden on the Orme has been propagating material from their six remaining specimens over the last 7-8 years, and has asked Treborth along with Chester Zoo and NBGW to continue our efforts, taking cuttings and collecting seed from the wild specimens and from the cultivated plants in our respective gardens (all of which have been genetically tested and confirmed as C. cambricus). It is a notoriously difficult species to propagate as seed takes approximately 3 years to germinate, but plants respond well to air layering. This project will complement the work we are undertaking on our own `Great Orme` bed, situated on the farthest end of the Rock Garden. This bed highlights eclectic Great Orme species but also celebrates species of other UK calcareous limestone pavement. Another partnership the Garden is forming is with the University’s Sustainability Lab. We were asked to update the University’s Biodiversity Policy in 2016 and have since taken on the responsibility of establishing an Action Plan to provide best practice guidelines and to programme and steer interventions. We are delighted to be an integral part of the University’s Biodiversity Strategy and are looking forward to using the expertise at Treborth to enhance the biodiversity across the University estate.

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During the summer months, we have continued to enjoy the red squirrels here in the Garden, watching them regularly popping up on our camera traps (along with foxes and badgers!) and being spotted by visitors along the coastal path. This is thanks to the hard work of Holly Peek who is the Gwynedd red squirrel ranger for Red Squirrel Trust Wales and to Katie Fincken who has been judiciously trapping the greys. I have recently been appointed a board member for the Red Squirrel Trust, and Treborth has been granted permission from the University for the Trust to trap greys on the rest of University land. Bangor University owns a lot of the coastal land directly opposite Anglesey, and it is very important that it is managed to reduce the likelihood of grey squirrels moving back to the island and to conserve the habitats for reds to thrive in Gwynedd. We have now commenced the new academic year and we are looking forward to the return of the students in September for what we all hope is an exciting autumn term with lots of activities planned including Sunday work parties, garden workshops, conferences and botanical seminars. Happy gardening!

Natalie Chivers

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The Arboretum Restoration Project

What is an Arboretum? An arboretum is a collection of woody shrubs and trees cultivated for scientific, educational, or ornamental purposes, all of which are objectives for the arboretum at Treborth. What has happened in the arboretum? The arboretum had been rather neglected in recent years so had become congested by wood sedge, bamboo, privet, brambles, ivy, laurel, ash and sycamore (to list the main culprits) that obscured the view of the specimen trees (see Fig. 24). Stage one of restoring the arboretum was to find it, by this I mean that the rampant ground flora was cut right back with brush cutters. The wood sedge and bamboo had to be dug up by the roots, which took a couple of groups a considerable time because of the sheer quantity and coverage in the arboretum. The removal of the many log piles has helped to tidy and open more ground floor space. Stage two is then being followed by thinning out of some smaller and duplicate trees, as well as high pruning. This opens more space for planting new species and raises the canopy, allowing an increase in sunlight to the ground floor as well as displaying more of the trees. Also during this stage, the privet and small trees from along the train line fence have been reduced to allow more light into the arboretum. These tasks have been completed (see Fig. 25) by Sarah under the supervision of Natalie, with the help of Jake, Kerry and other volunteers who have taken time to help in the management of the arboretum. By doing this it has made the arboretum more accessible to pedestrians and the all-terrain vehicle, allowing further work to be carried out including installing the new wooden tree labels. What still needs doing in the arboretum? Stage three will be moving large logs from the arboretum to be placed along the driveway to minimise car parking on the cleared areas and theft of smaller logs; this also preserves a deadwood habitat in the arboretum. There is still ivy which needs to be removed from the trees so that their form and bark can be highlighted and appreciated. Stage four is more constructive and decorative - planting more specimen trees such as swamp cypress, dawn redwood, giant redwood, crab apple, wild pear, pedunculate oak, alder, scots pine, rowan, cherry species, mulberries and other species. These will be planted during the autumn, as well as spring-flowering ground

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Fig. 3. One of the new labels in the arboretum (Photo: N. Chivers)

layer plants. New pedestrian signs and a notice board (similar to that found in the Chinese garden) educating people about the arboretum will be another feature to add. Annual management required The basic management of the arboretum throughout the year should consist of cutting back excessive regrowth of ground floor vegetation, further removal of wood sedge and bamboo as they are such persistent weeds, and tree pruning.

Sarah Ellis

New Labels for the Treborth Arboretum

Sarah Ellis’ article (above) about the arboretum restoration project mentions the new tree labels. Most of these have now been placed in position, labelling the most prominent trees, and including at least one for each tree species present in the arboretum. Each label displays the scientific name for the species, its common name in Welsh and English, and a brief comment on whether that species is native or not to Wales, together with the era when it is believed to have first arrived in Wales. We hope to include much more information about each species, and about the development of the tree-scape of Wales, on the new Treborth Botanic Garden website. We are very grateful to those generous Friends who helped to pay for these new Arboretum labels.

Pat Denne

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A Chelsea Experience: The RHS Feel Good Scent Garden

Early in 2017 the RHS decided to fund five ‘Feel Good Gardens’ to explore the senses for the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show. The five RHS gardens would represent the Scent, Taste, Touch, Sound and Visual senses. To promote the Feel Good Gardens, the RHS teamed up with Radio 2 for its 50th Anniversary and each of the gardens had a Radio 2 presenter to represent them.

The Feel Good Gardens were great news for Tamara Bridge and Kate Savill

as they were asked to design the Scent garden, the other four gardens being designed by Sarah Raven, James Alexander-Sinclair, Jon Wheatley, and Matt Keightley. Kate and Tamara met in July 2015 when they both had show gardens in the final of the RHS young designer of the year at Tatton Park. Since meeting at Tatton, Kate and Tamara have collaborated on several projects, but had not yet built a show garden together: Chelsea 2017 RHS Scent Garden would be their first.

When making plans for building the Scent Garden, Kate and Tamara also

needed a planting team. Our Curator, Natalie Chivers, had previously worked with Kate Savill at Chelsea for Adam Frost and had also helped Kate to plant her Gold Medal winning ‘Time is a Healer’ garden at Tatton in 2015. Natalie was again Kate’s first port of call for the 2017 planting team, and to my luck, they needed extra help so I got asked along too!

I was nervous and excited to get to the showground 9 days prior to press

day. When we first arrived at the Scent Garden, Tamara was tucked away under one of the three Acer campestre in the back corner of the garden, surrounded by a gorgeous planting scheme that already filled one corner. I was surprised at how much planting had already been done: I wondered what were we going to do with ourselves all week? I would soon come to learn how much time it takes to plant plants at Chelsea!

Our first few days were spent with Tamara’s family and friends, and we

scurried around fetching soil, passing pots, watering, and picking over near-perfect plants. Thankfully, we avoided the day-long job of picking over countless Epimediums as that was undertaken by Tamara’s incredibly patient mother and aunt. On Tuesday, family and friends said goodbye and the four of us were left to plant the remainder of the Scent Garden to be ready for the following Saturday. We were still feeling well on track, but also realised that it would need all the days that we had left to complete it.

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By this time, I had settled into the Chelsea routine: up at 5.30 a.m. (ouch), a short stomp along by the Thames taking in the craziness of the city meant that arriving at the showground felt like leaving the city and entering a Chelsea bubble. I would don my high-vis, steel toe caps and enter a world of slightly bizarre mayhem. Imagine a cross between a building site, nursery and carnival atmosphere. Lorries and fork lift trucks were constantly streaming by, landscapers everywhere being pulled from one garden to the next, with structures going up all over the place at a rate of knots. And lining the sides of all the roads were trolley upon trolley of gorgeous, immaculate plants. Peering behind the trolleys at the gardens beyond you could catch a glimpse of the show gardens in progress and people working away like beavers to get them ready in time.

Every day we would make time to wander around and check out the

progress that other people were making, second guessing what would be next and what the finished garden would look like. As much fun as it was ogling over all the other gardens, the best bit was getting to chat to the people working on them, learning the stories and inspirations behind the gardens.

After touring the show garden for a break, it was always nice to retreat to

the Scent Garden. The wall of plant-filled trolleys gave a sufficient barrier between the garden and the continuous stream of lorries and trucks delivering yet more plants to the show.

The Scent Garden was starting to take shape - the curved wall engraved with scent memories gave a flowing backdrop, with a bench and paving in front and planting surrounding it. In a corner behind the wall, a narrow path led to a ‘woodland dell’ with a copper water feature, to represent perfume distillery with another water feature in front of the bench in the centre of the garden. The perfume designer Jo Malone had worked with Tamara and Kate on their design process which had led the girls to incorporate the copper piping into their design.

The planting scheme was a mix of shade and sun tolerant plants to work under the trees in the woodland dell and in front of the paving in full sun. The scent theme was also used in a conceptual manner. Kate and Tamara had asked people for their scent memories which they had inscribed on the wall and they wanted a planting scheme that would take people back to those early memories. The scheme included several Digitalis, Angelica sylvestris ‘Vicars Mead’, Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ and several ferns which gave structure to more colourful flowering Geraniums, Geums, and Astrantias. Roses were dotted through the planting scheme, and surrounding the paving in the foreground were an abundance of mint and thyme.

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Around the middle of the week the rain arrived and we had a day or two where it felt as though the Scent Garden resembled a quagmire. It seemed that as well as the family and friends having left us, so had the landscapers that were supposed to be connecting the water features and finishing the paving. The hours went by and Tamara was promised they would be there, but they did not turn up. By this time the feeling of being ahead had slowly slipped away and was now long forgotten. We knew that now we had to plod on through the rain, as the scent garden’s slippery soil swallowed up a never-ending supply of plants. Each one had to be placed in exactly the right way, not a leaf could be out of place, and as each plant went into the ground it was ‘shooshed up’ groomed and picked over, like prepping a super model for the catwalk, which I guess as far as the plant world goes, it was. As the rain fell, Natalie fought with a hammer and chisel on the paving as we gave up hope of the landscapers coming back to help us. The four of us worked away in the mud, knowing that if we stopped we’d be behind time. We managed to combat lack of sleep, wet and cold best with a few outbursts of delirious muddy giggles, especially as we hosed one another off at the end of the day. Following the rain and the mud, we were blessed with a warm sunny day when we could enjoy being in the garden. It felt as though we were in the countryside with a pleasant breeze rustling through the leaves of the Acers. It felt as though we were on track again - the mud was drying out, the landscapers were finally back with us and our diet, which had been reduced to coffee and chocolate, made it feel as though we would make it to the end. We put the last plant in the ground, and finished scrubbing down the paving at 8 pm, on the final day. The Scent Garden was ready to go. The evening sun was setting over The Royal Hospital, creating a beautiful orange glow that filtered through the trees, bounced off the grasses, and lit up the colours of the flowers and foliage. I wanted to get a ground mat and sleep on the paving, amongst all the lovely smells, and listen to the breeze in the trees. To find out more about all the Radio 2 Feel Good Gardens: www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/News/2017/radio-2-feel-good-gardens.

.Jen Towill

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Gardens of the West Midlands

Coach Tour 4-6 July 2017

Once again, members of the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden joined the North

Wales branch of the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust to visit some splendid gardens

and estates in the West Midlands, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. A

coach-load of us set off, picking up more enthusiasts as we travelled east towards

our hotel in Bromsgrove. A very good time was had by all and our thanks go to Olive

Horsfall and Christine Newsham (WHGT) and Sarah Edgar (FTBG) for arranging a

seamless trip.

The following comments and reflections from various members give a flavour

of the tour and maybe encouragement to others to explore these gardens.

Enville Hall, Staffordshire, 4 July - Hilary Miller

Gardening at Enville Hall in southern Staffordshire was on a big scale - very

big. The house, dating from the early 16th century but much altered subsequently,

was located in a medieval deer park, little evidence of which remains. But in the

18th century, the 4th Earl of Stamford created a fashionable landscape park assisted

by William Shenstone, poet and landscape gardener, and the architect Sanderson

Miller. The 5th Earl subsequently altered and updated some of the features about

30 years later. The landscape park (250 acres) is listed Grade 2 by English Heritage.

The features which we saw included the Temple Lake and the remains of the

boathouse, which had an upper storey with a finely decorated room with a view

across the Temple Lake to the Cascade. An urn on a plinth is sited to be visible from

the house across the lake and positioned to catch the sun at certain times of the

day. The Cascade was created with dams and pools connected by a stream

engineered with falls and shallower cascades, some with a stream bed designed to

create ripples and accentuate the sound of running water. A cold bath was created

at the upper end of the cascade taking advantage of a natural spring. A fine arched

gateway (going nowhere) was created as an eye-catcher on a hilltop above the

house with views across the surrounding countryside to be enjoyed from benches

along the flanking walls. The Gothic Greenhouse is not what we would recognise as

a greenhouse and was probably originally intended to protect tender plants such as

citrus over the winter. It was subsequently used as a summerhouse, museum and

billiard room. The exterior has recently been restored.

In the mid-19th century, the 7th Earl turned away from the landscape park

and created very extensive pleasure gardens adjacent to the house. Enville is

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unusual as the two different styles of garden exist side by side. Usually later re-

designs would sweep the older landscape away. The pleasure grounds extended

to 31ha and included fountains and pools, a lake, shrubberies, trees and fine wide

walks. The focus was a vast and elaborate conservatory full of exotic plants. It had

5 boilers to heat it and the flue was conducted underground to a chimney built

immediately behind the Gothic Greenhouse. Our tour included an excellent

exhibition put on by Dr Jane Brodney, garden historian and archivist at Enville Hall.

As well as a series of maps showing the parkland and its features, there were

Victorian photos which really brought the Victorian pleasure gardens to life.

Photos showed the fantastical conservatory – which seemed to have been

modelled on the Brighton Pavilion – but perhaps a bit more ornate. The 7th Earl

was also a very keen cricketer and had his own cricket pitch, still in use, next to the

house. Many of the features of the landscape park and pleasure grounds have

fallen into decay, or, like the conservatory, have been demolished, but the ghost of

these fascinating gardens is still very much in evidence.

Witley Court, Worcestershire, 5 July - Jane Cherrett

Off to Witley Court near Stourport, not knowing what to expect other than

talk of a once fine house, now in a ruined state after a fire in 1937. Vandalism and

further neglect continued. Previous owners had been the Foley and Dudley

gentry, wealthy 18th and 19th century industrialists from the Black Country.

Fig. 4. Gothic greenhouse in Enville Hall Garden (Photo - A. Thompson)

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English Heritage stepped in in the 1970s and they have done a fine job in

stabilising the buildings and bringing the gardens back to life.

The lake walk was splendid. Not a ripple, only a family of Canada geese

patrolling the far bank where the trees’ reflections showed in the water. Large

swathes of the yellow water lily Nuphar lutea interrupted the open water areas.

All was still and magical. Leaving the lake we arrived at the ruined mansion.

Walking between Greek columns to the south vista, we were in time to see the

fountain display in the parkland below the old house. The Poseidon Fountain has

been restored as far as possible to its former glory. It depicts Perseus saving

Andromeda from the monster sent by Poseidon. Originally, the central column of

water rose 100ft in the air - sadly, for health and safety reasons (the public might

get wet), the column rises to 50ft today. Still a splendid sight, which lasted for 25

minutes. The former ballroom looks out over a parterre garden which has been

re-created and this led to a second fountain, sadly still in a ruinous state. The

Orangery with its display of deep blue lavender bushes all down the central aisle

added to our sensory enjoyment.

We were told that the parish church of Great Witley, attached to the

mansion, was a must; and so it turned out to be. A baroque extravaganza. A

curved ceiling with a central painting of the Ascension and the surrounding

moulds made from papier mache - all white and decorated in gold leaf. The

Dudley's wealth enabled much of the decor to be bought from a sale at the Duke

of Chandos' palace in London and this included the organ with its ornate

pipework and bow shaped frontage. We were told that Handel had played this

organ. I innocently enquired if the organ was still played, and was immediately

invited to ‘have a go’. So, responding to the general clamour to try it, and taking

Margaret Sagar with me, for moral support, we ascended the stairs to the organ

console. Two hymns eventually rang out and all was well, I think. What a

privilege though.

The final treat was the lunch in the church tea rooms, sitting outside on

the lawns in dappled light in the shade of the trees. What a morning and we

were only half way through the day…

Stone House Cottage Garden and Nursery, Worcestershire, 5 July - Jo Davison

One of the most eagerly awaited visits on our trip was to Stone House Cottage

Nursery and the attached garden. Louisa Arbuthnot welcomed us looking cool

and elegant in working attire, surrounded by her posse of collies. Before

denuding the nursery, we drifted into a many-roomed space surrounded by walls

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and operatic towers, and planted with an amazing array of perennials and shrubs

suited to the warm protected conditions. The gardens had just the right blend of

intense planting and wild spaces, and enough formality to please the most exacting

of garden visitors. Some of the plants purchased will be difficult to grow in our wet

windy conditions but that did not stop us; I have great hopes of Acanthus sennii but

in all probability, it will not survive. It is a tribute to a really inspiring garden that we

continue to strive to grow the difficult and unusual.

John’s Garden at Ashwood Nurseries, Staffordshire, 6 July - Olive Horsfall

John's Garden is the private garden of John Massey VMH (recipient of RHS’ Victoria

Medal of Honour), owner of Ashwood Nursery, situated behind the nursery in a

canal-side setting in the open countryside of South Staffordshire. John is a delightful

character who is passionate about plants. He could be accused of 'name dropping'

if it were not that the famous people he mentioned, including Roy Lancaster, Beth

Chatto and Christopher Lloyd, had all influenced his garden in some way. He says

his greatest inspiration has been Princess Sturdza, of displaced Romanian nobility,

owner of La Vasterival near Dieppe in France, who taught him how to prune.

It was hard to believe that the garden has only been developed since 1989,

and that the only trees were two black poplars. Now there is a wonderful canopy of

trees that give structure to the garden and are kept in shape by John's 'transparency

pruning'. The garden follows the curve of the canal around the house and the

borders and beds were given fifteen different themes. Although each area has its

unique selection of plants and shrubs, they flow and blend together.

One area that was quite different was the Ruin Garden and Terrace by the

house, which is replanted twice a year: once for winter interest, and then with

tender plants when the frosts have finished. Apparently John's planning application

for a conservatory was turned down so he imported some old stone columns from

Italy and built a pergola. With all the colourful tender plants, including a

magnificent Brugmansia in a large terracotta pot, it was much more inspiring than a

glass structure. The terrace had a brilliantly colourful display of plants in containers

which are regularly changed for maximum impact. What a wonderful place to sit

with a glass of wine on a fine evening, gazing across the lawns and flowerbeds,

watching the boats on the canal. Part of one flower bed was a homage to John's

good friend Christopher Lloyd. As well as plants inspired by Great Dixter, there

were two life-sized dachshund models guarding the garden, a reminder of Christo's

(as John called him) other great passion. There were many humorous touches

including a sizeable gorilla lurking in exotic greenery: it and the dogs have to go

indoors for the winter.

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Fig. 5. Wild Orchids of Scotland [see p. 30]. Key: (1) D. maculata (heath spotted orchid); (2) Gymnadenia borealis (fragrant orchid) ; (3) Platanthera bifolia (lesser butterfly orchid ); (4) Neottia nidus-avis (bird’s nest orchid); (5) Pseudorchis albida (small white orchid); (6) Platanthera chlorantha (greater butterfly orchid). (Photos - Tomos Jones)

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

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Fig. 8. John's Garden (Photo: A. Thompson) [p.20]

Fig. 7. Stone House Cottage Garden — follies (Photo: A. Thompson) [p.19]

Fig. 6. Witley Court Garden — fountain (Photo: A. Thompson) [p.18]

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Fig. 9. Bonnet Cap (Mycena spp.) silently and continuously recycle woodland waste (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown) [p.33]

Fig. 10. Bootlace fungus (Armillaria mellea). (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown) [p.33]

Fig. 11. Close-up of hair ice showing the minutely fine strands of ice curling out from the wood (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown) [p.38]

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Fig. 14. Thalloid liverwort (Lunularia cruciata) (Photo - S. Russell) [p.40]

Fig. 12. Shining Hookeria (Hookeria lucens) (Photo - S. Russell) [p.40]

Fig.13. The hornwort (Phaeoceros laevis) (Photo - S.Russell) [p.40]

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Another notable area was the New Stump Garden, home to a fantastic

collection of ferns amongst great oak roots that have been placed as rocks in a

rockery. Many of the ferns had come from our local Rickards Ferns. North Wales

nurseries were well represented with several plants coming from Crûg Farm. The

many garden sculptures, mostly commissioned from Neil Lossock, added an extra

touch of magic to the garden.

There were so many attractive areas of planting that it is not possible to

comment on everything. And every bed had another layer of seasonal planting, a

good reason to visit John's amazing garden in the spring.

Attingham Park, Shropshire, 6 July - Pat Denne

Each garden on this tour has been so different; we wondered what could be fresh

to see at Attingham. We were not disappointed, though time was too short for

more than a taste of this large National Trust estate, the mansion and most of the

parkland remaining to be explored.

The walled garden was particularly memorable, being splendidly restored as a fully organic garden. Originally constructed in 1780, it had fallen into disuse by the 1960s, planted up as a Christmas tree nursery in the 1990s, then the current restoration began in 2008. It is attractively designed, well cared for, with clear and interesting information boards to explain the organic rotation. Cordons and espaliers of apples and soft fruits circle around the central dipping pond, and

Fig. 15. John’s Garden at Ashwood Nurseries, Staffordshire (Photo - A. Thompson)

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lavender borders (buzzing with bees) edge the main pathways that divide the garden into quarters. Each quarter is divided into 8 beds, 2 of them with asparagus and soft fruit, and the other 6 with annual vegetables grown in rotation, including one plot of chickens to clear the ground and reduce pests. It is good to see a garden restoration that is not only for display, the produce being fully used in the Park’s cafés and for sale. Time allowed no more than the ‘Mile walk’ that loops from the walled garden through the Pleasure Grounds, along the River Tern, through lovely woodland with distant vistas of a herd of fallow deer, then back to the impressive stable yard for a good cup of tea.

Angela Thompson

An Anglesey Garden - Autumn

‘At dusk, a windswept sky showed duck-egg blue in the north west girded by golden-yellow sun rays radiating from behind a low cloud bank – magnificent finale to an energetic day’s weather. Glorious rich cream crescent moon low in the west.’ Thus ended my entry for an early date in September. Autumn can be fitful, sharp and dynamic and our gardens suffer for it, dashed and damaged, senescent shoots and boughs defiled without hope of recovery. Yet it can be benign too, allowing time to savour the fruits of our horticultural endeavours, and mark the gradual, gentle, graceful ageing of summer’s shoots. Changes in the quality and quantity of light are at the heart of the changes we observe in our gardens as summer gives way to autumn. The Earth’s 23.5 degree tilt ensures that our Welsh gardens receive a shorter period and lower angle of illumination as the autumn equinox is approached. This in turn triggers traumatic changes in cell metabolism in the leaves and fruits of trees, shrubs and indeed every plant. These changes are the combined result of internal clocks operating within each plant cell tweaked genetically at species level and usually moderated by ambient weather conditions.

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The most obvious evidence of the metabolic changes to our eyes is the change in relative amounts of plant pigments in leaves and fruits. As autumn progresses, the primary photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll a, is broken down and not replaced, a process stimulated by the formation of an abscission layer at the base of the leaf stalk, an initial step in leaf fall. The same is true for the closely related accessory pigment, chlorophyll b. The net result of decreasing levels of chlorophyll in deciduous leaves in autumn is the unveiling of fat-soluble accessory photosynthetic pigments known as carotenes and xanthophylls, the former being the principal source of vitamin A in humans. Chlorophyll a absorbs light principally in the violet and blue wavelengths (420-440 nanometres wavelength) and also in the red (680 nm). These preferred wavelengths constitute the pigment’s absorption spectrum. Chlorophyll b displays a similar absorption spectrum, with peak absorption at 490nm and 650nm. Both chlorophyll pigments shun green light showing virtually no absorption of wavelengths between 530 and 600nm. In other words, they reflect green light, and tissues rich in chlorophylls (eg healthy summer leaves) appear green to our eyes. The absorption spectra of carotenes and xanthophylls differ from chlorophylls in that they show no absorption of light above 550nm and therefore reflect yellow strongly. They are present in leaf tissues throughout the year where they are an important part of the light harvesting complexes that are embedded on the disc-like thylakoids stacked inside each chloroplast. They have another important role as anti-oxidants preventing damage to the chlorophyll molecules which would otherwise be damaged by the copious amounts of oxygen evolved during photosynthesis. Their presence is masked by chlorophylls for most of the growing season but when chlorophyll levels begin to fall in autumn while carotene and xanthophyll levels remain strong, these accessory pigments are revealed and leaves assume yellower and browner tones. There is another class of pigments which contributes to autumn colour and that is the flavonoids. These water-soluble compounds represent the largest class of phenolic compounds found in plants. Over 3000 different flavonoids are known to science, some with anti-cholesterol properties. One of the most widespread flavonoids is anthocyanin, responsible for most of the intense reds and purples seen in oaks, maples, sweetgums, dogwoods, rowans and cherries in autumn. Anthocyanin is generally absent in plant cells during the main growing season but is actively produced in late summer as phosphate is shunted out of the leaves and the breakdown of sugars is processed differently. The brighter the sunlight at this time of the year, the more anthocyanin is produced and the more intense the reflection of red and purple wavelengths of light. This process also occurs in the ovary tissue of succulent fruits enhancing the colour of berries and hips etc as ripening

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proceeds. It is important to note that anthocyanin is very variable in its metabolic state and pigment quality according to temperature, light levels and very importantly pH of cell sap. Such colourful seasonal changes may have a more serious side than our mere visual enjoyment. Though senescing, autumn leaves exposed to high light levels and low temperatures are vulnerable to photo-oxidation and photo-inhibition which accelerate tissue damage and prevent the plant reabsorbing essential mineral nutrients before they are lost in leaf fall. Anthocyanins may act as a ‘sun block’ absorbing significant levels of ultraviolet light before it can damage the leaf’s photosystems. The absorption spectrum of anthocyanin performs well between 280-320nm, ie ultraviolet (UV-B) wavelength. Recent research has also raised the possibility that a bright visual display of red /purple foliage is an honest signal by a plant that it is in good health and contains sufficient chemical defence to withstand insect attack eg from aphids. In other words, anthocyanins provide warning colouration and act as insect deterrents. Climate change may well influence autumn colouration in our garden plants and in forest ecosystems generally in the temperate zone. Longer growing seasons and enhanced carbon dioxide levels may well reduce the brilliance of leaf colour changes and may have a significant effect on garden plant selection in the future. In regions such as New England and Eastern Canada there would be significant ecological and economic effects – Fall-foliage tourists known as ‘Leaf peepers’ are important ecotourists in these areas. Back in our own garden, ash trees yield to the season’s progress. One by one their canopies colour, first greenish-purple then yellow as their chlorophylls crumble. The fact that the senescence varies by weeks rather than days between individual trees is testament to this species genetic variability here in Wales. I note the first yellowing on one individual tree on 15 September and the equivalent stage of another tree on 5 October. One hopes that such variability will serve the species well in the face of Ash-die Back Disease which has turned up just a kilometre away on recent nursery stock. Weeks later our coppiced hazels also colour yellow, this time with greater synchronicity, cleaner hues and bolder patterns. Indeed, the best of them gleam like piles of treasure, each broad leaf a generous gold medallion. Thank goodness leaves are inefficient enough to reflect some sunshine and colour our world.

Nigel Brown

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Wild Orchids of Scotland

I was fortunate to receive a BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) Training Grant to attend the Field Study Council course ‘Wild Orchids of Scotland’ at Kindrogan, Scotland, in June 2017. I departed Bangor on the train, ready for a not-so-short journey to Pitlochry. I arrived and enjoyed a fantastic meal with the group at the FSC centre before we went for a short walk to find Dactylorhiza purpurella (northern marsh orchid). Our tutor, Martin Robinson, described an orchid's general morphology, in particular, features that are important for identification such as: sheathing and non-sheathing leaves, bracts, the inflorescence (the collection of individual flowers on the stem) and the structure of individual flowers. Dactylorhiza purpurella has broad blue-green leaves, which are mostly unspotted. It has a dense inflorescence of deep magenta flowers with a ‘diamond’ shaped lip (labellum) which has darker markings. Martin showed us the twisted ovary, the result of twisting 180° during development – so in fact the flowers are upside-down! Tuesday – as I was told by a few Scots – was an uncharacteristically sunny and hot day for Scotland. Our first stop was the Cairnwell to search a hillside of mostly heather for Dactylorhiza viridis (frog orchid) and Neottia cordata (lesser twaybade). “Frog!” I heard, and walked towards the point of excitement to find a beautiful four-legged creature, but no orchid. We finally found frog orchids on a greener patch, free from heather. I struggled to see the resemblance to the creature we had just found, but it was a beautiful orchid nonetheless. It had a hood (formed of sepals and petals) and a globular spur containing nectar (the only one of the genus to produce nectar). Our next target was the lesser twayblade, and I am ashamed to say that I found none. Others had more luck though and found several, growing amongst the heather. A small and distinctive orchid, it was easier to spot its pair of heart-shaped leaves rather than the inflorescence. Our next site, Spittal of Glenshee mire, offered a total of four species - Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. incarnata (early marsh orchid), D. maculata (heath spotted orchid, Fig. 5, photo 1), D. purpurella and Gymnadenia borealis (fragrant orchid, Fig. 5, photo 2), - which was new for me. I was very excited for our final visit of the day to Stormont Loch, Blairgowrie, where we were hoping to find Goodyera repens (creeping lady’s-tresses). This is a species that I certainly wouldn’t find at home, as it is found in northern and eastern Scotland, northern England and has an unexpected population in Norfolk. It grows in mature pinewoods, in deep humus of pine needles. Unfortunately, the flowers were not fully open, but it was possible to see that they are very hairy!

Our first stop on Wednesday was Loch of Kinnordy, a RSPB reserve, for Neottia ovata (common twayblade). I had seen this species back in north Wales, but not in such numbers. We then headed to Forfar, to a wonderful site of numerous

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Platanthera bifolia (lesser butterfly orchid, Fig. 5, photo 3), northern marsh, heath spotted and heath fragrant orchids. The arrival of rain was a good excuse to sit in the van and have our lunch. We then found Neottia nidus-avis (bird’s nest orchid) in a small beech wood. This orchid is a saprophyte (entirely dependent on fungi) and lacks green chlorophyll, which explains its honey-brown colour. The flowers are yellowish-brown and the lip has a nectar-producing depression (photo 4). We then continued to a further two sites to test our new-found identification skills. Thursday was our final day of orchid hunting. Our first stop was Straloch Moraines, a fantastic site for Pseudorchis albida (small white orchid, photo 5) and more heath fragrant orchids. The former was rather inconspicuous, at least in my opinion, but once we had our ‘eye in’, it was found in good numbers. It has a dense inflorescence of small flowers with whitish or creamy sepals and greener petals, and a lip which is deeply three-lobed. We then headed to Pitarrig Meadow, Pitlochry, where we found D. incarnata ssp. pulchella which is more of a ‘purplish-pink’ than the ‘flesh pink’ of D. incarnata ssp. incarnata. Pitarrig Meadow also offered some more of the same species, which gave us the opportunity to again test our new-found ID skills. Our course finished with a visit to Weem Meadow, Aberfeldy, after seeing Platanthera chlorantha (greater butterfly orchid) at Keltneyburn (Fig. 5, photo 6), which is a Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve. This was my favourite site because it was such a beautiful wildflower meadow supporting an abundance of dancing butterflies. One feature which distinguishes between lesser and greater butterfly orchids are the two pollinia: in the former, the pollinia are parallel whereas in the latter they are well-separated at the base but taper inwards towards the tip (illustrated in Fig. 5, photo 3 and photo 6). I thoroughly enjoyed the course, finding a total of thirteen species and meeting like-minded orchid enthusiasts. I am now much more confident in identifying our native orchids, and although I will probably still need to refer to the books from time to time, at least I now know what characteristics to look for during identification. Since returning to north Wales, I have continued orchid hunting and found Dactylorhiza praetermissa (southern marsh orchid) which is a relative newcomer to the area, and D. x grandis, its hybrid with Dactylorhiza fuchsii (common spotted orchid). My thanks go to Martin for a brilliant week, and to the BSBI for awarding me a Training Grant.

Tomos Jones

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Orchid Counting at Caeau Tan y Bwlch

To the south of Caernarfon, on the northern flank of Bwlch Mawr above Clynnogfawr, is one of Gwynedd’s Coronation Meadows*. Caeau Tan y Bwlch is a site owned by Plantlife, managed by the North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT), and is a designated SSSI because of its orchids - in particular, the greater butterfly orchid (Platanthera chlorantha). Each year NWWT organises an orchid count and a survey of the fields that make up the site to monitor the health and success of the management regime that is in use to improve this wonderful traditional meadow. This year Sarah and I joined Dr Trevor Dines (Botanical Specialist) from Plantlife and Rob Booth (Living Landscapes Officer) from NWWT along with some 20 other volunteers on a sparkling June day to perform this year’s monitoring. The orchid counting is accomplished by forming a ‘police-type’ search line across each of the eight fields in turn with each of us counting the orchids in front and to the right of our walking line. The meadow-health monitoring involved throwing a metre square frame in the field to select random quadrats and then examining the square for the presence of both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ indicator species of meadow quality. The ‘good’ species include knapweed (Centaurea nigra), tormentil (Potentilla erecta), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla xanthochlora), yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) and Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus). Some of the ‘bad’ indicator species are bramble (Rubus fruticosus), white clover (Trifolium repens), common nettle (Urtica dioica) and bracken (Pteridium aquilinum). The sward height was also estimated to give a crude measure of the nutrient richness of the meadow soils (the lower the height the poorer and hence more desirable were the nutrient levels in the soil). Other estimations were made of bare soil and the number of certain of the undesirable species. The meadow health monitoring results are not yet in but from my unscientific observations only the quadrats near the edge of each field showed the presence of unwanted species. This was largely due to bracken which infests all the field boundary walls and spreads from there into the fields. The quadrats in the meadows proper seemed in very good health with many desirable species present and a significantly lower sward height. The orchid populations in all the fields naturally vary from year to year, and while some show substantial increases, others have declined. This year’s survey found over 4,000 greater butterfly orchids with most fields showing modest decreases and one field yielding a record count of 1,015! Trevor and Rob were both pleased with the results as they demonstrated that the current management

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regime, which included the rolling of bracken and controlled grazing, was supporting a healthy population of orchids. The day’s activities ticked a lot of boxes. It was rewarding to participate in a useful plant monitoring exercise in a beautiful location with like-minded people and to learn a little more about plant identification. The day was topped off by Trevor producing packets of Welsh cakes as an unexpected reward for all the volunteers! I heartily recommend a visit to this Coronation Meadow not only in spring to enjoy the greater butterfly, northern marsh (Dactylorhiza purpurella) and heath spotted orchids (Dactylorhiza maculata), but at any time to enjoy the stunning views of the southern end of the Menai Strait, the Nantlle ridge up to Snowdon and the whole of Anglesey. For more information, visit the Plantlife website (Plantlife.org.uk) or the NWWT website (northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk).

Gerry Downing

* The Coronation Meadows Project is led by Plantlife in partnership with The Wildlife Trusts and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. It was set up in response to the call by the Prince of Wales to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation by establishing new wild flower meadows in each county.

Fig. 16. Examining quadrat during orchid count (Photo: G. Downing)

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Mycology Matters

Mycology is the study of fungi. Its importance to us and to ecology and conservation is perhaps unsurpassed by any other branch of the biological sciences. Whether you simply enjoy the fruits (bread and beer, wine and cheese) of the labour of countless yeast cells, savour the taste of freshly fried mushrooms, benefit from antibiotics sequestered from moulds, curse the loss of garden plants through dampening-off and blight, regret the wholesale loss of much loved trees such as ash and elm, value the horticultural therapy of nutrient rich friable leaf mould, or with wider horizons, applaud the recycling of biomass worldwide and their intimate symbioses with higher plants, then you know mycology matters. I think we are all born mycologists. A child is naturally fascinated by the shapes and colours of mushrooms and toadstools. Their often diminutive size adds to their appeal and the satisfaction of finding them. So fungus forays have become one of the most popular events organised by environmental groups attracting all ages and helping to introduce children to the natural world and how it works. It is not uncommon for autumn forays to attract over 100 forayers and, applying the general rule of one species per forayer, it’s easy to see that collections of 100+ species are not unusual. What exactly do participants gain from a foray? For a start the sight of so much colourful diversity amassed on tables in a village hall is undoubtedly arresting and memorable. No other branch of biology rewards a few hours of amateur searching with such diversity. Regular foray sites boast species lists of 500 - 1000 and Esher Common and Bagshot Heath SSSI in SE England holds the record at over 3,300 species - that’s over 25% of the British list. Nobody knows how many fungi there are worldwide. Currently mycologists describe roughly 1,500 new to science each year but with an estimated of 1.5 million species to document, this process will take a millennium to complete. And even here in the UK which is mycologically relatively well known, 460 species new to science were discovered between 1980 and 1989. Sometimes these new taxa are surprisingly abundant in particular habitats, e.g. Russula torulosa, a beautiful brittle gill which carpets the pine plantations at Newborough on Anglesey, first discovered new to Britain by local amateur mycologist, Charles Aron in 1998. The simple shape of fungi provides a convenient opportunity to explain form and function, especially reproduction. A toadstool is simply the fruiting part of the fungus organism designed to accommodate the maximum number of spores per cap. This is achieved by gills, pores and spines of agarics, boletes and hedgehog

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fungi respectively. Then the numbers game kicks in again – spore production is astronomical with an average mushroom producing 40 million per hour for two days. The Giant Puff Ball (Calvatia gigantea) holds the record with a large fruiting body accommodating roughly 7 million, million spores. Children love big numbers. They also love little numbers and when you explain that each spore is only a few thousandths of a millimetre in diameter and yet some fungi ‘shoot’ them into the air up to 5 cm, which is like a human being fired from a cannon and landing 10 kilometres away, then fungi begin to sound ‘cool’. If toadstools are the fruit, where’s the rest? Hidden in their favoured substrate – soil, leaf, wood – in the form of wefts of millions of branched hyphae, each no more than 5-20 thousandths of a millimetre wide, elongating by up to 6mm an hour exploring the environment for food in the form of organic carbon. In this way an individual fungus can create a kilometre of fresh hyphae in a day. Through their flexible walls and permeable membranes hyphae are akin to supple syringes, secreting enzymes and absorbing products of the digestion of macro-molecules such as cellulose and lignocellulose, the two most abundant carbon compounds on the planet. Most heterotrophic forms of life, including most animals and bacteria, cannot digest cellulose, making fungi essential for recycling nutrients. Without recycling, life on earth would cease. Vital stuff, important for everyone to appreciate. And then there are the symbiotic fungi – they come in a huge range of size and form and include lichens, the most widespread group of earth dwellers at least at the resolution of the human eye. Lichens are an amalgam of fungi and either algae and/or cyanobacteria and are thought to be among the oldest macroscopic mutualisms on the planet. They may well have kick-started the colonisation of life on land by creating a biofilm on formerly bare surfaces. Then there are the endophytic fungi including the truly microscopic Glomerocytes which we now appreciate occur inside the living tissues of virtually all plants assisting with nutrient acquisition as well as gifting them immunity to many disease organisms. Extensive formations of macrofungi such as brittle gills, milkcaps, boletes, Cortinarioids and hundreds more form so called ectomycorrhizal associations with the roots of many familiar plants including all the dominant tree species of temperate regions eg oak, birch, pine and spruce. Whatever their size, these fungi benefit their partners significantly, enhancing the capacity of root systems to take up water as well as nitrogen and phosphorus. Without the association it seems that many species of higher plant would not survive, especially on poorer soils or under exacting circumstances. In return the host plants transfer up to 25% of their photosynthetic output into their roots to sustain the populations of vital fungal hyphae. That’s a huge amount of

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primary production being diverted and speaks volumes for the relative importance of fungi to forest trees. This is an ancient relationship. Fossils of the first land plants, from the Devonian Period, some 400 million years old, display tell-tale hyphae-like impressions within their tissues and it may well be that such infection and co-operation was essential for plant life to cope with the exacting conditions of life on land rather than the sea. Roots may be viewed as repositories for fungi – that’s how important fungi were and still are. But understanding how all this works in nature is among the hardest tasks for ecologists and mycologists. Hyphae are difficult to identify and don’t necessarily belong to the nearest fungus at ground level. Their extent can be enormous (900 hectares in the case of one genetically distinct individual Honey Fungus in Oregon) and their life spans counted in hundreds of years (an estimated 2,400 years for the Oregon monster). So understanding what’s going on at one point in time and space and from there extrapolating the significance of fungi at ecosystem and evolutionary levels is a challenge.

Fig. 17. Black Helvella (Helvella nigra) (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown)

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Fungi act as indicators and conservation priorities need to be established. It’s a challenge we can’t afford to ignore and answers are urgently needed to inform fungus conservation. Fungi, both mycorrhizal and saprotrophic, forest denizens and grassland specialists, are sensitive to changes in the environment from climatic oscillations to agricultural upheavals, from acid rain to changes in commercial forestry. Targeted surveys and analysis of historic foray-finds show that fungi are declining in quantity and diversity. The same is true for lichens, a group which has proven its worth as a bio-indicator of environmental change. Quantifiable negative correlations at individual, species and community levels are all demonstrable between number and biomass of lichens and loss of habitat such as ancient woodland and increasing atmospheric pollution. Lichen diversity now plays an important part in site assessment for ecological continuity, air quality and nature conservation. And yet in Britain not a single SSSI exists specifically for non-lichenised fungi and the first full-time post for a conservation mycologist was only created in 2010. It has befallen the NGOs listed at the end of this article to take up the mycological cause with assistance from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Edinburgh as well as CABI Bioscience. They have helped highlight almost 100 species of fungi of sufficient conservation concern to warrant Biodiversity Action Plans. Additionally, the British Mycological Society has produced two provisional conservation assessments – a Red Data List of 380 species of non-lichenised fungi and an inventory of over 500 important sites for non-lichenised fungi. In 2008, Plantlife published an excellent strategy (entitled ‘Saving the Forgotten Kingdom’) on behalf of a range of interested mycological partners. It is significant that several European countries have official Red Lists for non-lichenised fungi and their conservation attracts more attention than here in the UK. Fungi are brilliant as indicators of habitat health, so finally let’s return to the foray where the fruits of decay and symbiosis surely brighten our perception of the living world as a dynamic system in which many if not most of the connections are fungal and have been ever since life emerged from the sea and colonised land. Outwardly simple but biochemically so complex, fungi are truly the ultimate ecological facilitators. They underpin ecosystem functioning and ultimately ecosystem services and they matter to us all.

Nigel Brown (This article is reproduced from https://biomeecology.com/nature/fungi/2016/03/mycology-matters/ with the kind permission of Nigel Brown.)

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Fig. 18. Mycelium encapsulate the trunk of a fallen oak (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown)

Fig. 19. Fungi are brilliant as indicators of habitat health (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown)

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Hair Ice With bouts of cold and clear weather likely to grip parts of the UK in the next few months and send temperatures sub-zero, it will soon be time to keep your eyes open for hair ice. We are lucky enough to live in a narrow band (between 45o and 55o north) in which you can find this bizarre natural phenomenon. Resembling a cross between candy floss and cobwebs, in fact most like a hair transplant from The Doc in Back to the Future, this bizarre form of ice can be found on a dead stick or branch in broadleaved woodland near you. And this frozen delight is even more fascinating than meets the eye. It was only discovered a mere 98 years ago in 1918, by Alfred Wegener, and it’s taken 87 years to figure out exactly what causes it. It’s a fungus! The formation is unique. Microscopically thin strands of ice, only 0.02mm in diameter, undulate and curl out from dead wood to a length of up to 20cm. They appear to emanate from the openings of wood rays and not from the bark. What makes them unique is their ability to maintain this structure for not only hours, but days. Normally in cold but humid environments, the conditions hair ice favours, these strands would start to recrystalise, and the intricacies of the hair ice would be lost. However, this does not happen. So what stops the recrystalisation? In 2015, scientists from Germany and Switzerland discovered that a fungus, Exidiopsis effusa, was the cause of this unique formation. Whilst the exact mechanism by which the ‘hairs’ are formed is still not known, we do know that the fungus is capable of producing a re-crystalising inhibitor, much like an antifreeze, which is able to maintain these superfine structures. The exact purpose of this amazing process is still unknown but it could be to do with spore dispersal. If nothing else, it’s a beautiful treat to discover whilst out on a cold winter walk. Hair ice can look completely out of place in an otherwise brown and earthy environment. Where and when to find: in any broad-leaved woodland in the UK following prolonged cold weather (temperatures just below 0°C). Hair Ice particularly favours more humid areas too and is generally found on dead wood on the forest floor but may also be found on hanging dead wood and in piled brash on woodland edges.

Dan Brown

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(This article is reproduced from https://biomeecology.com/nature/fungi/2016/12/time-look-hair-ice/ with the kind permission of the author.)

Fig. 20. Hair ice (Photo courtesy of Dan Brown)

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What is the point of mosses? Wet and windy Wales is a great habitat for non-flowering plants such as mosses and lichens that need moisture for their reproduction and/or air currents to disperse their spores. Indeed, Wales can be considered a hotspot for these “lower plants”, as we have more than 2,000 recorded species of mosses, liverworts and lichens in our flora, compared with 1,400 native species of vascular plants (the ferns, conifers and flowering plants). I shall be discussing lichens in more detail in a future article for the Friends Newsletter; but for this issue I am offering some thoughts on the ‘Bryophytes’, that group of primitive, non-vascular spore plants that includes the mosses, liverworts and hornworts. The mosses might be thought of as the most ‘worthless’ of plants, as we don’t use them for food, clothing, shelter or medicines. The relatively low nutrient value of bryophyte tissues means that you won’t find many animals munching on mosses either. So what, if anything, are mosses good for? Some of the ways in which mosses have been used by humans in the past, include baskets, and hats made of the tough, woven stems of ‘Hair-cap Moss’ (Polytrichum) worn by people in Iron Age times. The good insulation qualities and poor flammability of moss stems also led to their use as packing material, for the caulking of timbers in buildings and boats, and the chinking of chimney breasts. Native Americans long appreciated the absorbent and mildly antiseptic properties of ‘Bog Moss’ (Sphagnum) for use in their baby’s papooses and diapers (nappies). The same qualities led to Sphagnum being used extensively by the Germans and the British for wound dressings during the First World War. Dried moss peat has been employed extensively as a fuel for heating and cooking, and is still used for this purpose in the Falkland Islands (peat has a higher calorific value than wood). Peat continues to be used in many countries for compost, and Sphagnum and other carpet-forming mosses are widely used in horticulture for wreaths, hanging baskets and mulch for pot plants. Bryophytes often have very large cells and chloroplasts, and this has made them useful as experimental organisms. The aquatic moss Fissidens was used in early studies of the process of photosynthesis, and some mosses have such large cells that they can even be seen with the naked eye, e.g. Hookeria lucens (Fig. 12). Professor Janice Glime in the USA has recently collated many other references to the uses of bryophytes by humans, in Chapter 5 of her e-book - “Bryophyte Ecology” (http://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/bryophyte-ecology/)

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If these are some of the contributions of mosses and liverworts to the human world, then how about the place of these tiny plants in the “economy of nature”? Of crucial importance is the primary role played by bryophytes in the colonisation of bare rock surfaces during ‘plant succession’. Mosses and lichens are typically the ‘pioneer’ plants of fresh substrates created by volcanism and landslides. They often contribute the first layers of humus and soil in which “higher plants” such as ferns, herbs and grasses can take root, followed by trees and shrubs. Work by scientists at Bangor University has also highlighted the role played by mosses and their epiphytic communities of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (‘blue-green algae’) in colonising bare rocks after the retreat of glaciers (http://borealngap.weebly.com/arroacuteniz-crespo-cv.html). Professor Jeff Duckett (a former lecturer at Bangor University) and his colleagues have explored the close symbiotic relationship between photosynthetic liverworts and heterotrophic fungi. This nutritional partnership is thought to have been crucial in the early stages of evolution on Earth, as plants began to gain a foothold on land under extreme environmental conditions. Bryophytes are certainly among the most resistant and resilient of organisms. I have witnessed cushion mosses growing around volcanic fumaroles in Iceland, surviving freezing snow cover one minute and a dousing of scalding, sulphurous water the next. Tiny black bootlaces of desiccated liverwort tissue survive for years on the gravel plains of the Namib Desert, instantly unfurling to begin a spurt of green growth whenever rare raindrops fall. Diverse bryophyte communities can be found beneath insulating snow banks in the southernmost Andes Mountains. Here, sunlight filters through the blanket of snow and allows the plants, with their anti-freeze-like cytoplasm, to continue growing at a temperature of 0o Celsius. Mosses can even survive as cushions on the surfaces of glaciers, where freeze-thaw movement and the wind roll them around until they become spherical in shape. The Swiss-German name for these moss balls is “Gletscher-Mäuse” (“Glacier Mice”). Bryophytes and lichens also comprise the dominant flora in the few parts of the Antarctic where plants can grow, and they have formed deep banks of peat over a thousand years old in the Antarctic Peninsula. In these situations and others, mosses create a sheltered habitat for bacteria and blue-green algae which, in turn, provide food for hundreds of species of tiny invertebrates that have been discovered in moss cushions and carpets around the World. Peatlands dominated by Sphagnum moss cover 3% of the world’s terrestrial surface and form a natural store of 500 billion tonnes of organic carbon (one third of the world’s soil carbon). Much of this is locked-up in the extensive permafrost

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regions of the northern tundra. But there are concerns that, with rising temperatures, these peat deposits will begin to be decomposed by fungi and bacteria, thereby releasing much more CO2 than we have yet taken into account in our global warming models. Peat bogs also act as “sponges” for water storage and retention. Whereas in previous centuries we prioritised the draining of many of our mires and peat “mosses” for agriculture, now, here in Wales, government grants are being applied to the “re-wetting” of upland peat so as to promote carbon storage, flood control and biodiversity conservation.

Prof. Tamás Pócs from Hungary has demonstrated by his measurements in Tanzania, that epiphytic mosses and liverworts can account for up to 50% of the water retention capacity of montane tropical rainforests, thereby contributing significantly to the constancy of water supplies and flood control in many river catchments in Africa. We are lucky that at Treborth Botanic Garden we have a mild and moist climate that favours bryophytes. We have a range of rock types, soils and tree bark surfaces in our woodlands, with varying patches of light and shade that promote diversity (more than a hundred species) of mosses and liverworts. Along with the species that thrive in our warm glasshouse environments, this enables us to present a full range of bryophyte taxa and growth forms for teaching and research. These include the hornworts (Fig. 13), thalloid liverworts (Fig. 14), leafy liverworts (Fig. 22), dendroid mosses (Fig. 21), cushion mosses (Fig. 23) and carpet mosses. Discovering the beauty and diversity of this miniature world is made easier through the use of a magnifying glass or hand-lens. Simple 10x hand-lenses are available to buy for less than £5, while a good quality lens can be had for £10. A lens with built-in illumination for working in dark and shady spots costs around £25. Such a lens can reveal intriguing details such as ‘breathing pores’ and dispersal buds in moon-shaped cups on the surface of the thalloid liverwort Lunularia, which is common in and around the glasshouses at Treborth. Helmet-shaped water storage ‘goblets’ can be found on the undersides of the reddish-coloured leafy liverwort Frullania, which adorns the trunks of many of our older trees at Treborth. A lens will also reveal the “peristome teeth” that surround the mouths of the spore capsules of many of our mosses in the Garden. These tiny teeth sway and contort in response to changes in humidity, such as when the breath of the observer passes over them. Focussing more closely with the naked eye and with the hand-lens on this mossy world, will reveal a “miniature forest” of tiny plants that are at least as weird

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and wonderful as the trees and shrubs of the tropical jungle. Just take a look at Ernst Haeckel’s famous moss illustration to see if you agree: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haeckel_Muscinae.jpg We are now developing a “Miniature Forests Trail” at Treborth Botanic Garden, where the beauty and diversity of bryophytes and lichens can be observed and demonstrated. A guide leaflet is being prepared for interpretation, and hand-lenses will be available for visiting groups to get ‘up-close-and-personal’ with our rich and fascinating lower plant flora. So, I hope I’ve managed to convince you that mosses are not quite as useless as they may at first seem, and that there is a world of wonder just waiting to be explored, at our feet and on the nearest tree trunk!

Shaun Russell, August 2017.

Fig.21. Thamnobryum alopecurum is a robust moss with a “dendroid” growth form

(Photo - S. Russell)

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Fig. 22. The dilated scalewort (Frullania dilatata), a leafy liverwort (Photo - Hermann Schachner, Wikimedia Commons)

Fig. 23. The cushion moss Campylopus introflexus growing on the curator’s roof (Photo - S. Russell)

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Fig. 24. Arboretum before restoration [p.12]

Fig. 25. Arboretum after restoration [p.12]

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Fig. 26 Planting of the Taiwania in the garden to celebrate the launch of Friends of Treboth Botanic Garden on 18th October 1997. Left to right: Alfred Williamson (Chair of the Friends); Prof. Roy Evans (Vice-Chancellor); Nigel Brown (Curator) [p.5]