Is it true if bees die out, our planet has only four years left? There’s no better person to ask than Dr Natasha de Vere, head of science at the National Botanic Garden of Wales , where up to 1.5 million bees are currently buzzing around the 568 acres of flowers and greenery. What she and her team of scientists don’t know about bees and other pollinators (animals that move pollen around so fruit and seeds grow) probably isn’t worth considering. Their world-leading expertise isn’t necessarily what you’d expect if you’re dropping into the garden on the Carmarthenshire tourist trail, with work which not only benefits the environment but could also bring relief to hayfever sufferers as well as discoveries about the superbug MRSA. The scientific accolades are impressive. Natasha joined the garden 11 years ago, leading research which made Wales the first nation in the world to create a DNA barcode library of our native flowering plants and conifers, a … [Read more...] about How bees are being saved by visitors to National Botanic Garden
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How a couple turned farmland into one of Yorkshire’s finest flower gardens
Breezy Knees garden in pictures 0 Have your say A couple with no formal horticultural training have turned 20 acres of farmland in to one of Yorkshire’s finest flower gardens. Mid-life crises take many forms, some of them destructive, but Colin and Marylen Parker put theirs to good use.They shunned affairs, fast cars and fruitless quests to look younger for 20 acres of farmland.Their plan was to turn the former potato and barley fields into a flower garden and plant nursery, which was wildly ambitious for a couple with no formal horticultural training. Fired by the thought of a life-change, and by a love of gardening, they were prepared for hard work and happy to get their hands dirty.“Our friends and family thought we had gone ga-ga but we had always enjoyed visiting gardens and we loved plants and it’s what we wanted to do,” says Colin, a former pharmacist who, with Marylen’s help, ran two pharmacies in York.The first eight years were … [Read more...] about How a couple turned farmland into one of Yorkshire’s finest flower gardens
From secret hideaways to lavender mazes: 10 of Yorkshire’s most impressive gardens you need to visit
Here in Yorkshire, you’re never hard pushed to find a scenic spot or two. But if you don’t fancy a bracing walk across the rugged Dales, these perfectly pruned gardens are the perfect places to head to soak up a bit of natural beauty.And since it’s National Gardening Week, you might pick up a few ideas on how to spruce up your own back yard.Scampston Walled Garden, MaltonSet within the 18th century walls of the original kitchen garden for Scampston Hall, the beautiful walled garden was designed by renowned Dutch plantsman, Piet Oudolf, features modern, perennial meadow planting alongside more traditional areas, with plenty of floral displays to see.Visit: Scampston Hall, Scampston, Malton, YO17 8NG - scampston.co.uk Breezy Knees Gardens, YorkBursting with colour throughout the year, these 20 acre gardens in York are overflowing with more than 6,000 varieties of flowers, plants shrubs and trees, and are particularly impressive during the summer months.Visit: Common … [Read more...] about From secret hideaways to lavender mazes: 10 of Yorkshire’s most impressive gardens you need to visit
New £30m garden for the North with big ambitions
Just over an hour away from Sheffield, the biggest gardening project in Europe is getting under way. RHS Bridgewater, at Worsley New Hall in Salford, is to be the Royal Horticultural Society’s first new garden in 17 years, joining four other locations including Harlow Carr near Harrogate.Opening in 2020, the ambitious £30 million project – named after the canal which runs close by – will revive the hall’s lost historic grounds, transforming 156 acres of derelict land into a major attraction filled with carefully-chosen flowers, trees and plants.The work includes the restoration of an 11-acre walled kitchen garden, one of the largest in the UK. There will also be a learning centre for schools, a ‘plant centre’ and two lakes. Landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith has been appointed to create the overall masterplan. The scheme overcame its final planning hurdle last summer. Proposals had to go before the secretary of state because of the … [Read more...] about New £30m garden for the North with big ambitions
52 gorgeous gardens near Newcastle to explore with the National Gardens Scheme
If you and your family are looking for a pretty trip out or inspiration for your garden this year then look no further, because The National Open Garden Scheme has beautiful gardens open for charity. You won't have to trek far as these gardens are situated all over the North East, including Newcastle , Gateshead, Northumberland , County Durham and many more handy locations for an afternoon jaunt or whole day out. They include everything from a pair of small country cottages to a castle. The National Garden Scheme is the most significant charitable funder of nursing charities in the country, donating over £50m so far. They help garden owners open their beautiful gardens to the public, sharing their passion and raising impressive amounts of money through entry fees, teas and slices of cake! The beneficiary charities are The Queen’s Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carers Trust, Hospice UK, Perennial, Parkinson’s UK and other guest charities. Here … [Read more...] about 52 gorgeous gardens near Newcastle to explore with the National Gardens Scheme