Plants
Britain’s giant redwoods
Giant redwoods in Britain now outnumber those in their US homeland.
Plants
Sarah Raven: New pond plants range
Expert gardener and author Sarah Raven launches a new pond plants range.
Plants
New beginnings for the Sycamore Gap tree
The National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre report that the recovered seeds and twigs from the felled tree are showing signs of life.
Plants
Annual plant disease ranking dominated by wet weather
The Plant Health team at RHS Science has released its annual disease ranking, revealing the most prevalent problems for gardeners in 2023.
Innovation
Scientists use AI to predict plant extinction risk
For the first time, a team of scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have predicted the extinction risk of all 328,565 known species of flowering plants.
Plants
Recovery of lost apple varieties
In association with Sanfords Orchards, the University of Bristol apple genotyping research project will be sampling heritage varieties from RHS Rosemoor to help recover lost West Country apples.
Plants
Peter Beales Roses to unveil new ‘With Courage’ rose
New charity rose and lifesaving-themed Great Pavilion display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to commemorate the RNLI’s 200th anniversary
Environment
Fireblight concerns for Ireland’s hedgerows
Environmental organisations raise concerns over the risk of fireblight from hawthorn imports in Ireland.
Tourism
RHS Chelsea: A ‘World’s must-see travel moment’
The Royal Horticultural Society’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show rated fifth on Kuoni’s list of the world’s unmissable travel experiences.
Plants
Blossom four weeks earlier than usual
According to the National Trust, the (likely) warmest February on record has led to flowering trees and blossom emerging four weeks earlier than usual.
Regulation
Preventing the spread of invasive plants from gardens
Invasive non-native plants and animals are one of the top drivers of biodiversity loss and cost the economy over £2 billion a year.
Plants
Endangered conifers planted at RHS Rosemoor
The last of the six endangered Wollemi Pines were planted at RHS Rosemoor as part of a special worldwide conservation programme led Forestry England.
Plants
Welsh gardeners offered vouchers to dig up their Cotoneaster
The North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT) offering gardeners £20 vouchers to remove Cotoneaster plants from their gardens as an incentive.
Research
Scientists reveal why blueberries are blue
Researchers at the University of Bristol have revealed that the tiny external structures in the wax coating of blueberries give them their blue colour.
Plants
Toby’s Garden Fest: Pocket Meadow Project
Marking the tenth anniversary of Toby’s Garden Festival, the host Toby Buckland has teamed up with Paul Jupp of ‘Meadow in My Garden’ to raise awareness of the plight of bees and pollinators.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024
The Caley Brothers: Accessible mushroom growing
Mushrooms are having their moment and on their way to becoming a staple in the gardener’s grow-your-own arsenal.
Events
Plant Health: a glimpse behind the scenes
Exclusive trade event held at Fera’s Plant Health laboratory in York on plant health on the 14th of February 2024.
Research
Lichen survives in space
Attached to outside of the International Space Station, lichen survived 18 months raising prospect life could exist on Mars.
Plants
Pioneering start-up enlists public as citizen scientists to save Britain’s Ash trees
The biochar start-up, Earthly Biochar, has announced the launch of its government-funded project to try and save Britain’s ash trees.
Media
Channel 5: Secret Life of Trees
Channel 5 has commissioned a new three-part series charting ‘The Secret Life of Trees’, to be filmed over the course of a year, throughout the UK and Europe.