News
Get Your Garden Buzzing B
ritain’s beleaguered bees and other pollinating insects are set to benefit from a new Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) campaign. The charity is launching the ‘RHS Perfect for Pollinators’ list to help gardeners select plants that will play a role in addressing the decline of certain insects. The RHS will be working with the trade to provide point-of-sale material and make the logo available for the trade to use. The ‘RHS Perfect for Pollinators’ label was developed when writer and broadcaster Sarah Raven approached the charity with the innovative idea of flagging up to gardeners plants most suitable for pollinators. The RHS had been working on a research project looking at plants for bugs and was excited by Sarah’s idea that a label might get the public and trade more involved.
Over the last 50 years a decline in many groups of insects has been noticed. These include some of the common butterflies, moths, hoverflies and bees. The reason for this is complex but part of the problem may be the reduction in the abundance of wild flowers in the countryside. Gardens with their variety of flowers are increasingly being seen as an important habitat where insects can find sources of nectar and pollen. “The days of punnets of strawberries costing £50 is fast upon us,” says Sarah Raven. “Without insects busying themselves on our behalf pollinating fruit and vegetables, a healthy diet of ‘five a day’ will soon be gone.”
RHS announces National Gardening Week to get Britain gardening for 2012 T
he Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), is launching National Gardening Week for 16 to 22 April 2012, to get the nation growing.
The RHS is calling on nurseries, plant centres, gardeners, clubs, charities, schools and media to join in and celebrate the week by opening gardens, holding events and providing advice. National Gardening Week wants to encourage everyone to take part and grow flowers, shrubs, trees, fruit, herbs and vegetables.
To join in visit
www.rhs.org.uk/NationalGardeningWeek* or email
nationalgardeningweek@rhs.org.uk Over National Gardening Week, the RHS will aim to share its wealth of knowledge with every gardener across the nation. Anyone will be able to use its border-boosting service for advice to brighten and enhance borders, speak to the Compost Clinic for solutions to compost problems, and get in touch to find the perfect climbers and shrubs for walls or fences. There will be a daily Facebook question time where any problem will be answered by the RHS science and garden teams. The charity will also be offering 20,000 starter packs with seeds, organising a career day at all four of its gardens and holding masterclasses, including a workshop on seed raising. The week will coincide with the launch of the charity’s nationwide RHS Britain in Bloom campaign, when millions of people get together to improve community spaces. RHS Vice President, Alan Titchmarsh, who supports the campaign, adds: “This week is about highlighting the importance of gardeners and gardening. I hope that all areas of the gardening world, from industry and horticultural colleges to charities and gardeners, embrace the opportunity and use it to promote the importance and joy of growing plants. ”It’s also a chance to get the nation to consider just what part growing things can play in society.”
Doff Portland to bring Neudorff’s range for natural gardening to the UK
D
off Portland, the Nottinghamshire based domestic gardening weed, feed and control product producer, announces a cooperation with the German company Neudorff to market a full range of products for natural gardening to garden centres in the UK in 2012. Since its formation in 1854, Neudorff has focussed on developing and producing high performance, environmentally friendly products for the domestic gardening market. Neudorff products are now available in more than 20 countries worldwide, with a still expanding distribution.
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www.timberdisplays.co.uk
Rust Spotters Required
he Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and TreeWatch are appealing to gardeners to adopt a pear tree and to watch if it develops pear rust fungus, Gymnosporangium sabinae. August, September and October are the months when the RHS Pathology Department receives the most enquiries about this disease. The Pathology staff have also noticed an increase in enquiries over the past ten years. The two organisations believe that now is therefore a good time to get the public involved
“We are not sure whether this increase in enquiries is due to suitable weather conditions caused by environmental changes, an increased awareness of the fungus or perhaps it is just part of the natural cycle of this disease,” says Béatrice Henricot, RHS Principal Scientist, Plant Pathology. “Even though this fungus causes striking bright orange spots, our knowledge of the distribution of it is limited. So I am really pleased that we are working with TreeWatch to find out more.”
The RHS and TreeWatch believe that this survey will help improve the understanding of this fungus. It is thought that pear tree rust was probably a rare fungus that has become more prevalent. Why this is scientists don’t know. Analysing data to show where the disease is and what pear trees it infects will help build up information and knowledge so that gardeners can be better informed how to control the effects on an infection.
Plant Sales Up T
Supporting retail: our team of Neudorff experts based at Hucknall near Nottingham
Its agreement with Doff Portland covers 26 Neudorff branded pest and weed control products, organic fertilisers and plant care products. Neudorff’s scientists constantly test natural active ingredients in order to exploit their full potential. Wherever possible, sustainabley sourced natural raw materials are used, like the highly effective Pelargonic Acid (from geraniums) and Pyrethrum (from chrysanthemums).
“This agreement brings one of Europe’s most sustainable and high performance product ranges to British gardeners,” says Doff Portland’s sales and marketing director, Peter Woolley. “Neudorff products have scooped a number of prestigious green awards and we are convinced they will quickly establish themselves with the UK’s increasing number of environmentally aware consumers and help retailers to grow their organic and natural portfolios.”
A team of Neudorff experts based at Hucknall near Nottingham is there to support and consult the retail. The products will be supported by above-the-line advertising, point of sale and promotional material, and the website
www.neudorff-trade.co.uk will provide detailed information for the retail. These premium products will be priced to match other leading brands on the UK market.
4 GCU AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011
he Plant Centre at RHS Garden Wisley has seen an increase in sales of certain plant varieties since their AGM status (Award of Garden Merit) was emphasised through improved branding.
“We were really pleased that by providing stronger AGM branding for certain plant groups our sales of those cultivars increased,” says Nigel Eaton, Head of Plant Centre. “For example last year we only sold 14 Potentilla ‘Pink Beauty’. This year, within a two week period, we had sold 148 and the only difference was that we had branded those AGM Potentillas with an easier-to-see logo. We have also seen an increase of sales of other plants given the same endorsement.”
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