In This Issue
Happy Christmas to all our readers
Open letter about peat stirs up a twitter storm
Open letter correction from Beadamoss
It’s the most jumperful time of year - raises over £8k for Greenfingers
Mark your diaries – Glee is back bigger & better than ever
Dobbies announces winners of ‘Not Your Average Community’ campaign
Inclusion and diversity consultant at GCA conference
A taste of Yorkshire spirits for Bradford Garden Centre
12 page GIMA Awards Special in GTN November/December 2021 Issue available on-line
Dobbies fundraises £100k for National Charity Partner Teenage Cancer Trust
Sustainability on the menu for Johnston & Jeff
57 garden centres vie for Christmas Greatness in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards
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Scarlet Opus presents merchandising trends
Unpredictable seasons cause ‘confused’ plants to flower at the wrong time
The best of last week's
An Open Letter on the use of peat
Plans to phase out the use of peat in the amateur horticulture sector
Garden centre expands following nursery acquisition
Woodmansterne features in hit BBC2 show
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
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Unpredictable seasons cause ‘confused’ plants to flower at the wrong time

 

The Royal Horticultural Society is reporting exceptional displays at gardens across the UK, as plants that generally flower in distinct seasons are currently in bloom at the same time.  

 

However, this crescendo of colour is likely to last just a couple of weeks, making the festive period the perfect time to get outdoors and experience this rare, short-lived spectacle with loved ones.

 

Staff at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate, and RHS Wisley in Surrey have noted the unusual appearance of both summer and Christmas roses (Hellebore) flowering simultaneously, while autumn-flowering plants such as nerines (which typically flower in September) and winter flowering mahonia are also in bloom.

 

Meanwhile at RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, Curator Marcus Chilton-Jones says the atypical flowering of plants in the Paradise Garden, including Rhaphiolepis x delacourii ‘Coates Crimson’ (Indian hawthorn) and Knautia macedonica (Scabious), has resulted in a remarkably impressive display of colour for this time of year.

 

Leaf cover also appears to be more dense than usual, with Curator Matthew Pottage highlighting large oaks at RHS Wisley which are still in full gold leaf, and liquidambars at each of the five RHS gardens continue to be ablaze with colour.

 

RHS Chief Horticulturist Guy Barter explains, “After a good growing season like the one we experienced this summer, plants are flush with resources and as a result sometimes chance an extra flower or two later in the year. Similarly, without a prolonged cold period leaves are able to cling on for longer. However, they will only do this if the weather stays mild, so the notable lack of autumn frost has been critical to this year’s unusual display.

 

“The changing climate will undoubtedly continue to disrupt the traditional British growing season in the coming years, and we can expect to see plants flowering later and for longer periods more regularly. However, given the precise conditions required to cause the simultaneous appearance of summer and winter-flowering plants, this year’s spectacle may be a one-off phenomenon.”

 

The mild autumn also appears to have impacted wildlife at the RHS gardens, with no sign yet of migratory birds. The absence of birds searching for food means bushes are still bedecked with berries, bringing further bursts of colour to the gardens and the possibility of a spectacular influx of birds in the coming weeks. However, with food sources scarce in a cold snap, the bounty of fruit could be stripped within days and garden visitors should enjoy it while they can.

 

More information about each of the RHS gardens can be found at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/

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