The Sex Lives of Plants

We heard that the first butterfly and ladybird had been spotted, so Spring must be on its way!

The sex lives of plants

This week, a fascinating and amusing illustrated talk was given by Ben Emmott, entomologist, agricultural problem solver and beekeeper.

Ben explained how plants evolved over millions of years by cell division when under water resulting in the production of an identical plant.   Later, when plants grew on land, seeds and pollen moved about via wind, birds or insects giving us plants with different characteristics.  This presented a new set of problems; how the male finds the female.  It turns out that plants are not so different from us and plants may make themselves attractive by their colour, taste, scent, even providing nectar guides and easy access! 

We learnt about the unique symbiotic reproductive method of the Yucca with a certain moth and how some flowers open in the evening for the nocturnal insects.

At one of Ben’s talks, a member of the audience remarked that most plants had a better sex life than she did!

Display Table and Forum

There were certainly signs of spring of the display table.

 This painting by the talented Margaret L.L. is of a hellebore she grows in the garden

 Mary brought in her Aeonium in flower, and not for the first time.  The plant is kept outside in Summer and brought into a porch for the Winter

 Dorothy's Iris Pauline has lovely markings.  Gill displayed a jar of snowdrops of different varieties.  Certain snowdrops are going for really high prices; apparently S. Arnott are selling for £5.00 per bulb, so it may be worth investing in them!  Ann's stunning Jacobinia was rescued from "death row" at a local nursery. 

Notice Board

The Paxton Open Spring Show will take place on 5^th April and Friday Forum’s mini show will be the day before.  Pick up a leaflet or look on Paxton’s main site.

For our yellow flower display to celebrate the Tour de France in July, there are seeds available for members to sow and grow   For more ideas of yellow flowers see http://letour.yorkshire.com/documents/tdf/rhs/RHSTurningYorkshireYellow.pdf 

We are seeking creative ideas on how to display our yellow blooms in front of Paxton Hall. 

Paxton Plant Market is on Saturday 31^st May.   Please consider planting and growing on for the sales table and, if you can help on the day from 10 am, this would be appreciated.

Dates for your diary

Next meeting:  On 7^th March there is a talk by Ian Richardson on Spring and Autumn in Japan.

Friends of Paxton are meeting Monday 3^rd March from Midday.  An hour or two or your time to help maintain the premises are always welcome.  If another date is more suitable for you, please let us know.  In June, there will be a Dig In at Paxton Garden; date TBA.

 

Friday Forum meetings are 1.30pm on 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at Paxton Hall, Paxton Horticultural Society, 186 Kirkstall Lane, Leeds LS5 2AB.   Meetings may be hands-on sessions, guest speakers or garden visits. Regular features are the Display Table where members can bring their plants for discussion and advice and the Sales Table where members sell their plants, cuttings and produce to help the club funds.  For further information log on to https://sites.google.com/site/paxtonhorticulturalsocietycouk/Home

 

 

Signs of Spring

AGM: 

Last year’s minutes and an outline of the past year’s activities were read out and adopted.  The committee was thanked on behalf of all members for the hard work and for the enjoyable and successful programme of activities.

Friday Forum helping to cover the country in yellow for le tour Yorkshire
As previously mentioned, RHS and Welcome to Yorkshire are encouraging people to grow   yellow plants to celebrate the Tour de France in July.   At the Friday Forum meeting this week, seeds were distributed for members to sow and grow in order to create our own yellow display for the event.  For more ideas of yellow flowers see http://letour.yorkshire.com/documents/tdf/rhs/RHSTurningYorkshireYellow.pdf

Plants for shade in every season

Gill told us how she manages a shady area in her own garden, which is really useful to keep interest throughout the year in our own difficult patches.  Gill’s area is shaded by two large cherry trees.

January: Interest comes from the foliage of the fern, Polystichum 'Bevis', hellebores and epimedium plus the primroses which are dotted about. 

February:  The snowdrops, hellebores (stripped of their leaves), epimediums and aconites are now in flower plus Pachyphragma, Tellima  and Early Sensation a daffodil which opens earlier than the others.

March:  The snowdrops and hellebores are still in flower and are joined by the rest of the daffodils.  Other plants featuring at this time are Omphalodes verna 'Alba', primula, azalea, pulmonaria, Bowles golden grass and the Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum).

Gill reminded us that small plants can be planted at the back of the border in Spring as they have little competition.

April: The  daffodils, Pachyphragma and primroses are still performing and are then joined by geranium  nodosum 'Whiteleaf', geranium Spring Fling, corydalis and tellima.

May:  Now the cherry trees are in blossom, the azalea is in flower as well as corydalis, digitalis, orange and yellow epimediums and astrantia sunningdale variegated.

June:  The geraniums continue to flower and the philadelphus.

July/August:  Stylophorum (like a yellow poppy) and clematis Mary Rose

September/October:  The Autumn colour is showing on the cherry trees and other foliage plus Lamium galeobdolon.

Leeds Flower Show is 150 years old

Elizabeth told us how there will be a marquee set out with a miniature replica of the first ever Leeds Flower Show which was held in 1864.   The Leeds Mercury reported that it was held in the Leeds Volunteer Rifles' Army drill hall in Oxford Place and attracted huge pubic interest.  The project will be based on reports which exist from that time which state  ‘ incorporating attractions including groups of flags and shields, tastefully selected and arranged …….. and devices in artificial flowers depending from the girders of the roof’ .

It is hoped to reproduce some of the varieties of plants, flowers, vegetables and fruits which were on display at that time. Pansies, verbenas, fuchsias and 24 varieties of roses feature in the reports but it is debatable whether they will they look the same as they did then.

 

Entries of the various classes back in the day were from such well-known people as Lord Londesborough of Grimston Park , Mr. John Hope Shaw, Mr. J G Marshall and Mr. F W Tetley who were, of course, assisted by their gentlemen’s gardeners.

This year’s Leeds Flower Show is being held atThe Grammar School At Leeds,  Alwoodley Gates, Harrogate Rd, Leeds,LS17 8GS on August 2^nd and 3rd.

Display Table

There were certainly signs of spring of the display table.

 A beautiful assortment of spring plants from Ann's garden and a pot of  S. Arnott snowdrops

An arrangement of floating hellebores. In the centre is Penny's Pink which has marbled leaves in the Summer.

 Dorothy brought in her Orchid Dendrobium Berry Oda.  The irises give a splendid splash of colour.

Notice Board

Advance warning:
For the Good Friday meeting on 18^th April, members are asked to bring something in the shape of a flower for the “Flower in any form” contest; arts, crafts, baking etc all acceptable.  Also,  you are asked to grow some cress in an eggshell and paint it up.  Should be interesting!

 

Paxton Plant Market is on Saturday 31^st May.   Please consider planting up and growing on for the sales table and, if you can help on the day from 10 am, this would be appreciated.

Dates for your diary
Next Friday Forum Meeting:  Please note The meeting scheduled for 21^st February has now been changed to a talk on The Sex Life of Plants by Ben Emmett.

Friends of Paxton are meeting Monday   from Midday.  An hour or two or your time to help maintain the premises are always welcome.  If another date is more suitable for you, please let us know.
In June, there will be a Dig In at Paxton Garden; date TBA.
The Friday Forum meets on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at 1.30pm at the Paxton Hall.  Paxton Horticultural Society is located at 186, Kirkstall Lane, Leeds LS5 2AB.   The meetings are split between hands-on sessions, guest speakers and garden visits. A regular feature is the "Plant Table" where members are invited to bring their plants for discussion and advice.  Another feature is the "Sales Table where members bring plants and cuttings and produce they have grown to sell at a small cost to help the club funds.  For further information, please use the comments box or log on to https://sites.google.com/site/paxtonhorticulturalsocietycouk/Home