Weird and wonderful plants under threat

Bird of Paradise plant

Some less than happy news from the horticultural world: I nipped from having a look at the fine construction job being done on our fence yesterday to a meeting at Moorbank Botanical Gardens which is just round the corner from our allotments. Newcastle University has decided not to renew the lease on the Gardens which has placed their future in jeopardy. You can read a piece about it on Sky Tyne and Wear here, and another in the Chronicle about the meeting here. I attended a session about marketing and fundraising ideas in a future apart from the University and then had a walk round the Gardens to have a look at some of the amazing and interesting plants they house.


They seem to be in a bit of catch-22 situation. The University say that not enough people visit the site, but a bid for Heritage Lottery Funding in order to look at how the site could be made more sustainable (eg by increasing visitors) has had to be put to one side due to the University's decision. It all seems a bit short-sighted and very sad. There was a fantastic turnout at the gardens for the meetings with plenty of ideas being bandied around. If you want to get involved at all then you can follow/ contact the campaign on twitter or facebook.

I had bumped into an allotment neighbour and after the meeting we attended, had a good mooch around the Botanic Gardens, which really are fantastic. I had to have a good look at some of the carnivorous plants, weird things that they are.

If you're a fly, steer well clear of these, they'll digest the heck out of you.