Sibbaldia: the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture
Sibbaldia exists to give horticulturists and managers a voice and to bring the work they do to a worldwide audience. It is for horticulturists, managers and students of botanical, heritage and conservation landscapes. The Editor particularly welcomes articles on horticultural techniques, cultivation of species and the application of horticulture for conservation practice. Articles on the curation, plant science, health and heritage of plant collections and species are also welcomed.
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The range of topics covered by papers published in volume no. 24 demonstrates the significance of botanic garden horticultural knowledge, research and facilities for conservation and understanding the world of plants. There is a theme of conservation horticulture running loosely through many of the papers. The prevalence of this theme, which was not an intentional editorial decision at the outset of the volume compilation, illustrates the prominence that the term ‘conservation horticulture’ has rightly gained in our botanic garden community.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kate Hughes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GUEST ESSAY Conservation Horticulture is not a programme – it is THE programme
Conservation Horticulture (1) is an essential, central aspect of modern botanic garden culture and operations, (2) cannot be separated from botanic gardens and (3) produces positive outcomes in every other programme with which it intersects. Here, given the inseparable nature of each, a definition for Conservation Horticulture is provided along with an aligned definition of Botanic Garden. The concept of Conservation Horticulture is illustrated with examples.
Copyright (c) 2025 Patrick Griffith https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
STUDENT PROJECT What lives within and on a plant: our understanding from genome NGS data
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can generate gigabytes of genome data. Unlike Sanger sequencing, NGS generates a ‘read’ from a single DNA molecule, reflecting directly the starting DNA, including non-target organisms such as symbionts and pathogens. Non-target organism sequences are usually discarded during genome assembly as contaminants; these are potentially a great source of information for understanding the microbiome surrounding the plant. The present study explores bioinformatically the identification of the non-target organisms from genome NGS datasets of two cultivated Gesneriaceae species. The datasets were generated using different NGS technologies: one is from Streptocarpus rexii (Bowie ex Hook.) Lindl., sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequencing, and the second from Aeschynanthus angustifolius (Blume) Steud., sequenced using Illumina short-read sequencing. The reads were first assembled and then analysed using BlobTools to identify the contaminants. For S. rexii, Actinomycetota and Basidiomycota occupied the highest ratio among genome contaminants, followed by Arthropoda, Ascomycota and Acidobacteriota. In A. angustifolius, the highest contaminant class was Pseudomonadota and the second Actinomycetota, followed by Basidiomycota and Chordata. Arthropoda included mealybugs which were also observed in the glasshouse. The differences in contaminant composition between S. rexii and A. angustifolius may be linked to the relatively short-lived leaves of the former and the long-lived ones of the latter. This pilot study demonstrates that, in principle, this method is suitable to detect and identify associated organisms, and the pipelines designed here greatly facilitated this process. This approach might be useful in a horticultural setting for the assessment of plant material in quarantine or biosecure conditions and may be able to detect pathogens prior to plants showing symptoms. It also has potentially more widespread applications for studying plant–microbiome interactions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yalan Li , Kanae Nishii, Nathan Kelso , Sadie Barber , Louise Galloway , Michael Möller, Joanne E. Taylor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
STUDENT PROJECT An investigation into the components of conservation horticulture projects
Targets have been set within the Global Biodiversity Framework to increase in situ and ex situ conservation activities to address the biodiversity crisis and impacts of climate change. This paper highlights the horticultural skills and facilities held in botanic gardens that can make an essential contribution to these conservation activities and that are often termed ‘conservation horticulture’. Previously published research identified a lack of cohesion in the use of this term. This research seeks to explain the reasons for this through analysis of both previously published data and new data. New data presented was collected through semi-structured interviews with practitioners involved in conservation horticulture programmes in Europe, Asia, Australasia and North America. Key findings include the need for an understanding of conservation and horticultural principles, and the importance of research, teamwork and communication to deliver conservation horticulture projects. A theme map of the findings is presented as are factors to be considered when planning conservation horticulture projects.
BOTANIC GARDEN PROFILE Rimba Ilmu (the ‘Forest of Knowledge’) at 50
Established in 1974 within the Universiti Malaya campus, the Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden is Malaysia’s first university botanic garden. Occupying nearly 60 ha in the Klang Valley, Malaysia’s most populated metropolis, Rimba Ilmu has evolved from an abandoned rubber plantation into a garden of 1,300 planted species, with many more spontaneously established. Unusually for a botanic garden, it eschews a formal flower garden aesthetic in favour of a tropical forest one: natural processes shape the Garden and its inhabitants alongside human-directed curation. As one of the last large green lungs in the Klang Valley, Rimba Ilmu provides essential ecosystem services to the city. The site houses the oldest and largest university herbarium in Malaysia, Universiti Malaya Herbarium (KLU), where 81,000 specimens are stored. Since the late 1990s, Rimba Ilmu has played a role in public environmental education, supported by facilities such as its Rare Plants & Orchid Conservatory and Rain Forests & Our Environment permanent exhibition. Rimba Ilmu has a community-oriented ethos. It has long supported the participation and development of volunteers, and continues to welcome collaborations with diverse partners. Holding on to a mission of research, conservation and education, Rimba Ilmu is part of the United Nations University’s Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development Central Semenanjung. In 2024, Rimba Ilmu celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of public events and a specially commissioned exhibition, Belukar dah jadi Rimba.
Copyright (c) 2025 Benjamin Ong, Yong Kien Thai, Sugumaran Manickam, Siti Syuhada Sapno, Ilyana Hassya, Nurul Fitrah Marican https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A new framework for horticultural research in botanic gardens and arboreta of the United States
Botanic gardens and arboreta maintain globally important collections for conservation and education. Many organisations hold a reputation for excellence in propagation, cultivation and collection preservation. Learning from successes and challenges, and having the ability to disseminate that knowledge, is paramount for improving techniques and outcomes. However, the field of horticultural research is not well defined, and results of plant cultivation techniques are often only shared informally rather than published. This study was designed to explore how horticultural research practitioners perceive the field of horticultural research and excellence, how they and their institutions are involved, and what are the most urgent needs of future horticultural research among gardens and arboreta in the United States. An online survey was distributed to ascertain the status of horticultural research amongst the United States members of the American Society for Horticultural Science, the American Public Gardens Association, Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Interactive Community of Arboreta, Level II, III and IV members. The survey was completed by 128 respondents from 34 US states across 116 institutions. The responses highlight the fact that horticultural excellence is holistic – focusing on species conservation, ecology and pest mitigation. The findings also touch on the status and involvement of respondents in horticultural research and their perceived needs for future research. These responses further highlight challenges such as funding, time and personnel shortfalls. Horticultural research also includes an emphasis on practical approaches, requiring better recognition and sharing methods. The findings introduce a new framework to support the horticulture community in conceptualising, communicating and implementing research. This framework proposes that horticultural research can be broadly categorised into two overarching approaches: practical and technical.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Mike Opgenorth, Dr. Julia Ávila, Sarah Bryce, David Rae, Dr. Nina Rønsted https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Copyright (c) 2024 Kate Hughes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The contribution of horticulture to the conservation of critically endangered Wollemia nobilis
After the critically endangered conifer Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi pine) was discovered in late 1994, an urgent task was to determine its cultivation requirements so that an ex situ population could be established. Propagation from extremely limited material was the first challenge, followed by development of a genetically representative ex situ conservation population. While the ex situ population was developed for insurance against loss of diversity in the wild population, it has also been used for research, and as the source of material for translocations, dispersed garden plantings and a botanic garden metacollection. Here, we report how these challenges were approached, based on nascent understanding of W. nobilis – as an Araucarian and as a rainforest emergent. As studies into the morphology and biology of the species progressed, these findings were used to refine propagation techniques. The establishment of this species in gardens around the world has expanded our knowledge of its biology and ecology. Insights concerning its behaviour in cultivation include its intolerance of extreme heat, extreme cold, high light and drought, and a preference for free-draining and acid soils – conditions approximating to its temperate rainforest origin. Now that these garden plants have begun to produce seeds, there is the opportunity for deeper research into factors influencing seed viability and plant establishment from seeds. This paper reviews many of the published studies aimed at understanding various aspects of W. nobilis biology, particularly those relevant to informing its requirements in cultivation. We also present data and conclusions drawn from unpublished studies which cumulatively aid efforts to conserve the species ex situ.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr Cathy Offord, Dr Heidi Zimmer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
Digital library searches undertaken by the author have recently uncovered a small but significant archive of information about the Benmore fernery, linking it to glasshouses and other contemporaneous fernery buildings in Scotland. It is now possible to verify the date of the original building to the early 1870s. Wider context and background details are provided by briefly exploring horticultural trends and architectural innovations from this period. Thereafter, the known Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons are reconsidered, providing insight into unknown and previously missing details of the Benmore version. In 2009, from a ruinous condition, the Benmore fernery was the subject of a significant restoration led by a Glasgow-based team of conservation-accredited architects. Aspects of this practical work are summarised. The article concludes by exploring the wider topics of garden history and conservation and highlights the role of botanic gardens in promoting the sometimes overlooked value of garden heritage.
Copyright (c) 2025 David Gray https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The beauty of conservation – developing a science-based conservation horticulture programme at Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, USA
While historically serving ornamental, medicinal and agricultural purposes, botanic gardens and arboreta have opened their doors to the public and have extended their missions to encompass the study, preservation and support of plant diversity. Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA, USA) has embarked on this journey, leveraging its scientific expertise to establish a conservation focus. Navigating this initiative with its strength in horticulture, the Longwood team outlines key steps in creating a conservation horticulture programme, emphasising the importance of (a) assessing horticultural competencies, strengths and existing infrastructure; (b)aligning systematic conservation priorities and global need; (c) amplifying impact through partnerships; (d) developing research initiatives and expanding mission-aligned work; and (e)leveraging audiences. The article concludes by emphasising the importance of collaborative partnerships, avoiding mission creep through maintaining a strategic focus and understanding that a continuum mindset is essential. Longwood’s work, focusing particularly on terrestrial orchids, illustrates how a public garden can use this process to result in a successful and strategic impact-focused conservation horticulture programme that supports plant diversity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Peter J. Zale, Jessica B. Turner-Skoff, Kate Santos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bringing Australia’s vulnerable Wittsteinia vacciniacea F.Muell. (Baw-Baw berry) into cultivation
Wittsteinia vacciniacea F.Muell. (Baw-Baw berry) is a vulnerable evergreen trailing shrub dating back over 70 million years, when Australia separated from Gondwanaland during the late Cretaceous period. It is the only species of Wittsteinia to occur in Australia, and one of four genera in Alseuosmiaceae. The Baw-Baw berry is restricted to a few mountainous populations of varying size and occupancy within Victoria. The fragrant flowers are attractive pendent yellow-red bells, and the globose fruit a greenish-red berry with persistent attractive calyx lobes. It is the combination of a trailing habit and floral features that make this species an ideal candidate for amenity horticulture. To test this, we collected plant material from five of the six known localities in Victoria and, using stem/cutting material with +/- Clonex® gel and either Jiffy® Plugs or a perlite/vermiculite mix +/- Clonex®, achieved 60.8 per cent root initiation overall. Greater root development was achieved using the plugs, and there were differences between root initiation and species locality. The hormone treatment proved unnecessary to ensure root initiation. To test germination response, seed was collected from Mt Baw Baw, which supports the largest population. Preliminary work on fresh seed indicated a high fill rate, determined by x-ray imagery, and a 90 per cent germination response at 20/15 °C with gibberellic acid (GA3). We explored the germination niche using a thermogradient plate and determined an optimal temperature of ~17 °C. Resulting vegetative and seed-based propagules have been incorporated into the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria living collection, as part of a broader ex situ conservation strategy. Further to this, using predictive modelling, we found areas outside this species’ current distribution that may be suitable for future plantings, ensuring the Baw-Baw berry’s survival beyond its current refugia.
Copyright (c) 2024 Virginia Williamson, Anthony Rendall, Li-Hsin Wu, Megan Hirst https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
PlantNetwork's Target 8 project: the survey stages
The aim of PlantNetwork’s Target 8 project is to involve botanic and other collections-led gardens throughout Britain (and eventually Ireland also) to cultivate nationally threatened vascular plant species. In this way, if each garden were to ‘adopt’ 2–3 threatened species then the network of British botanic gardens could collectively cultivate almost all of the 204 threatened species found in Britain, and therefore fulfill the requirements of Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. However, before such a project could start, baseline information on the number and diversity of threatened plants in British ex situ collections was required. Along with this, species dossiers compiling cultivation and conservation details were considered necessary for the success of the project. Furthermore, practical details of the project such as collection and representation needed to be discussed with curators. This paper describes the background, survey work and practical aspects of the project.
Copyright (c) 2005 Natacha Frachon, Matthew Jebb, David Rae https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The cultivation of Primula palinuri Petagna for ex situ conservation: lessons learned from the Royal Rotterdam Zoological and Botanical Gardens
Primula palinuri Petagna is an endangered species endemic to a tiny coastal area in southern Italy. Investigating the possibility of growing and propagating this endangered species with ex situ actions should be encouraged, as this could provide a second line of security for rare plants by allowing specimens to be grown in the absence of natural environmental challenges. Currently, the Royal Rotterdam Zoological and Botanical Gardens (RRZBG) hold 31 accessions of P. palinuri, which represents an ex situ collection with potential value for conservation programmes. Over the years, horticulturists at RRZBG have created a solid protocol to produce viable seeds through hand-pollination techniques, thus allowing conservation programmes for this species to become more effective. In this article the cultivation of the species is described, including information on seed germination, general maintenance, cultivation to flowering stage and propagation from the resulting seeds.
Copyright (c) 2024 Louwerens-Jan Nederlof, Giovanna Aronne, Sergio Mugnai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The IDEA Center for Public Gardens: programmes empowering positive change
Public gardens as cultural institutions must be spaces that put human connection and a sense of belonging at the centre of the organization if they want to be relevant in an increasingly socially aware society. We have a responsibility to do better and right the harmful and exploitative wrongs of the past that continue to uphold systemic inequities. Public gardens can uplift communities around us and expand the identity of who we are and who we serve, without abandoning or shaming historical legacies. The IDEA Center for Public Gardens™ (the Center) was launched January 2022 as a partnership between Denver Botanic Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS MG-249862-OMS-21). Its aim is to empower public gardens to prioritize and champion diversity and inclusion initiatives within our industries and beyond. Living and working from the principles of IDEA can be an incredibly enriching and uplifting experience, and a journey to be celebrated. The Center does this by offering intensive peer-to-peer cohorts to develop practices, fund scholarships and speakers at conferences and symposia, and building alliances and partnerships to create collaborative unity across cultural institutions. A case study is included here describing how Naples Botanical Garden Florida incorporated IDEA principles into its annual theme for a year-round initiative to welcome new audiences and enhance staff inclusion in botanic garden activities. The Center is a call to action and an invitation to help improve the world one change at a time.
Copyright (c) 2022 Mae Lin Plummer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Water sensitive design features: their function and effectiveness over ten years in a botanic garden
Water sensitive design (WSD) is a nature-based solution to urban stormwater problems which involves intercepting rainfall and stormwater from impervious surfaces using a range of devices. These devices rely on soils and plants to slow water flows, reduce water volumes and improve the quality of the water reaching our rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. Common devices used in Auckland, New Zealand are rain gardens and swales. Auckland Botanic Gardens (ABG) has applied a variety of these devices, often in ‘treatment trains’ and focusing on the use of native New Zealand plants, to solve an on-site environmental problem. ABG additionally supports research, advocates for the selection and effective maintenance of the native New Zealand plants, and educates the public about WSD. Recommendations for plant selection in Auckland for rain gardens and swales are made based on ten years of observations and trials at ABG.
Copyright (c) 2022 Emma Simpkins, Robyn Simcock, Bec Stanley, Jack Hobbs https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Raising Rarity: creating meaningful and sustainable conservation outcomes through community-based outreach
A priority in plant conservation science is the identification of species at risk of extinction, allowing for conservation efforts to be focused on those that are most critically endangered to prevent their loss. A 2023 revision of threatened plants in Victoria found that 1,557 species remain under direct threat of extinction, despite conservation work being undertaken across the state to safeguard both individual species and plant communities. Although conservation efforts are fundamental to the protection of our flora, the persistently high number of threatened species illustrates a need to reimagine the way in which we approach conservation. Central to this is a need to engage more people across a broader cross-section of the community so that they can contribute to initiatives that effectively reduce the number of species at risk. Raising Rarity is a community-based outreach programme run by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV). It is designed to actively engage distinct sectors of the Victorian community in local plant conservation. The programme acknowledges that although the expertise provided by RBGV in areas that include conservation horticulture, seed ecology, population genetics, outreach and education is critical to plant conservation efforts, the engagement and involvement of the broader community is fundamental to creating sustainable plant conservation solutions. Raising Rarity achieves this by working with volunteers, school groups, regional botanic gardens, local councils and members of the nursery industry to grow and display rare and threatened Victorian plants in accessible horticultural settings. The initiative aims to increase public knowledge, awareness and hands-on involvement in plant conservation. There are four key components to the Raising Rarity programme: (1) school outreach; (2)local government outreach; (3) botanic gardens outreach in an initiative called Care for the Rare; and (4) commercialisation of an RBGV rare plant collection. This article provides an overview of each of these components and outlines future objectives for the Raising Rarity programme.
Copyright (c) 2022 Megan Hirst, John Arnott, Russell Larke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
SHORT NOTE Air layering as a propagation method in glasshouse cultivation
The glasshouse renovation works being undertaken at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) as part of the Edinburgh Biomes Project (2020–2027) pose a number of challenges to the horticulturists managing the plant collections. The grandeur of many of the larger specimens and the limit of available space are the most prominent of these. Air layering is a propagation method that until recently has not been used widely at RBGE. It has however proven to be a successful technique to maintain the genetic diversity of the collection while reducing both the need for space in propagation glasshouses and the level of aftercare required once propagation is complete. This Short Note explains the method used and highlights several successful propagations, illustrated with images, along with suggestions for implementing the method in the future.
Copyright (c) 2022 Marc Gilbert https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
An investigation of large-leaved Gunnera L. (Gunneraceae) grown outside in Britain and Ireland
A molecular investigation of large-leaved Gunnera growing outside in Britain and Ireland was conducted. Two low-copy nuclear CYCLOIDEA-like genes (CYC-like 1 and CYC-like 2) and two chloroplast DNA regions (matK and psbD-trnT) were sequenced for 271 samples of Gunnera. While it was confirmed that genuine G. tinctoria is growing both in cultivation and in the wild, the results support recently published morphological and historical findings that the species G. manicata appears no longer to be present in Britain and Ireland. Instead, the plant under this name is G. × cryptica, a hybrid between G. manicata and G. tinctoria. The implication of this discovery for legislation on invasive non-native species where G. manicata and G. tinctoria are listed is explored.
Copyright (c) 2022 Dawn Edwards, James Armitage, Jordan Bilsborrow, John David, Marlene Gebauer, Gustavo Hassemer, Julian Shaw, Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, Kálmán Könyves https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GUEST ESSAY Vive l'horticulture de conservation
Conservation horticulture is an emerging and increasingly important function for all botanic gardens, but it is an activity that can be difficult to explain and to promote. Part of that difficulty lies in its name, and a few alternatives are suggested in this Guest Essay – such as Care for the Rare, Raising Rarity, and Plant Rescue and Care Unit – all currently in use at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) for more narrowly scoped but pioneering projects. In reimagining conservation horticulture at RBGV we want to draw on the public’s intrinsic interest in and affinity with plants, rather than taking a defensive stand against what is often called ‘plant blindness’. Raising Rarity 2.0 is likely to combine commercialisation of rare species, innovative blending of amenity and conservation horticulture, and even stronger partnerships with schools and local government. As I prepare to leave RBGV after 25 years in senior management of botanic gardens, I’m supporting a grassroots push from horticultural and research staff to add conservation horticulture (whatever we call it) to our already potent mix of nature, culture and science.
Copyright (c) 2022 Tim Entwisle https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
STUDENT PROJECT Conservation of Zostera marina: evaluating the effectiveness of seed storage conditions for restoration
Zostera marina is a seagrass species that acts as an ecosystem engineer, creating biodiversity-rich habitats that offer important ecosystem services. The species is, however, in decline across its range owing to environmental change and anthropogenic impacts. Conservation work includes the use of seeds and shoots to restore seagrass meadows, although ex situ storage of Z. marina seeds is a small area of research and there is no one set protocol. This study investigated the effects of salinity and temperature on the maintenance of dormancy and viability of Z. marina seeds during cold storage. Seeds were stored at 1 °C and 4 °C, in a range of salinity solutions (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 psu) over a period of 112 days. Results were collected by a velocity-based viability test at 28-day intervals, with seeds categorised as either viable, non-viable or germinated. Over the course of the storage period, results indicated that low salinities (20, 30, 40 and 50 psu) would exhibit premature germination during storage as well as loss of viable seeds at either temperature, while 60 and 70 psu groups have zero germinations and the highest viable seed number is found in 70 psu groups. Analysis revealed that overall temperature was only statistically significant in relation to viable seeds at 1 °C, suggesting that this is the better temperature to maintain viability. The study indicates that low salinity should be avoided for Z. marina seed storage; instead, a salinity solution of 70 psu at 1 °C storage for up to 4 months could ensure seed dormancy is unbroken and few seeds become non-viable. Overall, results from this study were used to create a simple storage protocol that could contribute to community-based restoration projects.
Copyright (c) 2022 Laurie Thomson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Quantifying endangerment value: a promising tool to support curation decisions
Botanic garden collections are increasingly seeking to quantify and improve the value of their collections for science, horticulture, conservation and other uses. Quantifying the value of a collection depends on the mission of the institution. Many botanic gardens are prioritising the conservation of rare and threatened species towards preventing plant extinctions. In doing so, botanic gardens must make decisions about which plants should remain, be replaced or be added to their collections, and how to allocate staff and resources to care for individual plants, while considering funding and space limits. So, how can curators make the biggest impact towards conserving plant species? We present a promising method to quantitatively assess which plant species might be higher or lower conservation priority to an ex situ collection, using what we term ‘endangerment value’ – the value of collections for preventing plant extinction. We apply this method to four genera of high importance at The Morton Arboretum and showcase advantages of this approach as well as pitfalls. We found this method useful for priority setting, but note that the inclusion and exclusion of different data and how they are weighted impacts the ranking of priority species – an important lesson for any prioritisation method. We hope this method will inspire and help other botanic gardens to evaluate their current and future endangerment value and set priorities for maintaining and growing ex situ collections globally.
Copyright (c) 2022 Emily Beckman Bruns, Murphy Westwood, M. Patrick Griffith, Andrew Hipp, Matt Lobdell, Abby Meyer, Christy Rollinson, Shannon Still, Lindsey Worcester, Sean Hoban https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Conservation Collections at the National Botanic Garden of Nepal – The Franklinia Taxus Project
Three species of Taxus occur in Nepal T. contorta, T. maireii and Taxus wallichiana,. All are under pressure from collection for medicinal use, habitat destruction and changing land use. In 2017 and 2018 fieldwork was carried out to collect seed, herbarium specimens, cuttings and information to improve protection of these species, funded by Fondation Franklinia. Collections were made for propagation, herbarium and molecular studies. Population level Information was also gathered to make national assessments for these species. This article traces the status of the living collections in the National Botanic Garden of Nepal (NBG) and the assessments made by the team comprising staffs of Department of Plant Resources (DPR) and Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and Freelance botanist. Reference is made to work done prior to 2017 on the taxonomy and distribution of the species and which enabled efficient fieldwork thereafter. The establishment of a conservation collection at NBG provides a basis for research into yew species in Nepal and highlights the benefits of internationally collaborative projects to maintain conservation collections of threatened species in their country of origin.
Copyright (c) 2022 Kate Hughes, Ram Chandra Poudel, Dipak Lamichhane, Mark Watson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The document provides the detail of Sibbaldia's Publication Ethics Statement including links to relevant publications organisations and references to key documents.
Copyright (c) 2022 Kate Hughes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
With thanks to reviewers of papers in this volume: Ted Chapman, Alan Elliott, Dusty Gedge, Suzanne Hermiston, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Ben Jones, Phil Lusby, Clare Morter, Katherine O’Donnell, Michael Pirie, David Rae, Fred Rumsey, Paul Smith, John Wood, Ella May Wulff and anonymous reviewers.
SHORT NOTE Propagation of Bambusa vulgaris: a simplified method for use in display glasshouses
Horticulture staff at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh have experimented with the propagation of Bambusa vulgaris by planting pieces of stem directly into the bed in which the plant is to grow. The success of the method means that both transportation time and space are saved by removing the stage where these large propagules are in the propagation unit.
Copyright (c) 2022 Paulina Maciejewska-Daruk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
STUDENT PROJECT Missing Maddenia: A review of Rhododendron subsection Maddenia at Logan Botanic Garden
Rhododendron subsection Maddenia has long been cultivated at Logan Botanic Garden, an outpost of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh (RBGE). It is noted in RBGE’s Collection Policy as one of Logan’s representation themes. Half of RBGE’s Maddenia accessions grow there outdoors in the relatively mild climate that suits these tender plants. It was known that Logan’s collection did not represent the entire Subsection. Therefore, this study’s aim was to investigate how completion might be achieved. Existing literature and known specialists were consulted to compile a list of taxa, although this remains unresolved. Using RBGE’s BG-BASE data and an observational survey of Logan’s living collection, it is suggested that 24 taxa may be absent from the collection. Their native occurrence, ex-situ cultivation and IUCN Red List criteria were researched. Using this information, a simple value system was created in order to prioritise acquisitions that might best serve conservation. This article is abridged and revised from the author’s specialist project, completed in candidature for the HND Horticulture with Plantsmanship.
Copyright (c) 2022 Helen McMeekin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
GUEST ESSAY A lesson for Botanic Gardens from the Covid-19 pandemic: reaching wider audiences through online activity
The power of botanic gardens to connect people to plants has traditionally stemmed from the physical interaction between visitors and living collections. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced many botanic gardens to consider alternative, online programmes of engagement. Here I argue that this experience has been revelatory, showing us that digital approaches provide the power not only to reach a wider audience, but to connect more deeply with that audience if the content is carefully designed. The new opportunities provided for connecting people to plants will be an important part of botanic garden engagement programmes in the years ahead.
Copyright (c) 2022 Beverley Glover https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
BOTANIC GARDEN PROFILE Gullele Botanic Garden, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia): Current status, Challenges and Opportunities
Gullele Botanic Garden (GBG) was founded through a joint venture between Addis Ababa University and Addis Ababa City Government. Since its establishment in 2010, it has developed its infrastructure and carried out a range of activities related to plant conservation, research, environmental education and ecotourism in line with its vision and mission. Key activities described in this paper are the five different uses of GBG land; the installation of a weather station; and the construction of a mini-greenhouse for plant acclimatisation, the multipurpose Agora II (an eco-friendly building with a green roof), a thematic garden and a nursery. The lists of endemic plants (65), large mammals (11) and endemic bird species recorded are presented in Appendices I, II and III respectively. The main activities and works carried out by GBG are not yet widely known to local and international communities. Through describing the garden’s current status, challenges and opportunities, this paper aims to increase awareness among the scientific community and more widely of GBG’s activities and intentions for protecting Ethiopia’s flora. This article has an Erratum available to download as a pdf.
Copyright (c) 2021 Talemos Seta, Birhanu Belay https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Plant evaluations for living roofs in Auckland, New Zealand
An extensive living roof is constructed with load bearing structures with a deep layer of soil media that supports a range of plants. Living roofs have environmental benefits, particularly in an urban setting, such as slowing water runoff and promoting evapotranspiration. Auckland Botanic Gardens (ABG) has been trialling different native and exotic plant species on living roofs to identify top performing plants for these unique growing conditions. The living roofs at ABG were constructed and planted in 2010, so after 10 years of observations, we are able to provide plant lists of what has worked well, challenges with the type of roofs we have, and the adventive species observed.
Copyright (c) 2022 Emma Bodley, Robyn Simcock, Rebecca Stanley https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The historic greenhouses of the Greifswald Botanic Garden (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany) – rescued in the nick of time
The historic greenhouses of the University of Greifswald, built between 1884 and 1886 and covering an area of almost 300 m², are characterised by their riveted frame construction typical of the era. After almost 130 years of uninterrupted use, they were briefly on the brink of collapse in 2014 because damage caused by corrosion had reached a critical level. The State Monument Preservation Office campaigned strongly for the greenhouses, so that the university, with the support of the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and other sponsors, was ultimately able to successfully carry out the restoration. The costs are expected to amount to around €4.3 million. The construction work undertaken on the tropical, palm and cycad houses guarantees that valuable plant collections will be preserved and that more extensive growth phenomena and ecological relationships can be demonstrated in the future.
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