Winter 2011

contents

Page 48

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Page 54

features

20Afragile beauty Kew’s Temperate House needs major renovation – Richard Wilford investigates how this iconic glasshouse can be saved

34Waves of change The redesign of Kew’s Grass Garden is now complete – Michelle Cleave shows you its many highlights

26Calling in the repair man What is the role of Kew’s new head of restoration ecology? Gail Vines reports

40Paleand interesting Richard Wilford traces the history of a classic birch tree with close links to Kew

28Piecing together the jigsaw Bruce Pavlik outlines Kew’s wide-ranging work repairing damaged habitats and why it helps to be one step ahead

42Going into quarantine Kew’s new state-of-the-art quarantine house is up and running – Christina Harrison takes you behind the scenes

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48Made in China Phillip Cribb reveals the botanical treasures of China’s remote western regions

54Anevolving situation Gail Vines looks at intriguing discoveries about how new plant species can develop

56Making the switch Andrew Jackson sheds light on how Wakehurst Place is turning to renewable energy

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Cover The Temperate House by Andrew McRobb/RBG Kew regulars

5 Direction Paul Smith focuses on the great practical benefits of work carried out by Kew’s botanists

6 Winter at Kew Highlights of the season around the Gardens

8 Kew news The latest from all Kew’s gardens, including members’ news

16 Cuttings A round-up of plant science news by Stephanie Pain 60 What’s on Lots to do this winter at Kew and Wakehurst Place

72 Last word Victoria Cadman explains why long-term ecological experiments must continue

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editor’s letter A visit to Kew in winter wouldn’t be complete without a meander through the famous glasshouses. You can travel from the steamy tropics in the Palm House to rocky alpine crags adorned with vibrant colour in the Davies Alpine House. But the highlight has to be the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse – the Temperate House. Here you’ll find a host of beautiful, intriguing, rare and stately plants. You can walk from Asia right through to South Africa, and get an insight into the enormous diversity of the plant world. The building itself is well worth admiring too, adorned with intricate ironwork and statuary. However, this magnificent glasshouse is now clearly in need of substantial restoration and Kew is launching a major campaign to save this historic building. Turn to p20 to find out how you can help.

Among the plants in the Temperate House are several species that are the subject of ongoing conservation projects. Kew now has a new restoration ecology programme to co-ordinate such efforts. We meet the head of this programme, Bruce Pavlik (p26), to ask how restoration ecology works and what this ambitious project aims to achieve (p28). With the opening of a new quarantine facility too, Kew’s conservation work now has the capacity to be implemented on a grander scale, which will help to protect both the UK’s biodiversity and that of our partner countries (see p42).

Don’t forget there’s plenty to see and do at Kew and Wakehurst throughout the season (see p60) – many plants are flowering, fruiting and putting on a great show. Two of my favourites are the grasses at Kew (p34) and the birches at Wakehurst (p40), where you can also enjoy one of the country’s tallest living Christmas trees (p56) through December. Come and enjoy the seasonal festivities in both gardens, and I hope you have a very happy Christmas and New Year.

CHRISTINA HARRISON Editor

Read the magazine blog at www.kew.org/kew-magazine-blog

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