Getting prepared for spring

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6 Asparagus is becoming increasingly popular

AS plant-based diets become increasingly popular, asparagus is a key player in Pomona Fruits’ spring catalogue. This season the company is showcasing three new varieties of the vegetable: ■ ‘Guelph Eclipse’: Bred at the University of Guelph in Canada, this is an early-cropping, disease-resistant variety. ■ ‘Vittorio’: Heavyyielding producing thick, disease-resistant spears that can be harvested when they are green or white, when it has a nuttier, delicate flavour. ■ ‘Burgundine’: A purple plant that is tender and sweet when eaten raw, making it an ideal addition to salads. It often produces more spears than green varieties. A spokesman for Pomona said: “British asparagus is traditionally harvested from the April 23 (St George’s Day) until the summer solstice on June 21, and is generally recognised as the best in the world because our climate supports perfect growing conditions. “It’s a great vegetable to grow because plants can remain productive for up to 25 years.”

TOURISTS are being warned against bringing diseased plants into the UK after travelling abroad. There are widespread fears that the devastating fungal disease Xylella, caused by the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa , could enter the country and affect more than 500 species of plant. Susceptible varieties include lavender, rosemary and flowering cherry. Symptoms include leaf scorch, wilt, dieback and the death of the plant. The disease, which has no known cure, is not currently in the UK but has been cutting a swathe through Europe and killing millions of trees. Now travellers are being advised on how to avoid bringing the disease home in a four-minute animation voiced by Dame Helen Mirren. The film explains the risks and tells gardeners what they can do to stop the spread of the disease. Dame Helen says she has seen the devastation done to olive trees in Italy. She said: “Xylella is a dreadful plant disease that has devastated businesses, communities and entire landscapes. “Understanding what you

Xylella has devastated olive groves throughout Europe Olive dieback caused by Zylella

can do to help keep it out of the UK is an important first step in protecting our precious plants.”

Gardeners must be vigilant The animated film portrays the disease as an unfriendly alien and illustrates the symptoms and the risks of bringing plants back from abroad. Travellers and gardeners are also being asked to look for symptoms that can’t be blamed on more usual causes such as bad weather conditions and native pests and diseases. The animation is the result of a collaboration by Brigit, a consortium of 12 universities and research institutes led by

Protect our plants, says Helen Mirren

the John Innes Centre in Norfolk and including the RHS and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Brigit spokesman Gerard Clover said: “The disease continues to spread within Europe causing more than a billion Euros-worth of damage and gardeners must be vigilant and report changes in the health of their plants.” Advice to help prevent the introduction of Xylella includes sourcing new plants carefully, buying plants grown in the UK, propagating plants at home, checking plants for disease before purchase, monitoring the health of new plants and never bringing plants back from abroad.

IF you are feeling a little lonesome, head to Squire’s Garden Centres where they have launched a series of Chatter & Natter tables in their cafes. Part of the Chatty Café Scheme, these tables are for anyone to use and the give lonely visitors the chance to chat. Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres said, “In this age of social media it’s so important to make an effort to talk to others face-to-face. “I believe a short conversation with another human can really brighten your day. Everyone’s welcome, and it’s a great way to meet local people.” Squires have 16 garden centres in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, West London and Berkshire, all with Chatter & Natter tables – just look out for the signs. For details, call 01252 356860 or visit squiresgardencentres. co.uk.

Meet Val: AG wildlife expert and galanthophile (snowdrop enthusiast) Val Bourne is giving a talk on the springtime flower at Hever Castle in Kent on Saturday, February 8 at 1pm. Visitors can also take themselves on a walk around the grounds that contain more than 80,000 snowdrop plants. Call 01732 865224 or visit hevercastle.co.uk for details, times and tickets.

EIGHT young trees grown from the pips of Isaac Newton’s ‘Flower of Kent’ apple tree and then taken to the International Space Station have fallen to earth and are now growing in several of Europe’s most prestigious gardens. The saplings were taken into space by astronaut Tim Peake as part of the Principia mission in 2015. They have now been planted at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Cheshire’s Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre and the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Brogdale National Fruit Collection in Kent, the Royal Parks and National Physical Laboratory in Middlesex, South Derbyshire Environmental Education Project at Rosliston Forestry Centre and Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire. The eighth sapling has been donated to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in Vienna. The seeds spent six months floating in microgravity as part of the

Tim Peake plants an apple tree grown from a pip he took into space

Pips in Space collaboration between the US Space Agency, National Trust and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

These trees are unique They returned to Earth in 2016 and were germinated at Wakehurst, Kew’s botanic garden in Sussex and home to the Millennium Seed Bank. Tim Peake presented the young trees to the gardens at a special ceremony attended by representatives from the project and gardens receiving the trees. He said: “These trees are truly unique. They come from the iconic apple tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton to ponder the forces of gravitation and continues to inspire to this day.” Dr Anne Visscher from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said: “We are delighted to have been part of such an exciting project and are hopeful that the trees will mature in their new homes while engaging visitors with their history of Newton, space travel and plant science.”

Title: Little Joe (12A) Starring: Emily Beecham, Ben Whishaw, Kerry Fox Release date: 21 March

Synopsis: Alice, a single mother, is a senior plant breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new plant species with the aim of selling them commercially to the public. She has created a very special crimson flower that has been genetically engineered to make its owner feel happy and relaxed. The plant was also engineered to be sterile so that amateur gardeners would not be able to reproduce them. While still in development and against company rules, Alice takes one of the plants from the lab and gives it to her son Joe and they name it ‘Little Joe’. While the plant can’t reproduce, unknown to its creator Alice, it does emit a bewitching perfume that entraps the recipient and makes it a slave to the needs of the plant. Soon almost everyone is in the thrall of ‘Little Joe’.

Art-house style The concept of the film is very engaging, particularly as we are all concerned about the possible effects of genetically modifying plants. The acting is very good with Kerry Fox’s performance as Bella a stand out. The atmosphere is ‘modern art-house’ — clinical, cold and, just like ‘Little Joe’, a little sterile. I can best describe it as a modern, arty nod towards The Little Shop of Horrors, but without the humour or clever screenplay. The direction, photography, lighting, room sets, wardrobe and styling are sublime, but none of this could save the film from being a quite dull and unengaging experience. Probably not for AG readers. Garry Coward-Williams

Steve Harper of Bord na M ó na

IRELAND’S leading horticultural brand Bord na Móna has this month changed its company name to The Greener Gardening Company. This year is set to be a big year for the business, which recently launched a growing media called Happy Compost. Happy has been warmly welcomed by the trade and received a ‘best in test’ performance accolade against all major competitors in trials conducted at University College of Dublin. Steve Harper, head of commercial & marketing for The Greener Gardening Company, said: “Our name change to The Greener Gardening Company allows us to offer a clear, easy-to-spot brand to UK consumers. “While they will be seeing a different logo on the shelves, they can still expect the same quality and same service they have come to expect from us as an industryleading brand.” The name change to The Greener Gardening Company does not affect the current Bord Na Móna Horticulture business in Ireland or UK-based trade customers that trade with Bord Na Móna Horticulture in Ireland.