Yahoo News Special Dumfries and Galloway garden offers glimpse of remarkable diversity of plants at home and around the world
From critically endangered conifers to exhibitions exploring the jungles of Vietnam and the coasts of Dumfries and Galloway, a special garden offers visitors a glimpse of the remarkable diversity of plants at home and around the world.
One of the region’s treasurers, it is one of four sites of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh – together constituting one of the richest plant collections on Earth.
Located on the south western tip of Scotland near Stranraer and dating from 1869, Logan Botanic Garden is warmed by the Gulf Stream and its avenues and borders feature a spectacular and colourful array of half-hardy perennials from Australia, New Zealand, South and Central America and Southern Africa – many of which are rarely seen growing outdoors in the United Kingdom.
Logan constitutes a specialised part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s Living Collection which is grown and maintained for the enjoyment of visitors, supporting internationally important scientific research, education and conservation.
Richard Baines, curator of Logan Botanic Garden, said: “Logan enjoys an almost subtropical climate, where spectacular displays of perennial plants – from towering palms to giant gunnera and magnificent magnolia – all thrive in the unlikely location of southern Scotland.
“Our ticket prices help us to maintain this beautiful garden and support the research into conservation and biodiversity loss led by our parent organisation, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.”
The garden is open every day from 10am until 5pm until the end of October and then from 10am until 4pm until November 15. There are also a range of exhibitions throughout the year.
The first exhibition of those, Galloway Seaweed Search, has been helping visitors examine the often seen but little understood macroalgae.
The rocky shores of Dumfries and Galloway are home to around 700 different species, but the amazing range of colour, shape and size of these coastal gems is often overlooked and the display has been opening the door to this hidden world, helping visitors to distinguish between bladder wrack and dabberlock, thong weed and sugar kelp.
From now until Friday, May 31, the remarkable flora of Vietnam, pictured during the Logan team’s 2023 botanical expedition, will be on display in the studio.
The stunning images of plants and landscapes hide the sobering truth that species such as camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias are increasingly at risk in the wild, but conservation horticulture can help.
Seeds collected during the fieldtrip are now being grown on in safe ex-situ sites, helping to protect one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
Last October, participants from the UK and Ireland were involved in a field trip for research and conservation purposes in north west Vietnam.
These included Richard and Alan Hannah from Logan Botanic Garden, Kirsty Martin from Blarney Castle and Gardens and Charles Shi from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Richard said: “Upon arrival in Vietnam we were met by the in-country host from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources in Hanoi. This expedition followed on from previous collaborative expeditions in 2014, 2016 and 2019 and had several aims including collecting living material from a wide range of plant species, including magnolia, rhododendron and ferns.
“Material collected was principally in the form of seed, as well as collecting material from critically endangered species for ex-situ conservation.
“The specialist field research will lead to a better understanding of species distribution and conservation issues that threaten plant populations.”
Amidst the backdrop of giant gunnera, palms and tender plant treasures from the southern hemisphere for visitors to Logan to enjoy there was another amazing feat on Friday.
George Sherriffs, acquisitions librarian at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, called in as part of his fundraising ultra-marathon challenge.
Setting off from Benmore, the keen runner is racing an incredible 356 miles over eight days to promote the work being done at Scotland’s botanic gardens.
George’s ambitious endeavours are taking him to the research institute’s four Gardens at Benmore in Argyll, Logan, Dawyck in the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh.
He started at Benmore last week, running more than 150 miles before arriving at Logan on Friday, after an overnight stay in Stranraer, to a warm welcome, where he planted a snakebark maple acer davidii) to mark the halfway mark and chatted to local and visitors who had gathered to greet him.
With some keeping him company for a small stretch of his epic run – which included the 50 miles to Glentrool, from Stranraer via Logan – he then continued to Dawyck, and will finally arrived at the Edinburgh garden on Tuesday.
George said: “I have undertaken multiple marathons and other challenging long-distance runs over the last 39 years and felt this would be a great way to highlight the vital research and conservation work taking place at our gardens.
“This venture was originally scheduled for 2020, the 350th anniversary year of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – a number that aligned almost perfectly with the 356-mile length of the run – but we sadly had to postpone because of the pandemic.”
Richard said: “George’s journey represents a significant physical and mental challenge, yet through his run, he raises awareness and mobilises tangible support for the work that we do at Logan and our other gardens to combat biodiversity loss and the climate crisis.”
To donate to the campaign go to www.justgiving.com/campaign/runningwild.
There will be more to come at Logan this year including the planting of 10 wollemi pines in the Australasia section of the garden, helping to support efforts to preserve these critically endangered conifers.
While Logan has been home to wollemi pines for more than a decade, the new specimens include six plants wild-collected from a previously unresearched population, bringing greater genetic diversity to the collection.
This project is part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s International Conifer Conservation Programme.
Richard added: “Logan is also preparing to welcome a selection of endangered plants from the southern hemisphere, including the tree pitavia punctata and legrandia concinna, a member of the myrtle family.
“Logan will provide a safe environment for these globally important yet endangered new arrivals, giving visitors the chance to admire plants that are rarely seen in Scottish gardens.”
