The water lily is probably the nation's favourite aquatic plant, and Nathan James Dodd previews the next episode of 'Plant Odysses' in which Carol Klein celebrates its unique characteristics.
In the programme, which is the last in the series, she traces the water lily's remarkable botanical history and explains her love for a plant which is in reality virtually a living fossil.
We see how human intervention and natural evolution have influenced the plant's journey from the Far East which involves elements of economics, the arts and spiritual life along the way.
This is an intriguing story from the time that the first flowering plants emerged in Asia. To illustrate how important the water lily is in that part of the world Carol travels to South Korea.
There she drinks tea made from lotus flowers with Buddhist monks. The lotus is a close relative of the water lily and is so revered that there is a festival held in its honour.
After discovering the early evolution of the plant, we return to Europe to learn about how the water lily can dramatically interact with insects, how it adapts to the environment and its ancient system of pollinating.
Stars of the show are undoubtedly the Giant Amazonian Water Lilies at Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight where the film crew has captured some unique night shots.
The water lilies' flowers open after midnight to attract scarab beetles who will pollinate it. When daylight arrives, the flower closes trapping the beetle.
What is amazing is that the flower is initially white and female but when opening again on the following night it has changed both colour to red and sex to male.
This is clearly a programme that will hold the interest of all plant lovers and Carol Klein's Plant Odysses can be seen next Monday 17 August at 7.00pm on BBC2.
After the recent spell of hot weather, David Coton was glad to see the recent rain freshening up the Garden Centre and he has these suggestions for some of the jobs that need to be done during August.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Thursday, 27th of July, 2017.
Robert Hall was delighted to present Westland Horticulture with an award for Best Consumer Product Packaging for their product Westland SafeLawn at the GIMA awards 2017 and who went on to win its top award the GIMA Sword of Excellence.
Written by Robert Hall.
Published on Monday, 17th of July, 2017.
Robert Hall attends the 2017 GIMA (Garden Industry Manufacturer's Association) Awards as an appointed judge and offers his experience about the judging day and the many products there for review.
Written by Robert Hall.
Published on Thursday, 29th of June, 2017.
Robert Hall, senior partner at GardenSite.co.uk has been elected to sit on the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA) Judging Panel for 2017. The news was announced on 31st March 2017 on the GIMA website.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Friday, 31st of March, 2017.
At GLEE this year David Coton visited the VegTrug stand to find out how their specially designed space saving planters can encourage us to grow more of our own food without the use of pesticides.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Thursday, 14th of September, 2017.
Forest have been making high quality timber garden products for over half a century and at GLEE David Coton had the chance to see their brand new storage range that has recently been launched.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Thursday, 14th of September, 2017.
Everyone should be serious about encouraging wildlife, and whether you focus on pollinating bees, pest devouring birds or slug eating hedgehogs, David Hall has been looking at the products that Wildlife World design and manufacture to aid their conservation.
Written by David Hall.
Published on Thursday, 14th of September, 2017.
This week Robert Hall has been to the Glee Garden Trade show at the NEC in Birmingham and has reviewed the new Lotus Wheelie Bin Store; Metal Garages, Bicycle Store; Sheds and Workshops and more...
Written by Robert Hall.
Published on Thursday, 14th of September, 2017.
Nathan James Dodd