Last week was the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the biggest event in the horticulture calendar. I’m not sure it counts as a plant science event (unfortunately – I would love to be able to go for GARNet!) but it is a good opportunity to communicate some great plant science to an interested public. This year Rothamsted Research and Fera sprung into action and produced Award-winning exhibits.
The exhibit from Rothamsted, designed by Nicky Seymour and inspired by work on oilseed rape flowers by Sam Cook and Jason Baverstock, was awarded a Silver Medal in the Discovery category. Sam and Jason’s research shows that some oilseed rape pests are put off by different colour flowers, and others can be controlled by reservoirs of natural predators in field margins full of wild flowers. Sam explained her work, which received coverage from the BBC and Farmers Weekly, on the UKBRC website last year.
The Fera exhibit, Plants Need Passports Too, used the idea that plants are under threat from pests, diseases and invasive species. It explains some of the ways threats can creep into the country, and the regulations that aim to limit the damage. This video from Fera gives a guided tour of the Bronze Medal-winning garden.
