The appalling weather is currently holding back many of the plants in the show tunnel. Herbaceous perennials have barely started shooting and rhododendrons and azaleas are still a long way off flowering. This will hopefully be beneficial to us as we may be able to display some different plants to those that are usually on the stand.
The stand will be drawing particular attention to plants that are pollinated by bees, butterflies, beetles and other insects such as Anchusa, Armeria, Aquilegia, Eryngium, Sedum and Verbascum. Hopefully we will also have 1 or 2 yellow Magnolias on display. Magnolias are relevant to the theme of pollination as they were amongst the earliest flowering plants, evolving millions of years ago, before the presence of bees and butterflies. The only pollinators would have been wingless beetles. Unlike bees, butterflies and moths, they are not adaptable to the complexities of pollination. Beetles, or “dumb pollinators” as they are also referred to as, are rather clumsy in their task and sometimes eat parts of the flower along with the pollen. This is why Magnolia flowers have evolved waxy petals and tough seed cases. Bees, butterflies, moths and some wasps are referred to as “smart pollinators” having adapted to an ever increasing variety of flowers.
