Wed 31st Aug 2011 - Ventnor Botanical Gardens.

Carrie's Photographs.

Mark's Photographs.

The IW Green Gym were busy this week helping at the Botanic Gardens in Ventnor. The tasks included maintenance on the willow dome which the group created back in 2007. Now tidy once again the dome can be enjoyed by all in the meadow area. Other tasks included some clearance of an overgrown border and work to remove the summer's growth of unwanted bramble from a large shrubby area.

Carrie's Nature Lesson.

Our find this week, which had self seeded in the compost at the Botanic
Gardens was Himalayan or Indian balsam (Impatiens Glandulifera), a relative
of the Busy Lizzie. It was introduced to British gardens from the Himalayas
in 1839 and since then has become widely naturalised and very invasive, as
it swamps native plants and erodes riverbanks. It is the tallest annual in
Britain growing up to 2 metres in height, with reddish stems and long dark
green lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges. The large brightly coloured
flowers are variable shades of purplish-pink, and occasionally white, and
their appearance has led to the alternative name of 'poor man's orchid'.
Another charming local name, 'bee-bums' has arisen, as it is just the back
end of a bee that can be seen when it visits a flower of this plant.

Many thanks to Carrie & Mark for the photographs - Mark for the editorial and Carrie for the Nature Lesson.

Congratulations to the GG members who completed the "Fort Walk" at Bembridge on Wednesday evening - Anyone got any pictures?