Category Archives: Planning

Putting our glasshouse on the map

I’m trialling the new Google Map Maker app via my non-university Google account. I’ve tried to generate a location for the Tropical Biodiversity Glasshouse and the link is http://goo.gl/DR4uP. I’d appreciate it if anyone could look at the link – … Continue reading

Posted in Design, Interactive, Planning | 1 Comment

Tree ferns

One of the characteristic features of middle altitudes in the tropics are tree ferns.  I’ve been looking around for species that might grow in our new glasshouse.  On the list of possible, and available, species are Cyathea brownii (Norfolk Island), … Continue reading

Posted in Annual Fund, Planning, Species | 2 Comments

Groundwork stage 1 – heavy duty design

This gallery contains 3 photos.

At lunchtime today we started moving some of the railway sleepers to mark out the design of the tropical glasshouse planting areas on the ground.  There is a world of difference between a sketch on paper and the reality of … Continue reading

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Low nutrient habitats

I’m working through the plans for the low nutrient habitat display in the glasshouse.  We already have a good range of epiphytic bromeliads and some epiphytic orchids.  There are also a range of carnivorous plants to be grown here including Heliamphora, … Continue reading

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Tropical smallholding – what will we be growing?

I’ve been in discussion with a range of people about the crops we should be growing in our global tropical small holding.  There are some obvious species the we know we can grow and we already have: Banana (Musa cultivars), … Continue reading

Posted in Annual Fund, Crops, Planning, Species | Leave a comment

Preparing compost for the raised beds

Four people and two hours were needed to mix together a large pile of well rotted compost and a slightly smaller pile or horticultural grit.  Luckily the weather was dry and not too hot for this long and tiring job. … Continue reading

Posted in Annual Fund, Compost, Hands-on, Students | 1 Comment

Substrate notes – Melcourt

Tropical orchids, ephiphytic ferns, aroids and many bromeliads are usually grown on bark chips.  More recently composted bark has become a successful substitute for peat in many composts.  Melcourt are a major provider of bark based growing media in the … Continue reading

Posted in Annual Fund, Planning | 2 Comments

Substrate notes – Seramis

Some of the plants we plan to grow need special growing conditions beyond simply that of extra heat.  Many tropical plants need a moist but well aerated growing medium and this can be supplied by adding various lighweight aggregates to … Continue reading

Posted in Annual Fund, Design, Planning | 5 Comments

Infrastructure update

A number of background logistical operations have been ongoing since last Autumn and several are now coming to fruition.  Critical to the success of this project have been three basic supply issues: purchase of hardwood railway sleepers to landscape the … Continue reading

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Plant list suggestions from David Solomon

David Solomon writes: I thought this was coming so this weekend I jotted down some ideas. , thinking mostly in terms of plant families in true DIP style! (But seriously: a nice spread of families would help us lear to … Continue reading

Posted in Annual Fund, Planning, Species, Students | 1 Comment