Latest news with #RBGKew
Irish Daily Mirror
18-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Irish Daily Mirror
Next shoppers rush to order 'chic and expensive-looking' linen mini shift dress
Next has been gradually unveiling fresh holiday pieces over recent months, featuring numerous linen garments for customers. The lightweight fabric is cool and breathable, perfect for scorching temperatures and overseas getaways. One particularly notable release is a cream and green Mini Shift Dress With Linen, retailing at €49.50. The sleeveless design features a palm-print pattern and a high, scoop neckline. A description of the stylish palm-print pattern dress posted on Next's website states: "Made from a lightweight linen-blend that's ready for summer, this mini-length cream and green palm print dress is perfect for everyday wear during warmer weather, featuring a scoop back neck, side pockets and a split side hem. The print is inspired by the Royal Botanical Gardens. "Bring the outside in with our stunning womenswear Kew Collection by Next. Crafted using botanical prints from the archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discover this elegant collection filled with special occasion pieces made for all of your winter events. With profits from this collection supporting RBG Kew's vital work, this is a range designed to make you feel and look good this season." The dress is made from a lightweight linen-blend The flowing dress features side pockets and comes in various sizes, ranging from 6-22. The Mini Shift Dress With Linen is also available in numerous other shades, including black, blue and several cream and ecru tones with different patterns. The above-the-knee-length garment has attracted over 250 customer reviews. One buyer commented: "I saw this advertised on a local news site and immediately ordered it into my closest absolutely gorgeous, and it has pockets. Another purchaser appreciated the design but encountered fitting difficulties, reports the Mirror. The dress was crafted using botanical prints from the archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew They remarked: "Again, lovely dress, but something went gone wrong with the gaping armholes. Tried a couple of sizes and found (the) same problem." Another customer who opted for the black version of Next's Mini Shift Dress With Linen commented: "I love this dress. It looks chic and expensive. Can be dressed up or down and material is lovely. Ideal for holidays or going out for a meal." Another shopper remarked: "Beautiful dress, very classy looking. "I was expecting it to be lined. Not a problem, though, I ordered the cream and brown dress. A Timeless piece in my opinion. Great quality." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
The Independent
16-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Kew's Palm House to shut for renovations as part of push towards net zero
The famous Palm House at Kew is to shut for up to five years as part of a £60 million push towards net zero, the Royal Botanic Gardens has announced. Renovations to the listed building, alongside its companion the Waterlily House, are part of a conservation project to create the 'first heritage net-zero glasshouses of their kind'. The Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) said restoration work was needed on both buildings after they showed signs of serious deterioration, having last undergone renovations in the 1980s. The project is not expected to start until 2027 and the greenhouses will close for up to five years once the changes begin to take place. Home to tropical and sub-tropical plants, the Palm House was originally completed in 1848, while the Waterlily House opened in 1852 to showcase giant Amazon waterlilies. As part of the work, the buildings will see the replacement of 16,500 glass panes with high-performance sealed glazing, the use of bespoke silicone gaskets to reduce heat loss, and the installation of a fully electrified air and water source heat pump system. There will also be upgrades to the rainwater storage and irrigation system and the restoration of original ornamental garden layouts and finishes. Richard Deverell, director of RBG Kew, said: 'This is a pivotal moment in the history of Kew. 'With sustainability at the core of our mission, this project exemplifies our commitment to safeguarding both the environment and cultural heritage. 'The transformation of the Palm House and Waterlily House into net-zero icons will not only protect irreplaceable plants but serve as a beacon of what sustainable heritage can achieve.' The project is expected to cost £60 million and the relocation and propagation of plant specimens by Kew's horticulturists has already begun. Two glasshouses, one permanent and one temporary, have been built for the cultivation of the tropical plants as the work commences. There are around 1,300 plants within the Palm House alone. Tom Pickering, head of glasshouse collections at RBG Kew, added: 'At the heart of this project is the need to protect the extraordinary plant collections housed in the Palm House and Waterlily House. 'Besides being beautiful, many have cultural, scientific and conservation value, and replacing these collections is unimaginable. 'Achieving net zero in these historic buildings is an unprecedented task, it's a complex challenge which must consider the interplay of horticulture, climatic control, engineering and architecture.'
Glasgow Times
26-06-2025
- Science
- Glasgow Times
Hope for Britain's ash trees as study finds resistance evolving to killer fungus
Researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University of London say they have discovered a new generation of young ash trees in the wild which are showing greater resistance to the fungus compared to older trees. The findings from the study focused on Marden Park wood in Surrey, a semi-natural ancient woodland dominated by ash, which is a species that produces a large number of seedlings from each adult. It could mean ash does not go the same way as elms, which have been largely lost from the British landscape as a result of Dutch elm disease, the scientists said – although breeding programmes may be needed to bolster the fightback. Ash dieback, which was first seen in the UK in 2012, causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death, with fears it could wipe out up to 85% of Britain's native ash trees, as they have not evolved natural defences against the fungus originally from Asia. Ash dieback has threatened to devastate British woodlands (Paul Figg/RBG Kew/PA) But now researchers suggest that natural selection in the wild is taking place on thousands of locations within ash tree DNA, driving increased resistance to the disease. The study compared the DNA of ash trees established before and after the fungus arrived in Britain, and found shifts in variants associated with tree health in thousands of places across the overall genome of the trees. This indicates the younger generation of trees has greater resistance to the fungus – as well as showing natural selection for a trait being influenced by multiple genes, which the researchers said was a phenomenon that was widely assumed but difficult to prove. Their study in the journal Science said natural selection could be occurring partly due to reduced seed or pollen production by adult trees damaged by ash dieback, and partly through the rapid death of young trees infected by the fungus and so are not present in the wood. But they cautioned that it was not yet known whether the rate of change would be enough to rescue the plants naturally, or whether there was enough genetic variation in ash trees to lead to a fully resistant tree. The findings could be used to support breeding programmes that aim to make European ash trees resilient to the disease, they added. Study author Dr Carey Metheringham, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'Thanks to natural selection, future generations of ash should have a better chance of withstanding infection. 'However, natural selection alone may not be enough to produce fully resistant trees. 'The existing genetic variation in the ash population may be too low, and as the trees become scarcer, the rate of selection could slow. 'Human intervention, such as selective breeding and the protection of young trees from deer grazing, may be required to accelerate evolutionary change.' Another of the study's authors, Professor Richard Buggs, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'We are so glad that these findings suggest that ash will not go the way of the elm in Britain. 'Elm trees have struggled to evolve to Dutch elm disease, but ash are showing a very different dynamic because they produce an abundance of seedlings upon which natural selection can act when they are still young. 'Through the death of millions of ash trees, a more resistant population of ash is appearing.' Rebecca Gosling, from the Woodland Trust which owns and manages Marden Park wood, said: 'Ash dieback demonstrates how devastating introduced pathogens can be for our trees and the species which rely upon them. 'This important research gives us hope for the future of our ash populations.' She added: 'The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodlands.' The study was mainly funded by the Environment Department (Defra) whose chief plant health officer Professor Nicola Spence said it demonstrated that tolerance to ash dieback can be inherited, and breeding programmes and natural regeneration together could secure the future of native ash.
Western Telegraph
26-06-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Hope for Britain's ash trees as study finds resistance evolving to killer fungus
Researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University of London say they have discovered a new generation of young ash trees in the wild which are showing greater resistance to the fungus compared to older trees. The findings from the study focused on Marden Park wood in Surrey, a semi-natural ancient woodland dominated by ash, which is a species that produces a large number of seedlings from each adult. It could mean ash does not go the same way as elms, which have been largely lost from the British landscape as a result of Dutch elm disease, the scientists said – although breeding programmes may be needed to bolster the fightback. Ash dieback, which was first seen in the UK in 2012, causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death, with fears it could wipe out up to 85% of Britain's native ash trees, as they have not evolved natural defences against the fungus originally from Asia. Ash dieback has threatened to devastate British woodlands (Paul Figg/RBG Kew/PA) But now researchers suggest that natural selection in the wild is taking place on thousands of locations within ash tree DNA, driving increased resistance to the disease. The study compared the DNA of ash trees established before and after the fungus arrived in Britain, and found shifts in variants associated with tree health in thousands of places across the overall genome of the trees. This indicates the younger generation of trees has greater resistance to the fungus – as well as showing natural selection for a trait being influenced by multiple genes, which the researchers said was a phenomenon that was widely assumed but difficult to prove. Their study in the journal Science said natural selection could be occurring partly due to reduced seed or pollen production by adult trees damaged by ash dieback, and partly through the rapid death of young trees infected by the fungus and so are not present in the wood. Thanks to natural selection, future generations of ash should have a better chance of withstanding infection Dr Carey Metheringham But they cautioned that it was not yet known whether the rate of change would be enough to rescue the plants naturally, or whether there was enough genetic variation in ash trees to lead to a fully resistant tree. The findings could be used to support breeding programmes that aim to make European ash trees resilient to the disease, they added. Study author Dr Carey Metheringham, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'Thanks to natural selection, future generations of ash should have a better chance of withstanding infection. 'However, natural selection alone may not be enough to produce fully resistant trees. 'The existing genetic variation in the ash population may be too low, and as the trees become scarcer, the rate of selection could slow. 'Human intervention, such as selective breeding and the protection of young trees from deer grazing, may be required to accelerate evolutionary change.' Another of the study's authors, Professor Richard Buggs, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'We are so glad that these findings suggest that ash will not go the way of the elm in Britain. 'Elm trees have struggled to evolve to Dutch elm disease, but ash are showing a very different dynamic because they produce an abundance of seedlings upon which natural selection can act when they are still young. 'Through the death of millions of ash trees, a more resistant population of ash is appearing.' The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodland Rebecca Gosling, Woodland Trust Rebecca Gosling, from the Woodland Trust which owns and manages Marden Park wood, said: 'Ash dieback demonstrates how devastating introduced pathogens can be for our trees and the species which rely upon them. 'This important research gives us hope for the future of our ash populations.' She added: 'The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodlands.' The study was mainly funded by the Environment Department (Defra) whose chief plant health officer Professor Nicola Spence said it demonstrated that tolerance to ash dieback can be inherited, and breeding programmes and natural regeneration together could secure the future of native ash.
South Wales Argus
26-06-2025
- Science
- South Wales Argus
Hope for Britain's ash trees as study finds resistance evolving to killer fungus
Researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University of London say they have discovered a new generation of young ash trees in the wild which are showing greater resistance to the fungus compared to older trees. The findings from the study focused on Marden Park wood in Surrey, a semi-natural ancient woodland dominated by ash, which is a species that produces a large number of seedlings from each adult. It could mean ash does not go the same way as elms, which have been largely lost from the British landscape as a result of Dutch elm disease, the scientists said – although breeding programmes may be needed to bolster the fightback. Ash dieback, which was first seen in the UK in 2012, causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death, with fears it could wipe out up to 85% of Britain's native ash trees, as they have not evolved natural defences against the fungus originally from Asia. Ash dieback has threatened to devastate British woodlands (Paul Figg/RBG Kew/PA) But now researchers suggest that natural selection in the wild is taking place on thousands of locations within ash tree DNA, driving increased resistance to the disease. The study compared the DNA of ash trees established before and after the fungus arrived in Britain, and found shifts in variants associated with tree health in thousands of places across the overall genome of the trees. This indicates the younger generation of trees has greater resistance to the fungus – as well as showing natural selection for a trait being influenced by multiple genes, which the researchers said was a phenomenon that was widely assumed but difficult to prove. Their study in the journal Science said natural selection could be occurring partly due to reduced seed or pollen production by adult trees damaged by ash dieback, and partly through the rapid death of young trees infected by the fungus and so are not present in the wood. But they cautioned that it was not yet known whether the rate of change would be enough to rescue the plants naturally, or whether there was enough genetic variation in ash trees to lead to a fully resistant tree. The findings could be used to support breeding programmes that aim to make European ash trees resilient to the disease, they added. Study author Dr Carey Metheringham, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'Thanks to natural selection, future generations of ash should have a better chance of withstanding infection. 'However, natural selection alone may not be enough to produce fully resistant trees. 'The existing genetic variation in the ash population may be too low, and as the trees become scarcer, the rate of selection could slow. 'Human intervention, such as selective breeding and the protection of young trees from deer grazing, may be required to accelerate evolutionary change.' Another of the study's authors, Professor Richard Buggs, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'We are so glad that these findings suggest that ash will not go the way of the elm in Britain. 'Elm trees have struggled to evolve to Dutch elm disease, but ash are showing a very different dynamic because they produce an abundance of seedlings upon which natural selection can act when they are still young. 'Through the death of millions of ash trees, a more resistant population of ash is appearing.' Rebecca Gosling, from the Woodland Trust which owns and manages Marden Park wood, said: 'Ash dieback demonstrates how devastating introduced pathogens can be for our trees and the species which rely upon them. 'This important research gives us hope for the future of our ash populations.' She added: 'The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodlands.' The study was mainly funded by the Environment Department (Defra) whose chief plant health officer Professor Nicola Spence said it demonstrated that tolerance to ash dieback can be inherited, and breeding programmes and natural regeneration together could secure the future of native ash.
