Monday, January 16th, 2012 11:25

Tresco’s Abbey Garden

Gardeners at Tresco’s Abbey Garden have proof that our islands’ sub-tropical climate offers unique growing conditions.

The annual flower count, delayed from 3rd January because of gales, has just logged 231 different plant species in flower.

To be included in the count, there needs to be at least one flower on the plant.

Andrew Lawson, the Head Gardener, led the count with students over two days.

Curator Mike Nelhams says South African plants figure very strongly, with many of the Protea family showing well together with the Aloe group.

Many plants from Australia also feature with Banksia, Acacia and Grevillea all showing strongly.

Amongst the more unusual flowering for this time of the year are the fairly common Agapanthus, which locals will recognise and tend to flower on Scilly in July and August.

Mike says that there is no other garden in Britain that would get anywhere near this figure with plants that grow outside all year round.

http://www.scillytoday.com/2012/01/16/abbey-gardens-finds-over-200-species-in-bloom/

Amazing, eh?