News&c
Plant study Anthropologist Beatriz Fraga aka @the_planthropologist is looking for houseplant enthusiasts happy to be interviewed for her PhD research into houseplants and their parents. Beatriz is based at the University of Oxford and her project title is “Exploring the Urban Jungle: Affective Explorations of Human-Houseplant Relations”. Drop her a DM on Insta to put yourself forward.
Closing time Fibrex Nurseries - suppliers of wonderful Pelargoniums and other plants in Warwickshire - is closing in September as the owners - sisters Ursula Key-Davis and Angela Tandy - have decided to retire. There's a selloff of nursery equipment on June 24 including pots and hosepipes. After more than 50 years in business, it's sad to see this famous nursery shut its doors, but happily the pelargoniums are being taken over by the nursery Gardeners Kitchen in Pershore, a few miles away.
Moving scenes Folkestone shop Pot & Vessel is moving premises after five years at their Dover Road location. The last two days are today and tomorrow (June 16 and 17) and the new shop at Bouverie Road West officially opens on July 1.
Spotlight fails High intensity stadium lights erected at the US-Mexico border in southern Arizona could be disrupting the lifecycles of threatened and endangered plants and animals. Read more in The Intercept and read the report behind it here.
Peat feat Great to see figures from the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) in the UK showing peat use in both the amateur and professional realms dropping rapidly. The total percentage of peat use overall is down from 41% in 2020 to 24% in 2022. If you have no idea why we should be eliminating peat from horticulture, do go and listen to my podcasts on the issue.
Cites specific Numerous planty businesses are reporting difficulties importing certain plants - mainly cacti, orchids and carnivorous plants - owing to Brexit changes that mean a CITES permit is now required for many species. This extra paperwork is onerous, time-consuming and expensive, not to mention confusing. For the customer, the upshot is more expensive plants and less availability. Here's an example story from The Palm Tree Company. I'd love to say a resolution is in sight - I know the HTA (see above) is working in this area - but I fear this is not going to be resolved easily.
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