Andy Taylor: Fungi
The last lecture of the FCBG 2025/6 series will take place on Thursday 21st May at 7.30pm in the Zoology Lecture Theatre, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, AB24 2TZ.
The lecture will be given by Dr Andy Taylor of the James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen and will be entitled: ‘The importance of fungi for healthy plants’. This lecture will also form part of the local 2026 Fascination of Plants week programme and will be open for the general public to attend.
The lecture will explain that fungi are essential but often overlooked components of all terrestrial ecosystems. From the very first colonisation of land by rooted plants, fungi have been critically involved in nutrient acquisition and water uptake by plants. The intimate interactions between two completely different kingdoms of biodiversity have shaped our world and the ecosystems around us for the past 420 million years. This talk will explore some of these interactions and their consequences for plants and all terrestrial biodiversity, including our gardens.
Andy is an ecosystem ecologist interested in the interactions between plants and soil biodiversity, in particular the roles of fungi in ecosystems. He has worked in various ecosystems across the planet, from lowland tropical rainforests to high alpine and tundra habitats. Current projects include the first survey of Scottish alpine soils biodiversity which involves citizen science volunteers collecting samples from all the Munros in Scotland and then identifying the soil biodiversity they contain using DNA barcodes.
Bryce Reynard: Plants and Pollinators
Expert skep-maker and award-winning beekeeper, Bryce Reynard, will be joining us to speak on his decades of experience in producing top-notch honey through careful selection of pollinator-friendly plants.
Crathes Castle - A garden of change with James Hannaford
James has been involved in professional horticulture for 32 years now, starting with an apprenticeship at the MacRobert Trust in Tarland in 1993. After that, he attended both Clinterty College, Aberdeen & Askham Bryan College in York. James spent a short time working in commercial landscaping before starting with the National Trust for Scotland in 1999 at Castle Fraser. From there, he went to work at Inverewe garden, Wester Ross, where he spent nearly 16 years before returning to the North-East to become head gardener at Crathes in 2017.
The talk will be about the about both the historical & contemporary journey of the garden, how it has been, throughout its 400 year history a place which has always embraced the changing styles & fashions of horticulture led by the owners, head gardeners & staff, and how this continues to shape & guide the garden today & into the future.
*CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS *Gardening the Globe - The Horticulture of Commonwealth War Graves
Neil Cameron is a volunteer speaker for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation and will give a talk on Gardening the Globe. This presentation looks at how the CWGC's plots and graves are enhanced by the horticulture, looking at the early influences on their design and the challenges faced with climate change. Neil will share how the CWGC's horticulture design and maintenance is influenced by the climate and the different circumstances of the cemeteries around the world.
Neil is keen to stress he is no expert gardener and will look for audience participation during the talk!
As with all our lectures, the event will take place at the Zoology Building Lecture Theatre at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ. Entry is free for members of the Friends. Non-members are welcome to join for a £3 donation to help support the lecture series and the Garden. Refreshments are provided afterwards, and Friends are encouraged to socialise and have the opportunity to chat to the speaker.
Woodland Plants and Peonies
Billy Carruthers from Binny Nursery will be joining us to discuss woodland plants and peonies. Binny Nursery has been growing hardy perennial plants for 29 years in what used to be the old walled kitchen garden of the Binny Estate near Edinburgh. It has been featured in Gardens Illustrated's 100 best plant nurseries in the UK who said, "Billy Carruthers is mad about peonies and has over 300 varieties on the nursery. In recent years he's exhibited them at the Chelsea Flower Show.”
As with all our lectures, the event will take place at the Zoology Building Lecture Theatre at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ. Friends attend for free, non-members are £3. There will be tea and light refreshments available for donation.
The Seed Box - Horticultural Training and Outdoor Therapy for People with Additional Support Needs
Belinda Rowlands & Joanne Harmon will be joining us to talk about their group, Seed Box.
The Seed Box is a social enterprise that aims to improve the social, emotional and physical health of its co-workers through horticultural and outdoor activities. Belinda writes:
“Join us as we share the story of The Seed Box – what we do, how it all began, and the journey of growth along the way. From small beginnings to where we are today, we’ll reflect on the ideas, challenges, and community that have shaped The Seed Box into what it is now.”
As a teenager in Liverpool, Belinda volunteered at a school for learning disabilities. She loved the environment and the benefits to the students that were there, and the head teacher was an inspiration for her as well. She then went into agriculture, and was a shepherdess for 20 years. She had never forgotten her volunteering experience, and always wanted to do something like that. Once her children started school, she saw that as an opportunity and started working with learning disabilities again. In 2013, with the help of her husband Peter, Belinda started The Seed Box. From there it has grown exponentially and Belinda has recently received the British Empire Medal for her work.
As with all our lectures, the event will take place at the Zoology Building Lecture Theatre at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ. Lectures are hybrid with Microsoft Teams link sent to Friends via email before the event.
Doug Boatman : "The best plants I have grown"
Doug Boatman, owner of Scotplants, will talk about the very best plants he has grown over the past 40 years.
Janne Richardson : “A study of the lifecycle of Aesculus hippocastanum and the preparation required to exhibit at the RHS Botanical Art Exhibition”
Janne's series of 6 horse chestnut paintings for exhibit at the RHS were years in the making. Follow her story.
Mike Dale : "The North Coast 500, a floral road trip"
A look at the fascinating and surprising flora to be found on this popular route.
Jane Clifford : “A journey through the Japanese Garden at Cowden, 1908-2025”
ONLINE ONLY ON TEAMS
How this amazing garden was created, destroyed by vandals and then restored in the past decade.
Prof Lorna Dawson CBE : "Natural Justice: How soil and plants have helped solve crimes"
Having worked on over 200 criminal cases, Lorna discusses this discipline using examples from UK and abroad.
Alan Featherstone : "Restoring the Caledonian Forest"
Now less than 1% of its original 1.5 million hectares, Alan is restoring parts of this forest in Glen Affric via his charity Trees for Life.
Pamela Ferns : "Siberian Iris and their history in British Gardens”
What is a Siberian Iris, and how/who introduced them to our gardens from as early as 1597.
Natasha Lloyd : “An introduction to foraging in the Cairngorms”
Looking at plants used for food, cosmetics and medicine.
Caroline Holmes: “Impressionists in their Garden – Living light and colour”
This lecture explores gardens through the senses of the Impressionists. ENTRY IS FREE TO ALL. PLEASE JOIN US.
David Rankin: “The Rocky Road to Chelsea”
How Kevock Nursery prepares an exhibit for Chelsea
John Mattingly: “Cluny after Arwen”
Discovering how the garden at Cluny is recovering two years after Storm Arwen.
Razvan Chisu: “Plants and Castles of Transylvania: (online event)
Discover the amazingly diverse wild plants in woodlands, meadows and high mountains of Transylvania.
Harry Watkins: “The Tangled Bank - how changing the landscape affects the atmosphere of the botanic garden”
The Tangled Bank project in St Andrews Botanic Garden is recreating some of Fife’s most threatened habitats. Drawing inspiration from Darwin, the Tangled Bank will be
an ecologically vibrant place to learn about evolution and botany.