volunteers
Our green pledge at The Firs
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As part of our green pledge work in the museum five of us from the Collections team went to The Firs (The University of Manchester’s experimental garden).
Our job was re-potting the economic plants from a display in one of the greenhouses. Above, Henry and David mixing compost in the potting shed.
We explored the greenhouses while we were there, and came across this impressive staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum). Below, carnivorous plants Venus Flytrap and a sundew, and the cactus house.
Being away from the workplace and out in the sunshine (although it was very, very cold) made it a great morning’s work. I enjoyed working with living plants, getting my hands dirty, and working with different people. The Firs is a wonderful place to visit.
Botany volunteer Barbara Porter donated her rare fern collection to the Firs when she died. It was good to see the bench dedicated to her.
Lindsey and botany intern Alyssa repotting lemongrass plants.
The Museum Allotment in July
There’s just enough left of July for me to post up a quick view of the allotment from the herbarium windows. The green roof is looking very, well, green, the purple peas are cropping nicely and the nasturtiums are trying for world domination.
We’ve also been harvesting potatoes – here’s the last of the earlies coming out. There’s still plenty of mint to go with them!
Visit from Budapest volunteers
Just had the lovely Agnes and Elizabeth, volunteers from the Budapest Museum of Fine Art, visit us in the herbarium. Tom Petch, botany volunteer, showed them round the herbarium, and after English tea I demonstrated specimen mounting. They enjoyed having a go – and were very good at it too!
Herbology Manchester 