AGS Trainee Diary – January 2025

Thank you for joining me on my journey over the next 18 months as the new Alpine Garden Society Trainee. After having completed my BSc (Hons) in Horticulture with Plantsmanship at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh I wanted to become a specialist in alpines. The traineeship will allow me to learn more about alpines.

My previous career is where my love of alpines began, allowing me to spend time in their natural environment around the world, an experience that was pivotal in shaping my appreciation for these fragile ecosystems and their importance. I intend to further explore alpine and montane ecosystems, focusing on their unique flora, cultivation methods, and conservation challenges, which are of particular interest due to their vulnerability to climate change and their importance in global biodiversity.

During the next 18 months, I will have the opportunity to visit many gardens and nurseries within the UK, and several international research and conservation gardens to gain practical insights into their management, all funded by the AGS. By learning from experts in the field and observing best practices, I can bring back innovative ideas and techniques to implement in my work.

The dark mornings in January allowed us time for some of the more fiddly jobs in the potting shed such going over Primula allionii and P. marginata specimens in the collection. We removed old foliage in preparation for them flowering. We also checked for pests and diseases, which are on the increase with the continuing milder winters.

I spent the rest of the first month learning about the day to day management of the collection, including the varied and very precise watering requirements of each species, signs and identification of pests and diseases found in alpine collections, the various potting mix ratios, air flow requirements, lighting time scales, repotting, plunging, labelling precision, and the weeding of the wider landscape. Emphasis was placed on the skills needed to identify and understand when a plant requires propagating due to its ailing health for an array of reasons. Unfortunately for the plant, but valuable for my botanical learning, I discovered root mealybug on Primula marginata. This provided an opportunity to take several cuttings, ensuring the continuity of the species within the collection.

Each month, I shall be required to undertake a small horticultural project. This month’s task involved rejuvenating the three New Zealand troughs, which had become heavily overgrown with mosses and self-seeded plants. The most challenging aspect was the careful and methodical removal of unwanted growth whilst minimising root disturbance and preventing damage to the delicate specimens, some of which were so tiny that they were nearly buried. Once the weeding and plant identification were completed, the subsequent steps, including refreshing the potting substrate, repositioning the rocks, selecting a complementary top dressing, and replanting, all proceeded with greater ease. The entire process was highly rewarding, and I thoroughly enjoyed every step of this challenge.

Every Friday, the Alpine Display House at RBGE is refreshed with a selection of vibrant, seasonal plants in peak bloom, ensuring a dynamic and ever-changing showcase of alpine diversity.

Surprisingly I was trusted with this task in the first week – no pressure then…! At this time of year, snowdrops are the stars of the show which are then surrounded by brightly coloured groupings of spring bulbs such as Scilla, Crocus, Gymnospermium, Cyclamen, and many others. Once positioned, the plants are plunged into sand beds to manage moisture control. The sand bed also provides root protection and stability, prevents salt and mineral build up, and allows for a uniform and aesthetic display. The sand has to be carefully levelled and smoothed, a meticulous process that requires time but results in a striking, polished display that perfectly showcases these exceptional specimens. By the end of the traineeship I’m sure I’ll be able to guarantee that not a grain of sand will be out of place! And finally, I had to ensure the labelling was correct and unobscured.

I feel like I’ve already learned a lot in the first few weeks, so I look forward to the vast array of knowledge available to me over the next 17 months.