Chelsea Garden Highlights Tree Health Threats
A garden designed for the 2015 Chelsea flower show has highlighted to risk to global tree health from pests and diseases.
‘Beyond Our Borders’, designed by award winning designer Sarah Eberle, demonstrated how British trees are being used to provide an early warning system for new plant pests and diseases entering the UK. The garden displayed a network of plant sentinels, which live outside of their natural ranges in botanical gardens around the world. These plants are being monitored for pests and diseases that could potentially attack our native species.
Three climatic zones were represented, Australasia, Arid and Tropical, divided by water features that represent oceans. Each zone contained a British tree ‘sentinel’ standing among plants native to each. Coiled springs and pulsing lights were used to represent pests and diseases and their movement both within countries and across borders due to the increased trade in plants and plant material, global travel and natural spread.
The garden was commissioned by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Paul Beales, Head of Plant Health Public Engagement at the APHA, said:
“The issue of the increase in the arrival, establishment and spread of plant pests is a global one, largely due to international trade and travel, and needs to be tackled as such. The garden represents the need for us to work together and share information and knowledge on an international scale.”
To view pictures of the garden in situ, visit the RHS website.
