By Dawn Bazely Much of Canada’s landmass is dominated by the boreal forest ecosystem. The characteristic tree species of the boreal biome are conifers such as pines, firs and spruces. Another boreal evergreen…Read More >
Public Engagement with Science
Getting Ready for #AdventBotany – here’s a reprise of 2014
Last year we ran our first #AdventBotany challenge – @DrMGoesWild and @botanyRNG writing an account each day (with some help from @DawnBazeley and others) through advent of plants associated with…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Christmas Day – The Star of Bethlehem from GOD
The Star of Bethlehem guided the Magi from the east to the stable in which Jesus lay. This classic part of the Christmas story has given rise to the star…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 24 – The Brussels Sprout (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)
The Brussels Sprout is the true plant of Christmas! So says Professor John Warren, and he has statistics to prove his point! The British have a strange love-hate relationship with…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 23 – Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
The supermarkets in the UK currently have shelves full of Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) with the distinctive bright red bracts, but poinsettia production is a risky business with high fuel costs…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 22 – A Partridge in a Pear tree
A partridge in a pear tree is the first verse of the Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas“. This is “cumulative song” each verse building on the previous one…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 21 – Dates (Phoenix dactylifera)
What would Christmas be without dried dates? My personal Christmas favourite is to remove the date seeds and fill the void with a piece of marzipan (almond paste). However there…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 20 – Christmas Box (Sarcococca confusa)
Day 20 – Christmas Box – No, not getting ahead of ourselves here with Christmas boxes of the cash kind, traditionally given to tradesmen on Boxing Day (as a thank you…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 19 – Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
The parsnip is a classic Christmas lunch vegetable, usually eaten roasted but sometimes boiled or steamed. The edible part is the taproot, and this contains high quantities of dietary fibre…Read More >
2014 Advent Botany – Day 18 – Amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.)
By Dawn Bazely Amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.). Today’s entry owes thanks to Professor Dawn Bazely (York University, Toronto, Canada) who suggested the idea (Dawn was last seen on #AdventBotany Day 9…Read More >
