273 June 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

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48 the advertizer t: 01505 613340 07731 923970 e: info@advertizer.co.uk Wildlife Crime Liaison Officer These officers can be contacted to report crime or to seek advice on wildlife crime matters. Call Police Scotland on 101 to report a wildlife crime or email us at Contactus@ scotland.pnn.police.uk. Bridge of Weir Horticultural Society In May, Professor Stephen Phillips, semi-retired from Glasgow University’s Dept. Of Infection and Immunity, came to talk to us about Medicinal Plants. One of his specialties is the control of Malaria and he would donate his fee to St. Andrew’s Clinics for Children which works in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Ghana supplying insecticide-impregnated bed nets to reduce the spread of the disease. Professor Phillips began his talk with a slide of a recipe for herbal Viagra! He then charted the history of man’s interest in plants that can ease his pain and cure his ills from the ancient Egyptians to the present. In the early 1900s, 78% of medicines came from roots, bark and leaves. Our modern interest in Medicinal plants stems from the Second World War when access to the Cinchona trees, from whose bark quinine is extracted, growing in Java was cut off by the Japanese occupation. The trees had been grown there by the Dutch for almost 100 years since they had bought the seed from Charles Ledger after whom Cinchona ledgeriana had been named. This species of Cinchona came from Bolivia and yielded much higher percentages of the quinine alkaloid than loxa, Peruvian or Jesuit bark from Cinchona officinalis. Plant extracts have been used as purgatives and emetics since man began writing about them. Rhubarb, castor oil, aloe and Senna are examples. An early document from Egypt – the Ebers Papyrus - mentions Acacia, Aloe vera, Belladonna, Cardamom, dill and garlic, the latter being given daily to pyramid builders! We are familiar with Aloe vera being used to treat skin conditions and Kilmacolm Horticultural Society Camomile being used as an anti-infl ammatory and a mild sedative. Comfrey has long been used for bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis and gastric conditions. We may be less familiar with the story of the pill which came originally from the wild yam, Dioscoera villosa, which grows naturally in Central America. Professor Phillips also told us about aspirin first extracted from willow and known in folk medicine for 3,500 years. Hippocrates mentioned it in connection with labour pains. Hemlock, nicotine atropine, quinine, reserpine and strychnine are just a few members of the important group of chemicals known as alkaloids. Morphine is one of 25 akaloids present in opium obtained from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum; codeine is another. The poppies are grown in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the latex from the seed capsules is collected. We were also informed about the discovery of the diuretic and heart stimulating effects of our common foxglove, Digitalis purpurea. So much to tell and such a depth to the subject. Our talks will resume in October with, “Rhododendrons at Kilarden” by Carol Rowe on 12th October in the Royal British Legion. Meantime we will be busy with the Plant Sale, working in our gardens and preparing for the Flower Show which takes place on 26th August. It’s great to see the Rhododendrons appearing on the cycle track. These are a welcome update to the selection planted by the Horticultural Society in the 1950s, possibly for the Queen’s Coronation. Well done Brighter Bridge of Weir. The summer programme for the Kilmacolm Horticultural Society started with the Spring Outing in May to the Glenarn Estate at Rhu, with a colourful tour through wooded paths overflowing with rhodendron, azaleas, magnolia and camellia, with spring bulbs still in abundance. The Summer Outing on 21st June is an all day trip, featuring a picturesque coach ride to the Crarae NYS Gardens after morning coffee, in the afternoon there will be time to spend in Inveraray before High Tea at the George Hotel. All refreshments, coach hire, gardens entrance for inclusive price of £30. If you are interested, please phone Jill Russell on 01505 872393, for further details. Please make a note in your diary to keep Saturday 1st September free to attend the Annual Flower Show, in Kilmacolm New Community Centre, doors open to the public at 11am, with prizegiving at 3.30pm. Or why not consider yourself as an Exhibitor? Bring along your favourite homegrown flowers or vegetables, enter the Floral Art classes, or bring along a Summer Tub or hanging basket, on the Friday evening, for exhibit in the Show? Dr Ian Morrice, Chairman of K.H.S. Will be delighted to explain the simple rules of staging your exhibit, in Novice or Open Sections of the Show. Flower Schedules are available now, again from Jill, our Show Secretary PS: The Garden at the Cross is looking its best during June and July, take a moment if you can to admire the mature shrubs and greenery at the centre of our village, cared for by the K.H.S. Committee.
@GryffeAds www.advertizer.co.uk june 2017 49 49 Duchal House, By Kilmacolm Eighteenth century walled garden particularly well planted and maintained, entered by footbridge over the Greenwater. Species trees, hollies, old fashioned roses, shrubs and herbaceous borders with fruit orchards and vegetable garden. Also in the garden are azaleas and a lily pond. DIRECTIONS On the B788 one mile from Kilmacolm (this road links B786 Lochwinnoch Road and A761 Bridge of Weir Road) Greenock/Glasgow bus via Bridge of Weir. Knapps Loch stop is a ¼ mile from garden. Well signposted from Bridge of Weir/Kilmacolm Road GARDEN OPENINGS Saturday 15th July 2pm - 5pm ADMISSIONS £5.00 Ardgowan Hospice receives 40%, the net remaining to SG Benefi ciaries
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273 June 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

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