Talkback: Sir Joseph Banks

Posts

• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  June 2009

  And there was me thinking banksias were named after the street artist!

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  June 2009

  I knew Rosa banksia lutea was not named in honour of the Bristol artist but I have just planted one in his honour in my Bristol garden - an anonymous thank you for giving us a free art show in the museum. Who knows whether his real name is Banks or if his first work was on the river bank?

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  June 2009

  I have Photinia that was a mass of white bloom - I assume to be the female of the plant- last week it was coverd in bees-3or 4 different types - too many to count.Can anyone advise - should I now cut it back as the flowers are dying.Would like to see the same effect next year- in view of the shortage of bees.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  July 2009

  No need to cut it back unless it is too big for your garden. Enjoy.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  November 2011

  James, just to add an entomological twist, Banks also has several insects named after him. These include an exquisite golden leaf beetle, Chrysolina banksi. No exotic this, though. It is a British species, albeit not a very common one. It feeds on black horehound, Ballota nigra. I saw one near the Thames Barrier only a few days ago.
  
  http://www.kaefer-der-welt.de/chrysolina__banksi.htm

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