1200 meadow sage reintroduced in two nature reserves in Wallonia
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As part of the European LIFE Connexions project, Meise Botanic Garden has recently started to propagate plant species threatened with extinction in Belgium in order to reintroduce them where they once existed.
The aim of the project is to restore 500 ha of limestone grasslands in Wallonia and northern France by linking these habitats and their characteristic plant species. The main partners in the project (Natagora and the Département de la Nature et des Forêts of the Walloon Region) are carrying out the preliminary restoration of the environment in order to prepare optimal conditions for the reintroduction of the species.
Meise Botanic Garden is contributing to this project by reintroducing 14 plant species characteristic of limestone grasslands in different regions of the Meuse basin. Five species will be reintroduced in the form of plug plants (Gentiana cruciata, Gentianopsis ciliata, Pulsatilla vulgaris, Salvia pratensis and Trifolium montanum) and 9 species (including some orchids) will be sown directly on site. The first species (Salvia pratensis) has just been transplanted (1200 young rosettes) to two nature reserves in the Dinant region.
Thanks to the work of Meise Botanic Garden, threatened plant species will once again be able to thrive in habitats from which they had disappeared.
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A top educational season at the Botanic Garden!
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Last season, 2901 (!) pupils participated in our workshops (both Dutch-speaking and French-speaking). We can speak of a top season! Our seasonal workshop 'Er zoemt iets in de Plantentuin' was one of the most popular workshops. Indeed, the month of May was all about the bee. Students visited the hives, worked on the bee hotel and follow the bees and other pollinators on their quest for pollen and nectar. The fifths and sixths were also visited by our resident beekeeper Jan.
The first week of July marks the start of a new project: the Culinary Garden sessions. This time, not for schools, but for young people who have just arrived in Belgium (unaccompanied) and have fled their country of origin. Meise Botanic Garden is collaborating with Fedasil for this project, so that in addition to the educational aspect, our workshops have a social purpose. Brussels reality often offers too little in the way of nature for unaccompanied minors, while nature helps to process traumatic experiences. As Meise Botanic Garden, we can offer (among other things with the Culinary Garden) the green space to escape for a while from the reality of the reception centres. This way, they learn about growing indigenous vegetables, sustainability and in the meantime also get acquainted with the Dutch language. The Culinary Garden sessions continue every week and run from July to August.
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Volunteers celebrated at the library
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For many years, volunteers have supported the library team by carrying out a variety of tasks that are essential to its smooth running: encoding books, sorting duplicates, digitising and putting old publications online, putting books away in the shops, dusting and restoring collections, etc.
To thank them for the huge amount of work they do, the library staff recently took some of its treasures out of precious storage. Thanks to the explanations, anecdotes, questions and answers shared, a selection of editions dating from the 15th and 16th centuries were restored to their full splendour before the amazed eyes of the participants.
A huge thank you to Martine, Jos, Lotte, Chantal, Martine, Isabelle, Luc, Nelly, Jacqueline, Martine, Maarten and Régis for their commitment and enthusiasm, which contribute greatly to the smooth running of the library and archives.
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- Summer walk (21/06/24 - 20/09/24)
- Biennale Cultuurvuur (01/05/24 - 30/09/24)
- Summer quest for kids - A quest full of buzzing bees (26/05/24 - 31/08/24)
- Poetic Botany Workshop - FR (27/07/24)
- Qi Gong stage - FR (03 & 04/08/24)
- Story in a box (14/08/24 & 12/09/24)
- Masterclass: Nature drawing for advanced students with Marijke Meersman (22/06/24 & 21/09/24)
- Cooking Classes (10/07, 22/08, 05/09, 16/09/24)
- Workshop: Drawing nature for beginners with Marijke Meersman (23/06, 22/09/24)
- GPS hunt (until 31/12/24)
> All our activities
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Paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa), a member of the Paulowniaceae family, is a deciduous tree native to China. It was named in honour of Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Tsar Paul I and wife of King Wilhelm II. The species name, tomentosa, refers to the felted hairs on the branches and buds. In Japan, the wood is called kiri.
This is a large tree, up to 20 metres high, with an irregular crown. Large brown flower buds give way to lavender bell-shaped flowers with yellow stripes. Deliciously fragrant, they appear in spring in panicle-shaped inflorescences. After flowering, heart-shaped, opposite leaves appear on long stalks, up to 40 cm long and wide, with several shallow lobes. The fruits contain numerous black winged seeds, which are dispersed by the wind when ripe. The empty capsules remain attached to the tree until the following spring.
The genus comprises around eight species, including Paulownia fortunei, P. fargesii, P. coreana and a few cultivars such as P. tomentosa 'Lilacina'. Pauwlonias are increasingly planted for timber production. Paulownia tomentosa is one of the fastest-growing trees in the world, with a growth rate of 3 to 5 metres per year. The wood has remarkably large annual rings, 5 cm wide. The combination of light and very strong wood is aptly called "aluminium wood". In China and Japan, this magnificent wood has been used for centuries to make furniture and musical instruments.
This magnificent park and avenue tree, with its remarkable inflorescence and large leaves, is a pioneer species. In towns, it grows easily in cracks in paving or walls. After forest fires, it quickly forms new shoots thanks to its root system, and it is also highly resistant to insect pests. It is also highly resistant to insect attack. It is generally considered an invasive species, especially in the eastern United States, but also in Central Europe and Australia.
You can admire some magnificent Paulownias in the Flower Theatre and in the Dahlgren arboretum. A Paulownia tomentosa 'Lilacina' shines next to the Herbarium building.
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In the Garden Shop at the Impératrice Charlotte entrance, you'll find unique products and plants inspired by nature.
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Garden chocolates
The Botanic Garden is offering a range of unique chocolates in collaboration with Elle Chocolates, featuring four flavours inspired by its scientific research and collections: Musa, Coffea, Citrus and Rosa. Every purchase of these chocolates directly supports the Botanic Garden's mission. Price: €7.50.
For sale at the Garden Shop.
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Nest boxes and insect shelters
Our Shop offers a wide selection of insect shelters, including butterfly shelters, ladybird shelters and solitary bee nests for your garden. These insects will play a crucial role in the pollination of your fruit trees and contribute effectively to the regulation of pests in your vegetable garden. Price: from €16.99.
For sale at the Garden Shop.
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(c) Meise Botanic Garden
Contributors to this issue: Lander Blommaert, Eline Botte, Valérie Charavel, Marie Despiegelaere, Koen Es, Sandrine Godefroid, Nicole Hanquart, Franck Hidvégi, Min Pauwels, Barbara Puttemans, Riet Schuerman, Manon van Hoye.
Musa is produced by the Education Department.
Editor in chief: Koen Es
If you would also like to receive Musa, click here.
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