Page 13 - ALG Issue 3 2021
P. 13

                                     The fleeting art of Hannah Bullen-Ryner
Trained painter and photographer Hannah makes these beautiful images from materials she finds in the landscape, such as berries, flowers, leaves and seeds. They are then blown away in the wind, dishevelled by rain and even on one occasion trampled by horses. Hannah tells us that:
“Using only natural materials found locally and no permanent fixings, each piece I form is inspired by the organic shapes of the natural environment around me. I create to share my love of nature and to soothe my soul.”
More of Hannah’s work can be seen on her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/hannahbullenrynerart
 WHY NOT HAVE A GO?
We would love to see some allotment inspired artwork from our Young Plotters!
If you are inspired by Hannah, why not create your own and send in some images for the next magazine?
Email to: diane@nsalg.org.uk
Deadline: 7th September 2021
 How does a plant make seeds?
An essential part of a plant’s purpose (other than to feed humans) is to reproduce itself. They use several methods, but for food growers the most important one is producing seeds via a process called pollination. Some plants have male and female flowers, others have flowers with both male and female parts. The male part of a flower (the stamen/anther) produces pollen
– usually yellow, which is transferred to the female part of the flower (the carpel/pistil). The egg cells are then fertilised, and a seed is produced. The transfer of the pollen from one flower to another can be done by the wind, insects, birds, and bats. Sweetcorn is pollinated by the wind, which is why we plant it in blocks, not rows.
Bees are important pollinators as they carry the pollen on their bodies as they travel from flower to flower to collect both pollen and nectar. Blueberries, tomatoes, aubergines, and kiwis have anthers that will only release pollen if vibrated, and bumblebees provide this service with their ‘buzz pollination’. They are able to contract their flight muscles to produce strong vibrations that they direct onto the anther using
their legs and mouth parts, resulting in a bee-covering explosion of nutritious pollen grains from the tip of the anther, some of which stays on their bodies and is transferred to the stamen of the next flower they visit. The fertilised egg then develops into a seed containing embryo plants and the ovary swells into a fruit. Some food that we think of as vegetables are, botanically speaking, actually fruit e.g., peas and beans and tomatoes. The principal purpose of the fruit is the protection and dissemination of the seed.
There are many different types of bees, and lots of other insects such as beetles, moths and butterflies are pollinators too.
DO YOU GROW FLOWERS TO ATTRACT POLLINATING INSECTS ON YOUR PLOT?
Next time you visit the plot have a go at spotting some of the other insects – there is a useful guide at this link https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/ Resources/Spotter-Guide/Pollinating- Insects-Spotter-Guide.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 13

















































































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