It's approaching that time of year!

The 2026 BBS AGM will be held on Saturday 14th November, 3 pm, at the Horticultural Hall, Bermuda Botanical Gardens. Agenda attached, refreshments will be served. If necessary membership (new or renewal) can be paid at BDATIX or IN CASH at the door.

We're looking for new members to join the Executive, or to assist with one of the many interesting and enjoyable projects without necessarily being on the actual committee.

PLANT SALE COMING - Saturday, November 28th

Finally gardening weather returns, with the rain and heat of October behind us, now is the time to get back into the garden and look for plants to pot up for the big plant sale.  

• Have you any nice volunteer seedlings coming up?  

• How about plants that are overcrowded or in the wrong spot?

• Please contact me if you need extra pots. 

Today I saw that the St. John's Bread trees are in flower. Most Carob trees are diocious or in other words either male or female. There are some that are hermaphroditic having both female and male flowers. The flowers look like little cat-kins. The pods are curly or straight thicker where the seeds are.

Noted in Lefroy's Botany of Bermuda, this common 'weed' is a nutritional power house! The flowers, stems and leaves are all edible and can be used raw or cooked. Diverse compounds have been isolated from Portulaca oleracea, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, fatty acids, terpenoids, sterols, proteins vitamins and minerals. Portulaca oleracea possesses a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties such as neuroprotective, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic, and anticancer activities.

8 am Wednesday September 16th saw a group of energetic volunteers tackling the growth of weeds in the Rose Garden which had flourished during the wet and warm summer months. Una kept a watchful eye ensuring everyone contributed to the mounds of vegetation! Thanks to volunteers from the BBS, the BRS and The Botanist a considerable amount was removed. The very welcome refreshments kindly donated by The Botanist.

Remember Chris Collins who the BBS brought to Bermuda - and the interesting, lively and interactive presentations he gave? Here's his very useful seed collecting tips.

Chris Collins shares his top tips for saving seeds this autumn and how you can make a difference by supporting the work of our Heritage Seed Library.

Royal Botanical Gardens Kew (kew.org) sixth report in the State of the World’s series launched on 16 June. Subtitled ‘The Digital Biodiversity Revolution’, it reveals the state of global biodiversity and explores how digital tools are now transforming our ability to understand and respond to the climate and biodiversity crises, expose critical gaps in scientific knowledge, and highlight where action is most urgently needed to safeguard plants and fungi.   

It is the third report that is accompanied by a full volume of expert-reviewed scientific publications from our partners, the New Phytologist Foundation. Their special collection on ‘Harnessing the Benefits of Specimen Digitisation' includes 52 open-access papers published in the journals New Phytologist and Plants, People, Planet.  

A native beach vine. Lefroy in his “The Botany of Bermuda” states Canavalia obtusifolia, (syn) was mentioned as early as 1623, and could be found on the south shore, flowering in December.
Well, here it is flowering in July, and beautifully adapted to harsh sandy coastal areas. The thick fleshy, waxy leaves, resistant to salt spray and dehydration, close when sun shines brightly on them thereby reducing evaporation, opening up again when lightly shaded.
The native range of this species is the Tropics & Subtropics including the Lucayan Archipelago, the Caribbean, Florida and Mexico.
In Bermuda Bay Bean is a useful species for sand dune stabilisation and on steep slopes. Across its range it is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, along with environmental and social uses.

A lovely connection between BBS and The Walsingham Trust - the gift of a new Calabash Tree for the 'Jungle' from Jennifer Flood. We are very grateful!

The Dept of Parks has issued the following survey the results of which will help them to assess the community's needs. Please take a few minutes to complete it. Thanks Everyone

Friendly reminder that the next (and last until the autumn) volunteer day at the Camden Rose Garden is this coming Wednesday, June 10th 9 am - 11am.  Let's get the Garden in great shape for the summer.

We’re thrilled to see important improvements taking shape across the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, helping to preserve our historic buildings while enhancing the visitor experience.

Recent upgrades include new roofs on the Commercial Building and the J.J. Outerbridge Building, ensuring these well-loved structures are protected for years to come. In addition, the Succulent & Cactus House has been rebuilt and improved, creating a refreshed and resilient space to better showcase these remarkable plant collections.

Despite rainy conditions, volunteers from BBS, ArchRe, and Bermuda Is Love turned out in force to kick off Phase One of this restoration project. With guidance from Jonathan Lightbourne (Nature’s Compass), a neglected area has taken its first steps toward renewal. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!

The vision of a “Living Classroom” dedicated to restoring the island's native biodiversity through community engagement and stewardship comes to life through BZS’s conservation, education and volunteer programmes. Join Trevor Rawson, Conservation Manager of Trunk Island, who will  provide a brief history of BZS’s impact and significant programmes that the 7-acre island is involved in.

The lecture is free to attend, but a $10 donation will be gratefully received. Donations can be made on the night or online at https://bzs.bm/support/donate

The Bermuda Botanical Society (BBS) was delighted to provide financial support to the Bermuda College Eco Club for their highly successful working visit to the Bahamas. During the trip, students took part in hands‑on environmental activities, including seawater sampling and testing at the University of The Bahamas, as well as assisting the Bahamas National Trust with a cleanup effort at a local nature reserve. The experience offered valuable practical learning while reinforcing the importance of regional collaboration in environmental conservation.

After a brilliant tour of Harrington Sound - watching long tail aerobatics, or visiting up close on the nest, a glimpse of the elusive HS Barn Owl, fact & fiction of Devil's Hole, seeing the erosive forces at work and learning of the vast network of caves, on to Trunk Island with red and black mangrove communities, hybrid, cloned and original cedars, ancient palmetto grove, thriving olivewoods and many rare natives. A wonderful morning with Trevor Rawson, such a knowledgeable guide who's passion for the environment is contagious!