Press Release
DNA in the Garden
Part of Kew's Spring to Life festival
29 March - 11 May 2003
For release: 24 January 2003
Gardeners and botanists have long shared a fascination for the variety
and diversity of plants, whether seeking out new varieties for the garden,
creating new shapes and colours, or studying the adaptation of plants
to different environments. This spring, DNA in the Garden, a new
exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, looks at the impact of the
discovery of DNA on plant science and how it can be harnessed to help
conservation, preserve biodiversity and develop new varieties of plants
for farmers and gardeners.
The discovery of the structure of DNA by scientists working in Cambridge,
50 years ago, was one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of
the 20th century. It showed how genes could hold information, copy themselves
and pass on the information to future generations. Understanding DNA has
had profound implications; in medicine, in plant science, forensics, criminology
and many other areas of life.
DNA in the Garden brings a new insight into the world of plants, showing
how their unique codes of life create diversity and adaptation, with displays,
living plants exhibits and interactive models. The exhibition has been
developed by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
in association with RBG, Kew as part of the DNA 50 celebrations.
Gardeners who remember their school biology will be intrigued to meet
Mendel‚s famous peas- the original varieties used by the Austrian
monk who pioneered the exploration of plant genetics in the nineteenth
century.
British gardeners are famous for their love of lawns, but grass comes
in many forms and the requirements of a footballer, a farmer and a gardener
are very different. The exhibition explores the DNA 'recipes', which make
one grass drought resilient, another high in nutrients and a third, extra
hard wearing.
Antirrhinums or snapdragons are well-known favourites in the border, but
few gardeners have speculated on the gene which enables them to snap shut
using their hinged structure and so select their pollinators. The exhibition
reveals what happens when mutant strains become 'unhinged'.
Plants are often organised by gardeners in terms of colour, height, habitat
or flowering period, but DNA reveals the definitive family tree for every
plant. For younger visitors, a challenge to sort and organise cutlery
in a giant incubator gives an insight into the complex world of taxonomy.
Kew Gardens is just 25 minutes from Charing Cross by District line tube
and 20 minutes by overland train from Waterloo. Entry is £7.50 for
adults, £5.50 concessions: children 16 and under are free. Free
parking is available on Kew Road and Kew Green after 10.00am. Kew Gardens
is open daily from 9.30am. Closing times vary with each season. For details
about visiting Kew phone 020 8332 5655 or check out Kew‚s website
at { HYPERLINK http://www.kew.org }www.kew.org.
For further information and images, please contact Hannah Rogers or Claire
Hyde at Kew Press Office on 020 8332 5607/5619 or Andrew McLaughlin at
BBSRC on 01793 413 301 (please note that these numbers are not for publication).
For further Press information please contact:
|
Kew: Public Relations Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5607/5619 |
Wakehurst Place: Public Relations Tel: +44 (0)1444 894018 |
