Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

A shady story

Posted: October 11, 2017 at 00:00 am

It may seem obvious, but when it comes to successful propagation and the health of new trees, getting the correct amount of light is critical.


The problem:

The team were whitewashing the glasshouses to protect germinating plants from the harsh sunlight. However, this meant that the amount of light couldn’t be adjusted – not ideal on dull days, and lots of hard work.

The solution:

Shade screens! Not only do shade screens allow Penny to adjust the amount of light plants receive, but they also act as thermal insulators, keeping plants cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The screens also eliminate the need to reapply whitewash to the glasshouses and the team won’t need to apply horticultural fleece in the winter.


Thanks to a generous grant from the Finnis Scott Foundation, we were able to provide Penny with her shade screens, and she couldn’t be more thrilled!