In early spring, primroses and cowslips can be found in many gardens and parks. Their yellow flowers are certainly beautiful, but they also hold a secret: they come in two different types that can only mate with each other.
Sex and the single primrose
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In this episode we take a close look at several flowers – including a daffodil and a tulip – to remind ourselves what’s inside, before considering why plants bother to have sex at all. Why not look around your own garden to see if you have similar flowers and note down what you find, perhaps through a pencil drawing or by taking photos. Filmed in March 2020.
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In this fun and informative series Dr Lindsay Turnbull, Associate Professor and Fellow of The Queen’s College, Oxford University, looks at the biology of the back garden. This series is recorded hot off the press in a normal garden in England beginning in March 2020 and would be of interest to anyone from age 5+. The series is particularly useful for children missing school who would like to carry on practical work in their own garden and have an expert help them understand the theory behind...