On the 1 December 1994 a tree was planted in the Gorsedd Gardens in front of National Museum Cardiff.

The tree was planted on World AIDS Day 1994 as a memorial to those who have died of AIDS in Wales. Since its planting it has been known by a few different names including the Tree of Life and the Red Ribbon Tree, and has become the focus for yearly World AIDS Day commemorations on 1 December each year, with people attaching red ribbons to the tree.

The tree was planted by Mike Phillips and Martin Nowaczek (co-founders of Cardiff Body Positive), along with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Cardiff. At the planting a balloon was released for all those who have died of AIDS in Wales. By the end of 1994 (the year the tree was planted) there had been 10,304 reported AIDS cases and 7,019 known deaths in the UK (with 141 cases and 118 of these deaths in Wales).

Speaking about the planting of the tree Mike recalls that “I was around 25 when we planted the Red Ribbon Tree. We’d opened the Cardiff Body Positive drop-in-centre the previous day and Martin, already ill, was feeling tired. He died less than 6 months later”.

The plaque next to the tree was rededicated in 2021 and the original plaque donated to St Fagans National Museum of History. It was displayed at St Fagans in 2022/23 as part of the exhibition Wales is… remembering Terrence Higgins.

The Cardiff Body Positive collection recently donated to Amgueddfa Cymru is closely associated with the tree as its co-founders Mike and Martin planted the tree in 1994.

Cardiff Body Positive was founded in 1993 and were based at 57 St Mary Street, Cardiff. It supported people living with HIV and AIDS from across Cardiff and south Wales, and was one of a number of Body Positive groups around the UK. Their drop-in centre opened the day before the Tree of Life was planted, and they later organised what they called a ‘Celebration of Life’ at the tree – celebrating the lives lost to AIDS and showing solidarity and support to those living and affected with HIV/AIDS. The Cardiff Body Positive newsletters in the collection contain some obituaries for those who died of AIDS in Wales including its co-founder, Martin.

Cardiff AIDS Helpline was also operating about this time as well as the South Glamorgan AIDS Network. It was Cardiff AIDS Helpline that organised the first Candlelight Memorial to be held in Wales, which was held on 1 December 1993 on the steps of National Museum Cardiff, with almost 600 people attending. They held another World AIDS Day Candlelight Memorial in 1994 on the evening following the planting of the tree.

Today there is still no cure for HIV, but effective treatment now means that people with HIV can’t pass the virus on and can live long and healthy lives. The Welsh Government HIV Action Plan as well as organisations and networks such as the Terrence Higgins Trust, and Fast Track Cymru are working towards preventing new infections and eliminating stigma by 2030.

Hi! I’m Sophie, a Biological Science student at Cardiff University. Currently, I’m undertaking a Profession Training Year within the Mollusca section in the Natural Sciences Department at Amgueddfa Cymru under the supervision of curator Anna Holmes. My passion for zoology has inspired me to pursue opportunities that deepen my understanding of the animal kingdom. I love learning about different species and their unique roles within ecosystems. While Malacology is a new field for me, I am eager to explore the world of molluscs and broaden my zoological knowledge.  

During my placement year I will be working with Anna to research a non-native species of bivalve, Potamocorbula amurensis known commonly as the Amur River clam. Specimens recently collected from the Outer Thames Estuary have come to us for identification confirmation and, if correct, it will mark the first record of P. amurensis in the UK. Native to China, Japan and Korea, Potamocorbula amurensis has been previously recorded in San Francisco Bay, where it spread rapidly, and more recently in Belgium. One of the most common ways bivalves are introduced to new environments is through ballast water from ships. Ships take in water in one area, along with small organisms, and then release it in another, leading to the introduction of non-native species. 

Over the past two months at Amgueddfa Cymru, I have been engaged in a variety of tasks that have allowed me to gain valuable experience and knowledge in malacology. In preparation for our report, I have been researching previous studies on Potamocorbula amurensis, particularly focusing on its invasions in San Francisco and Belgium. I have been using a light microscope and Helicon Focus software to photograph bivalves from the museum’s collections, some of which are over 100 years old. Specifically, I have been imaging the specimens of possible Potamocorbula amurensis from the Thames, as well as specimens of that species and similar species that were already in the museum’s collection, taken from their native habitat of Asia. I am comparing them with the Thames specimens to provide a positive identification. 

Additionally, I have been imaging other species from the same family, Corbulidae, also known as the basket clams, to examine the differences between similar species. In the UK, the only native species of Corbulidae is Varicorbula gibba, and it’s usually found burrowed in coastal mudflats or estuaries, hiding just below the surface. These shells are very small and must be imaged carefully, from several angles, ensuring the lighting emphasises the specific features that aid in identification. The right valve is notably larger than the left, earning it the nickname “overbite clam”. Each valve features a tooth, an important characteristic for identifying bivalves. 

Recently, ethanol preserved samples of Potamocorbula amurensis have been collected from the Thames. In the next few weeks, I will be analysing the DNA of these specimens, with the hope of discovering if the UK population came from the San Francisco introduction or the native population in China.   

 Understanding the presence and spread of non-native species like Potamocorbula amurensis can have significant ecological and economic implications. Invasive species often disrupt local ecosystems, outcompeting native species, altering habitats, and affecting biodiversity. Some non-native species (around 10-15% of them) can become invasive and by identifying the pathways of introduction and tracking the spread of Potamocorbula amurensis, we can better inform conservation strategies and management practices to mitigate its impact on local environments. 

In addition to my research project, I’ve also been given the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in curating shell collections.  I have been sorting through the CCW – Lloyd James shell collection, cataloguing it into the museum’s Mollusca database. This process involves carefully organising and documenting the specimens, ensuring accurate records for future reference and research. Working with this collection has given me the chance to appreciate the incredible diversity of British molluscs and observe firsthand how intricate and beautiful their shells can be. One standout for me has been Palliolum striatum a stunning scallop species with vibrant colouring and beautifully ridged patterns. 

My time at Amgueddfa Cymru so far has been nothing short of wonderful. The staff in both Mollusca and Natural Sciences as a whole have been incredibly welcoming and supportive. They have generously shared their expertise with me, not only expanding my knowledge, but also deepening my appreciation for all the great work the museum does. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity and excited for what the rest of my placement will bring. I look forward to continuing my work here and learning even more from the incredible team. 

Hi Bulb Buddies,

I want to say a big thank you to all of the participating schools who worked hard planting bulbs for the project. Together we planted over 18 thousand bulbs across the UK and from the photos I’ve seen, it looks as though everyone had great fun doing it! 

All schools taking part in the project will be collecting weather data from 4 November until 28 March. They will be uploading these records regularly to the Amgueddfa Cymru website, along with comments and weather observations. We'll be learning a lot together over the school year. 

Resources are available on the website that explore different aspects of the project, including ideas for additional experiments and guides to making short videos for the Bulbcast competition!  

I'll be sure to share more photos and comments from schools to the Blog in the coming weeks. 

Keep up the good work Bulb Buddies,

Professor Plant

The Urban Meadow at National Museum Cardiff is a little haven for pollinators in the city centre. On a summer’s day it is teeming with bees, hoverflies, grasshoppers, ladybirds and craneflies. 

Monitoring the meadow, and managing it for wildlife, is vital to make sure it continues to provide an environment where these creatures can thrive. Mowing too frequently, or not removing ‘problem plants’ like brambles and trees, could damage the harmonious interplay between different types of plant.

This year, with help from Greening Cathays and support from the National Heritage Lottery Innovation Fund, we’ve been trialling new methods of surveying the plant life so that Volunteers and non-specialist Museum staff can help us keep track of the meadow biodiversity. This will help us to manage the meadow in the future.

As well as contributing to our understanding of the meadow, our staff and volunteers have reported the well-being benefits of working outdoors:

“If I could, I would stay out here all day, it’s such a nice environment to be in”.

“I feel like I’m doing work – but it doesn’t have the stress of work. It’s the perfect balance”.

Staff and volunteers have also felt more motivated or confident to get involved outside of work:

“I have patch of grass at home, I’m now on a mission to rewild it. I really want to know how to do that, I feel more motivated now I’ve seen what can be there”.

"It’s quite empowering feeling you've recorded data that will be used, makes me want to get involved in more things like this".

What did we find?

On the Urban Meadow plants such as Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum) and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) add colour to this part of the city every summer. The appearance of the meadow changes subtly throughout the season, depending on which plants are in flower.

Several native grasses, including Meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis), Cock’s-foot (Dactylis glomerata) and Timothy (Phleum pratense) grow on the meadow.  However, we do not want the grasses to outcompete other species.

The vegetation surveys demonstrated that, although the meadow is relatively small, there is a mosaic of plant communities, reflecting small-scale differences in environmental factors.  For example, we found that one corner of the meadow is damper than the other three corners and a charmingly named grass called Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus) has dominated here. 

To let other flowering plants, which attract insects for pollination, have some space to grow we are going to invite staff to help with sowing seeds of Yellow-rattle (Rhinanthus minor) this autumn. 

This annual plant is a parasite on grasses (Poaceae) meaning it gets nutrients by penetrating the roots of the grass, and restricting the its growth. Many meadows may need an application of Yellow-rattle seed this autumn because the grasses have coped better with the hot weather than the smaller brightly coloured plants. The Yellow-rattle seeds are sown in the autumn because they need to sit in the soil during the winter and experience the cold to germinate. The yellow flowers appear in spring, followed by seed pods which ‘rattle’.

We will also create training opportunities for staff and volunteers to help with scything the meadow to get the ground ready for the next year.

The Urban Meadow hasn’t just been an opportunity to increase biodiversity at National Museum Cardiff, it has helped people too. Cultivating a wildflower meadow takes years but is a testament to the resilience and ever-changing charm of the natural world. We hope to continue working with staff and volunteers to care for our meadow, for the benefit of people and plants.

Dear Bulb Buddies,

This is one of my favourite times of year! Schools across the UK will be getting outside to plant their bulbs as part of the Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation. Each participating school was sent a crocus and a daffodil bulb for every pupil in the enlisted class to plant on 21 October (or the closest date possible). This means that some schools will be planting this week and others will plant next week. I look forward to sharing their fantastic photos with you. We run a Planting Day Photo Competition every year, so check in on this Bulb Blog again to see the winning images and follow @Professor_Plant on Twitter to see all of the fantastic photos shared!

We have many fun and engaging resources on the website. Some are specific to the investigation but others can be adapted for all schools. Resources developed to support this stage of the investigation can be found here:

Step 1: Preparing for planting day (early October)

Step 2: Planting day

Step 3: Optional hands-on weather and gardening themed activities

This will also be the second year that we run the Bulbcast competition. This is a fun and creative task that participating classes can undertake alongside the investigation. Our budding scientists are asked to plan, record and edit a short video exploring their favourite parts of the investigation. Resources to support this task can be found here, and the winners will be announced towards the end of the academic year. I can't wait to see what this years creative minds produce. I wonder how many schools will mention or show footage of planting day in their entries?

All participating schools were sent a new resource this year, a cheerful calendar that has been especially designed to help the class document their weather and flower data. This includes key dates for the investigation and a proposed structure for organising the data collection. Teachers can choose to split their class into five groups, who each take turns to document and upload the weather data. The hope is that this will help to give ownership of the investigation to the children.  As a result, we may very well see references to the different groups in the comments I'll share from schools over the course of the investigation. 

I look forward to sharing regular updates on the investigation with you. I hope you are celebrating Planting Day with me, as schools across the UK join together to plant over 18,000 bulbs in this collective action for nature. Go Bulb Buddies!

Professor Plant