Prunus laurocerasus – Cherry laurel

  Cherry laurel is a species native to Europe and western Asia. It is an evergreen shrub growing up to around 6m by 10m. It flowers from April to June and its seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees. The plant can grow in most types of soil, from light sandy soils to heavy clay soils, however it prefers moist soil. It can grow in heavily shaded areas such as woodland with dense canopies, and can tolerate strong winds but not maritime exposure. All parts of the plant contain hydrogen cyanide, this toxin is found mainly in the leaves and seed but is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm, however any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten.

  The plant has some medicinal purposes and hydrogen cyanide, in small quantities, is known to stimulate respiration and improve digestion. It is also said to be of benefit to the treatment of cancer. However, if used excessively it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

  Its fruit is about 8mm in diameter and contains one large seed in the centre. Its fruit can be eaten by humans but are known to be potentially dangerous when not ripe.

  The species I have pictured has been planted in a park amongst other shrubs and appears to compete successfully with other species of shrub like buddlea davidii and some larger trees.

Sorbus aria – Whitebeam

  Whitebeam is a medium sized deciduous tree growing up to 25m, often appearing to be little more than a shrub with a generally spreading crown. Its bark is smooth and grey but sometimes ridged. Its branches are spreading; twigs are brown on the upper surface and usually green below. Its buds are up to 2cm long, ovoid and green tipped with hair. Its leaves are oval shaped up to 12cm long with toothed or shallow lobed margins and very hairy, especially on their white underside. When leaves first appear, their white undersides can make the tree appear white (hence the name Whitebeam).

  It has white flowers that grow in stalked clusters, appearing in May. Its fruits are ovoid, about 1.5 cm long and are bright red.

  The tree is native only to the South of Britain, commonly found in hedgerows and at the edge of woodlands, mainly on limestone and calcareous soils. 

Malus domestica – Apple

  The cultivated apple is found almost always in cultivation in orchards across the British Isles and can be found in most places where there has been any form of human habitation.

  The tree produces copious amounts of edible fruits. Its bark is brown and fissured and its branches are naturally tangled with downy twigs. Its elliptical rounded leaves are up to 13cm long with a slightly pointed tip and toothed margin. They have a slightly downy upper surface and usually a very downy lower surface. Its flowers are white or tinged with pink and can be produced abundantly in short stalked clusters. Fruits are normally larger than 5cm in diameter and are indented at the pedicel. A great variety of shapes and sizes exists.

  The specimen I have photographed is in the back garden of a semi-detached house, this is a typical place for an apple tree to be planted, as well as in orchards, parks and gardens. 

Calluna vulgaris – Heather, Ling

  Ling Heather is an attractive pink wildflower common in the British Isles. It is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to two feet high and has dense terminal flower spikes and sepal-like bracts at flower bases.

  Its pink-purple urn shaped flowers are on show for long periods which means it is an excellent source of pollen for insects like bees and butterflies. Its leaves are 1-3mm long growing on its branches, they are stalk-less and grow in four vertical rows. The leaves are scale like, dark green and curve in at the edges, because of this, the plant can retain water well and can thrive in areas like peat bogs which can sometimes dry up the roots in summer. This type of heather tends to prefer acid soils. The specimen I have picture is planted in an ornamental bed in a public park.

Urtica dioica – Perennial stinging nettle

  The common nettle is abundant in the UK and is native to river banks, hedgerows, grassy areas and near buildings where the ground is littered with rubble. It favours woodland clearings and areas with a soil PH level between 5.0 and 8.0, struggling to penetrate hard compacted soil, preferring an open textured soil. As a perennial weed, the nettle is troublesome around the margins of arable fields and in gardens. It has a hairy appearance and will sting and cause a reddish bumpy rash when touched.

  The species usually flowers from May to September, although not in its first year. Plants bear only male or female flowers (not hermaphrodite) which are usually wind pollinated. The concentration of phosphate in the soil can influence seedling distribution however a low concentration can restrict early growth. The specimen I have pictured was growing in the front garden of a house in a densely built up area. 

Larix decidua – Larch

  The common Larch is a deciduous conifer growing up to around 35m forming a tall, narrowly conical tree (when growing alone) but is more commonly seen in close rows in plantations. Its bark is rough and greyish brown, becoming fissured with age. Its branches are mostly horizontal but the lower branches on older trees may be slightly droopy. Its leaves are needle like, in bunches of around 40, each needle is around 3cm long and fresh green when opened, becoming darker with two yellow bands in the summer and then changing through red to yellow before falling in the autumn.

  The tree produces female cones, with a slightly reddish tinge in spring, maturing to a woody brown through the summer. These cones are an ovoid shape. Its male reproductive parts are small soft yellow cones releasing pollen in spring.

  The species is native to the mountains of central and eastern Europe but has been long established in Britain as an ornamental tree in gardens. It tolerates calcareous soils. Its seed is a favourite food of the Common Crossbill, a bird who’s beak is uniquely formed to part the cone scales to extract the seeds. The species I have photographed has been planted in an ornamental garden in a public park.

Galanthus nivalis – Snowdrop

  The delicate white flower of Galanthus nivalis, is traditionally seen to herald the end of winter. The narrow leaved snowdrop is very popular in cultivation and is commonly planted in gardens and parks. It is a very familiar site in the British Isles and in France even though it is not native.

  Snowdrops can be found mostly deciduous woodland and occasionally coniferous woodland. They thrive particularly well in calcareous soils and can also be found in meadows, pasture, stony slops and amongst scrub. Snowdrops can be poisonous and cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten in large quantities. 

Rhododendron ponticum

  This dense shrub/ small tree, native to Southern Europe and Western Asia, is an evergreen specimen, growing up to around 5m and can in some circumstances reach a height of around 8m. Its evergreen leaves range from 6-18cm long and 2-5cm wide. Its flowers are purple, 3-5cm in diameter and often have small greenish-yellow spots or streaks. Its fruit is a long dry capsule 1.5-2.5cm long, containing numerous small seeds.

  Rhododendron ponticum is cultivated extensively across Western Europe, used as an ornamental plant in its own right and also as a root plant for other rhododendron sub-species. In some areas of Western Europe and other countries like New Zealand, the plant is considered an invasive species and has to be managed vigorously to conserve nature in those areas. The specimen I have photographed is clearly competing well with other shrubs and trees. It has been planted in a park in an ornamental arrangement and appears to be thriving within a dense arrangement of other species including buddlea davidii.  

Ulex europaeus – Gorse

  Native to a wide area of Europe, from the British Isles to the south of Portugal across to Poland and Ukraine. It is an evergreen shrub that grows around 2-3 metres tall. Its young stems are green, producing shoots and leaves that develop into spines, 1-3cm long. It produces small bright yellow flowers, around 2cm long which are produced throughout the year but mainly in the spring. It produces fruit in pods, legumes, which are 2cm long, dark purplish brown containing 2-3 small hard seeds which are ejected when the pod splits in warm weather.

  It is considered an invasive species in many countries, like Chile and New Zealand where it often causes serious problems as none of its natural predators were present as the plant was introduced to these countries from the British Isles. The plant is also known to easily catch fire and can be a fire hazard, fire may appear to destroy the plant but it can grow back from the roots.

  The specimen I have photographed is in a park cark-park. Its attractive bright colours are a nice feature however its spiny appearance, I think, makes it slightly less attractive than other evergreen shrubs.

Buddlea davidii

  Buddlea davidii is a shrub native to China and Japan, it is widely used as an ornamental plant and was first thought to have been brought to the West in the late 1800’s. It is a vigorous shrub with an arching habit, growing up to around 5m. It has pale brown bark that becomes rather fissured with age. It has lanceolate leaves that are 7-13cm long. It has hermaphrodite flowers (containing both male and female parts).

  Its flowering time is normally limited to around six weeks unless the removal of spent flowers has taken place, which can encourage further growth. Buddlea are of a high value to many butterfly species due to the nectar their flowers produce. In many countries, including the UK, it has been declared as an invasive species. This is because the plant self-seeds very successfully and can been seen growing ruderally almost anywhere in the UK, it may be seen growing in cracks in the walls of railway viaducts or abandoned plots of land, almost anywhere as its seed can germinate in a tiny amount of soil.

Carpinus betulus – Hornbeam

  Hornbeam is a fine tree growing up to around 30m. It has a noticeably bold outline in winter, its bole is often gnarled and twisted and its bark is silvery grey with deep fissures lower down and occasionally has dark bands. In one of the specimens I have photographed, the bark is silvery grey with a green tinge due to moss growth. The younger specimen I have photographed in a hedgerow, displays typically silvery grey bark. It has also maintained its leaves through the winter which is typical of hornbeams throughout the, when planted in hedgerows. Its leaves are green through the summer colourful in autumn turning orange to russet-brown. They are oval and pointed with a rounded base, short petiole and double toothed margin. They have 15 pairs of veins on the underside.

  It is native to Britain, occurring in pure stands and in some woodlands and hedgerows. It is widely planted as a specimen tree in parks and gardens. It is tolerant of heavy clay soils. Hornbeam was also regularly coppiced to provide timber as its tough wood is prized for its durable qualities. Its tough seeds are a favourite food of the Hawfinch, the only British bird able to crack them open.

 Its male catkins are 5cm long, yellowish green with red outer scales. Its fruit form in clusters of winged nutlets, usually consisting of about 8 pairs of small hard-cased nuts up to 14cm long.