Field Meetings 2014
Allerton 12/4/2014, Runcorn 26/4/2014, Great Orme 10/5/2014, Altcar Rifle Range 16/5/2014, Gait Barrows 7/6/2014,
Brockholes 14/6/2014, Chorlton 21/6/2014, Rimrose Valley and Leeds-Liverpool Canal 5/7/2014, Wigg Island 12/7/2014,
Hightown 9/8/2014, Liverpool Loop Line 30/8/2014, Maghull Canal 13/9/2014, Ness 11/10/2014
Allerton 12/4/2014, Runcorn 26/4/2014, Great Orme 10/5/2014, Altcar Rifle Range 16/5/2014, Gait Barrows 7/6/2014,
Brockholes 14/6/2014, Chorlton 21/6/2014, Rimrose Valley and Leeds-Liverpool Canal 5/7/2014, Wigg Island 12/7/2014,
Hightown 9/8/2014, Liverpool Loop Line 30/8/2014, Maghull Canal 13/9/2014, Ness 11/10/2014
Allerton
12th April 2014
Led by David Earl
Walk from Liverpool South Parkway station, under flyover and along Mather Avenue to north-east, crossing into kilometre square SJ 4185. At the cemetery boundary we took the footpath along the south-western fence, heading towards the east and dipping out of the main kilometre square to the south before heading north again across the cemetery. We then crossed the road to the north and explored the area around the Eric Hardy reserve (possibly breaking out north of SJ48C tetrad for a short distance) and then followed the brook boundary south again back across the road into the cemetery and then headed westwards towards Mather Avenue and back to Liverpool South Parkway.
Most of the walk was either in planted and self-regenerated woodland-like areas or in open grassy habitats with mature standard trees amongst the graves. There were also large walls and bridge abutments providing extra habitat and some gardened areas.
Peter Gateley
12th April 2014
Led by David Earl
Walk from Liverpool South Parkway station, under flyover and along Mather Avenue to north-east, crossing into kilometre square SJ 4185. At the cemetery boundary we took the footpath along the south-western fence, heading towards the east and dipping out of the main kilometre square to the south before heading north again across the cemetery. We then crossed the road to the north and explored the area around the Eric Hardy reserve (possibly breaking out north of SJ48C tetrad for a short distance) and then followed the brook boundary south again back across the road into the cemetery and then headed westwards towards Mather Avenue and back to Liverpool South Parkway.
Most of the walk was either in planted and self-regenerated woodland-like areas or in open grassy habitats with mature standard trees amongst the graves. There were also large walls and bridge abutments providing extra habitat and some gardened areas.
Peter Gateley
| 12_4_14_allerton_plants_seen.doc |
Runcorn
26th April 2014
Led by Rob Duffy
12 LBS members set out in mainly fine and bright weather from Runcorn East Station straight into Plantation Wood, working south to Murdishaw Woods and then heading west and north through the Town Park, up through Saint Berteline’s Wood to the canal and to Norton Priory. We returned to the station via Big Wood and Windmill Hill.
Bluebells were at their peak flowering and were the stars of the day, especially the broad swathes of blue woodland floor in Murdishaw Wood. A range of other native woodland species was seen as well as many self-seeded exotics and well-established plantings from both the days of the Brooke family and the New Town Development Corporation. The abundance of Norway maple regeneration was particularly notable in some areas of woodland. Rob led us to some of the notable specimens of planted exotics including a small stand of Dawn Redwood, a lone Chilean Pine (Monkey-puzzle), a huge old (but collapsing) Silver Maple and a grove of tall straight Balsam Poplars scenting the air.
Peter Gateley
Photos by Barbara Allen
26th April 2014
Led by Rob Duffy
12 LBS members set out in mainly fine and bright weather from Runcorn East Station straight into Plantation Wood, working south to Murdishaw Woods and then heading west and north through the Town Park, up through Saint Berteline’s Wood to the canal and to Norton Priory. We returned to the station via Big Wood and Windmill Hill.
Bluebells were at their peak flowering and were the stars of the day, especially the broad swathes of blue woodland floor in Murdishaw Wood. A range of other native woodland species was seen as well as many self-seeded exotics and well-established plantings from both the days of the Brooke family and the New Town Development Corporation. The abundance of Norway maple regeneration was particularly notable in some areas of woodland. Rob led us to some of the notable specimens of planted exotics including a small stand of Dawn Redwood, a lone Chilean Pine (Monkey-puzzle), a huge old (but collapsing) Silver Maple and a grove of tall straight Balsam Poplars scenting the air.
Peter Gateley
Photos by Barbara Allen
| 26_4_14_runcorn_plants_seen.doc |
Great Orme
10th May 2014
20 of us made it to the top of an extremely windy Great Orme to meet our leader Wendy McCarthy, in fact it was so windy the route had to be modified to make it safer! We were shown a magnificent array of plants characteristic of limestone, including national rarities and scarce species, including Spotted Catsear Hypochaeris maculata and Wild Cotoneaster Cotoneaster cambricus. A list of what we saw was sent to the vice-county recorder. In order to see such a wide array of species we had to cover a lot of ground so it was more vigorous than many of our trips and ended with heavy rain joining the strong winds back on top of the Orme.
Photos by Barbara Allen
10th May 2014
20 of us made it to the top of an extremely windy Great Orme to meet our leader Wendy McCarthy, in fact it was so windy the route had to be modified to make it safer! We were shown a magnificent array of plants characteristic of limestone, including national rarities and scarce species, including Spotted Catsear Hypochaeris maculata and Wild Cotoneaster Cotoneaster cambricus. A list of what we saw was sent to the vice-county recorder. In order to see such a wide array of species we had to cover a lot of ground so it was more vigorous than many of our trips and ended with heavy rain joining the strong winds back on top of the Orme.
Photos by Barbara Allen
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Altcar Rifle Range
16th May 2014
Led by Steve Cross
The group of 28 met on a fine night and the Green-winged Orchids carpeted C Range with a haze of purple. Some 25046 flowering spikes!! This included 121 of the pink variety and 16 of the white var.alba. Marsh orchids, various Carex species, Yellow Rattle, buttercups, Common Twayblade and Ragged Robin added to the botanical splendour of the ranges. Less colourful (and in some cases very rare and declining) species included Spurge Laurel, various hybrid willows, Flat Sedge, Brown Sedge and Black Poplar, were noted.
Amongst the birds Whimbrel was heard calling and there were singing Skylark, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting. A Grass Rivulet Moth was seen on I Range, its caterpillar feeds on Yellow Rattle.
Peter Gateley
16th May 2014
Led by Steve Cross
The group of 28 met on a fine night and the Green-winged Orchids carpeted C Range with a haze of purple. Some 25046 flowering spikes!! This included 121 of the pink variety and 16 of the white var.alba. Marsh orchids, various Carex species, Yellow Rattle, buttercups, Common Twayblade and Ragged Robin added to the botanical splendour of the ranges. Less colourful (and in some cases very rare and declining) species included Spurge Laurel, various hybrid willows, Flat Sedge, Brown Sedge and Black Poplar, were noted.
Amongst the birds Whimbrel was heard calling and there were singing Skylark, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting. A Grass Rivulet Moth was seen on I Range, its caterpillar feeds on Yellow Rattle.
Peter Gateley
| altcar_species_noted.doc |
Gait Barrows
7th June 2014
Led by Peter Tipping
We knew before we left our respective homes that we were in for a bit of a wet day, but despite that ten of us assembled in the small car park at the NNR for the start of the field trip, led by Peter Tipping. Despite the wet conditions on arrival, requiring us all to start off in full waterproof gear, a group photo was thought in order; just as the camera came out there was an almightly flash, immediately followed by an almighty crash of thunder, it caught us by surprise and filled us with foreboding but it was the last we had!
From the car park we proceeded through dripping woodland, but much cheered by a lovely stand of Herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia) with some flowers still extant and some fruits forming. Passing through lovely limestone woodland we saw many local specialities but eventually arrived at a series of more-open areas of limestone pavement.
After finding a great many limestone treasures in amongst the grykes we proceeded across rather more vegetated rocky areas, finding treasures like fruiting patches of Spring Cinquefoil and much Mountain Melick, amongst many others, all on the way to the glory of Gait Barrows!
The magnificent flowers of the Lady's Slipper seemed quite impervious to the wet conditions and despite many having already faded there were still plenty in good flowering condition.
Peter Gateley
7th June 2014
Led by Peter Tipping
We knew before we left our respective homes that we were in for a bit of a wet day, but despite that ten of us assembled in the small car park at the NNR for the start of the field trip, led by Peter Tipping. Despite the wet conditions on arrival, requiring us all to start off in full waterproof gear, a group photo was thought in order; just as the camera came out there was an almightly flash, immediately followed by an almighty crash of thunder, it caught us by surprise and filled us with foreboding but it was the last we had!
From the car park we proceeded through dripping woodland, but much cheered by a lovely stand of Herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia) with some flowers still extant and some fruits forming. Passing through lovely limestone woodland we saw many local specialities but eventually arrived at a series of more-open areas of limestone pavement.
After finding a great many limestone treasures in amongst the grykes we proceeded across rather more vegetated rocky areas, finding treasures like fruiting patches of Spring Cinquefoil and much Mountain Melick, amongst many others, all on the way to the glory of Gait Barrows!
The magnificent flowers of the Lady's Slipper seemed quite impervious to the wet conditions and despite many having already faded there were still plenty in good flowering condition.
Peter Gateley
| gait_barrows_plant_list.doc |
Brockholes
14th June 2014
Led by John Ball
A group of us met John at Brockholes Nature reserve on a sunny day to give us a guided tour of the site. We didn’t get far from the car park before we were botanizing around the lake edge surrounding the impressive, floating Visitor Village. Here we spotted Water-crowfoot Ranunculus peltatus, Monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus and Gipsywort Lycopus europaeus to name but a few. Leaving the Visitor Village, we headed uphill and through meadows where Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus was in full flower, casting a purple hue over the landscape, and then on to the embankment of the River Ribble, returning via the western edge of the reserve. Other plants included Hairy Sedge Carex hirta, Tufted Forget-me-not Myosotis laxa and the lovely Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia.
14th June 2014
Led by John Ball
A group of us met John at Brockholes Nature reserve on a sunny day to give us a guided tour of the site. We didn’t get far from the car park before we were botanizing around the lake edge surrounding the impressive, floating Visitor Village. Here we spotted Water-crowfoot Ranunculus peltatus, Monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus and Gipsywort Lycopus europaeus to name but a few. Leaving the Visitor Village, we headed uphill and through meadows where Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus was in full flower, casting a purple hue over the landscape, and then on to the embankment of the River Ribble, returning via the western edge of the reserve. Other plants included Hairy Sedge Carex hirta, Tufted Forget-me-not Myosotis laxa and the lovely Grass Vetchling Lathyrus nissolia.
Chorlton
21st June 2014
Led by David Bishop
On Saturday 21st June we met at the Ivy Green car Park, just off Chorlton Green, from where local (and very expert) expert David Bishop led us into the variety of open spaces in the floodplain of the River Mersey.
The timing of the walk was ideal for grasses flowering and we were able to inspect and compare a wide range of native grass species, looking their best.
However we also enjoyed the vegetation of spring flowering plants, two notable northern species being Bistort and Sweet Cicely
There were also some good stands of various water plants including some of the less usual ones such as Greater Spearwort and Flowering Rush. There was also the opportunity to look at both Watercress and Fool's Watercress (picured below), the former being a crucifer with a head of four-petalled white flowers and the latter an umbellifer, flowering in the nodes of the sprawling plant.
The walk was further diversified by areas of woodland and hedgerow, with a few species that we don't commonly occur across in Merseyside, such as Wood Stitchwort and White Bryony. The stitchwort had mainly finished flowering but from the dead heads it could be seen that the April/May display must have been pretty good. The bryony is the only native member of the cucumber family and the typical tendrils could be clearly seen. Formerly much of the floodplain was managed as seasonal meadow, but very little of this rich grassland habitat now remains. David is well versed in the local history of the area and was able to tell us about the former meadow lands and showed us a small surving patch that still retains a population of Greater Burnet, which used to be a widespread feature of the valley meadows.
We also saw extensive areas of poorly managed (over-grazed in the recent past) grassland but moves are afoot to improve grassland management to restore the traditional meadow habitat and management to the
Many thanks to David for guiding us around this varied and interesting area, well worth a visit!
Peter Gateley
21st June 2014
Led by David Bishop
On Saturday 21st June we met at the Ivy Green car Park, just off Chorlton Green, from where local (and very expert) expert David Bishop led us into the variety of open spaces in the floodplain of the River Mersey.
The timing of the walk was ideal for grasses flowering and we were able to inspect and compare a wide range of native grass species, looking their best.
However we also enjoyed the vegetation of spring flowering plants, two notable northern species being Bistort and Sweet Cicely
There were also some good stands of various water plants including some of the less usual ones such as Greater Spearwort and Flowering Rush. There was also the opportunity to look at both Watercress and Fool's Watercress (picured below), the former being a crucifer with a head of four-petalled white flowers and the latter an umbellifer, flowering in the nodes of the sprawling plant.
The walk was further diversified by areas of woodland and hedgerow, with a few species that we don't commonly occur across in Merseyside, such as Wood Stitchwort and White Bryony. The stitchwort had mainly finished flowering but from the dead heads it could be seen that the April/May display must have been pretty good. The bryony is the only native member of the cucumber family and the typical tendrils could be clearly seen. Formerly much of the floodplain was managed as seasonal meadow, but very little of this rich grassland habitat now remains. David is well versed in the local history of the area and was able to tell us about the former meadow lands and showed us a small surving patch that still retains a population of Greater Burnet, which used to be a widespread feature of the valley meadows.
We also saw extensive areas of poorly managed (over-grazed in the recent past) grassland but moves are afoot to improve grassland management to restore the traditional meadow habitat and management to the
Many thanks to David for guiding us around this varied and interesting area, well worth a visit!
Peter Gateley
| chorlton_plant_list.doc |
Anglesey
28th June 2014
Joint M.N.A. and L.B.S coach trip.
The journey to Anglesey was awful, driving rain and thick fog. Once parked up at South Stack however the sun came out and factor thirty was needed! The variety of plantlife was as good as it ever is there. Some of the notables were:- Jasione laevis, Sheepsbit, Atriplex laciniata, Frosted Orache but obviously the star of the day was Tephroseris integrifolia ssp. maritima, Spathulate Fleawort or as it is often known South Stack Fleawort. Fulmar, Puffin, and Chough added to a wonderful day as did the Silver-studded Blue butterflies.
28th June 2014
Joint M.N.A. and L.B.S coach trip.
The journey to Anglesey was awful, driving rain and thick fog. Once parked up at South Stack however the sun came out and factor thirty was needed! The variety of plantlife was as good as it ever is there. Some of the notables were:- Jasione laevis, Sheepsbit, Atriplex laciniata, Frosted Orache but obviously the star of the day was Tephroseris integrifolia ssp. maritima, Spathulate Fleawort or as it is often known South Stack Fleawort. Fulmar, Puffin, and Chough added to a wonderful day as did the Silver-studded Blue butterflies.
Rimrose Valley and Leeds-Liverpool Canal
5th July 2014
Led by Steve Cross
It was a lovely warm sunny day for Steve’s trip to this site which he has known very well over a long period. This local knowledge was reflected in over 200 plant species being listed for the days visit by around a dozen members. With the canal along one side and large areas of grassland and developing woodland this site is diversified with wetlands and some relict peat. Greater Spearwort (Ranunculus lingua) and Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) were amongst the many plants seen flowering here.
5th July 2014
Led by Steve Cross
It was a lovely warm sunny day for Steve’s trip to this site which he has known very well over a long period. This local knowledge was reflected in over 200 plant species being listed for the days visit by around a dozen members. With the canal along one side and large areas of grassland and developing woodland this site is diversified with wetlands and some relict peat. Greater Spearwort (Ranunculus lingua) and Grass Vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) were amongst the many plants seen flowering here.
Wigg Island
12th July 2014
Led by John Crowder
After meeting at the Wigg Island visitor centre car park John led us around a wide range of habitats between the Manchester Ship Canal and the Mersey estuary with Yellow Bartsia Parentucellia viscosa and Broad-leaved Helleborine Epipactis helleborine seen in flower. There were good views across the Mersey and some of the effects of the preparation works for the new road crossing could be seen.
Photos by Barbara Allen
Whixall
19th July 2014
MNA Coach trip.
This turned out to be rather damp visit: however, members of the LBS and the Merseyside Naturalists Association were treated to the botanical joys of a superb example of lowland raised bog habitat, straddling the English/Welsh border. Amongst the typical acidic species seen and enjoyed were Bog Asphodel Narthecium ossifragum, Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus and Bog Rosemary Andromeda polifolia.
Photos by Barbara Allen
19th July 2014
MNA Coach trip.
This turned out to be rather damp visit: however, members of the LBS and the Merseyside Naturalists Association were treated to the botanical joys of a superb example of lowland raised bog habitat, straddling the English/Welsh border. Amongst the typical acidic species seen and enjoyed were Bog Asphodel Narthecium ossifragum, Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus and Bog Rosemary Andromeda polifolia.
Photos by Barbara Allen
| whixall_moss_plant_list.doc |
Hightown
9th August 2014
Led by Peter Gateley
A surprisingly hot and sunny day for the whole trip, with 24 members and friends attending.
9th August 2014
Led by Peter Gateley
A surprisingly hot and sunny day for the whole trip, with 24 members and friends attending.
| hightown_species_list.doc |
Liverpool Loop Line
30th August 2014
Led by Howard Harris
We met up at the National Wildflower Centre car park, Court Hey Park, and Howard led a dozen of us through the park and onto the former railway line, now developed into a long distance footpath and cycle route. The route has well-established scrub/woodland regeneration and linked to various other park and nature reserve sites, over 150 species of plants were recorded including a distinctive stingless nettle, akin to Fen Nettle Urtica dioica ssp. galeopsifolia as well as Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius and Sweet Violet Viola odorata.
30th August 2014
Led by Howard Harris
We met up at the National Wildflower Centre car park, Court Hey Park, and Howard led a dozen of us through the park and onto the former railway line, now developed into a long distance footpath and cycle route. The route has well-established scrub/woodland regeneration and linked to various other park and nature reserve sites, over 150 species of plants were recorded including a distinctive stingless nettle, akin to Fen Nettle Urtica dioica ssp. galeopsifolia as well as Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius and Sweet Violet Viola odorata.
Maghull Canal
13th September 2014
Led by David Earl
The group met at Maghull station on another fine summer’s day and headed for the canal which yielded some spectacular exotics: Water Hyacinth Eichornia crassipes and Water Lettuce Pistia stratiotes, also Musk Storksbill Erodium moschatum was recorded. Of course, with Dave’s particular expertise, the recorded list of over 130 plants included a good number of Brambles (14 Rubus species) that would otherwise have gone unrecorded, including the ‘Lancashire Bramble’.
Photos by Barbara Allen
13th September 2014
Led by David Earl
The group met at Maghull station on another fine summer’s day and headed for the canal which yielded some spectacular exotics: Water Hyacinth Eichornia crassipes and Water Lettuce Pistia stratiotes, also Musk Storksbill Erodium moschatum was recorded. Of course, with Dave’s particular expertise, the recorded list of over 130 plants included a good number of Brambles (14 Rubus species) that would otherwise have gone unrecorded, including the ‘Lancashire Bramble’.
Photos by Barbara Allen
| maghull_canal_list.doc |
Ness
11th October 2014
Led by Maria Knowles and Tim Baxter
Maria met us at the garden entrance and introduced us to Tim and then we all headed past the house, around which the garden was originally created, to the heather slope where we stopped to look at the first species, a lovely specimen of Abies procera. From then on we were expertly guided around a staggering collection of tree species. Maria has provided the annotated list below, highlighting some of the ones we were shown. As well as looking at the trees we were also shown behind the scenes where Tim told the group about Dr Raj Whitlock's long-term experiment on climatic adaptation in grassland plants and about plant propagation processes at Ness.
Abies equi-trojani Trojan Fir, from the Ida Mountains of Western Turkey.
Abies procera Glauca, Noble Fir from the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, where it was found by David Douglas in 1825. Look for the central spikes left when the huge cones disintegrate.
14 species of Alder in one bed including:
Alnus inokume from Japan.
Alnus firma and Alnus pendula also from Japan are both beautiful shrubs with attractive finely-toothed leaves and delicate flowers in spring.
Alnus sieboldiana, with large leaves, catkins and cones, was named after Von Siebold, a German botanist who worked in Japan as a doctor in the 1820s and amassed thousands of both living and preserved specimens of plants.
Alnus subcordata from Iran is a rare fast growing tree in cultivation.
Athrotaxis laxifolia, from temperate rainforests of Tasmania, used to be in Taxodiaceae now in Cupressaceae; cross between A. cupressoides Pencil Pine and A. selaginoides King Billy Pine.
Betula ashburneri the type specimen, found and named by Hugh McCallister and the late Kevin Ashburn.
Betula chichibuensis from Japan, rare in the wild, does well at Ness.
Betula dahurica var parvifolia (Japan) and var dahurica (Korea) beautiful peeling bark.
Betula lenta Cherry birch, from North America, has lovely yellow autumn colour.
Cornus kousa Strawberry Dogwood, large white petal-like bracts and edible fruits.
Corylus ferrox (fierce) purported parent of family Betulaceae.
Eucalyptus viminalis, transports huge amount of water to leaves 80-120 litres per day, tap root 6ft down, lateral roots 100ft spread, regrows when cut or burnt down, fruit is capsule.
Ilex limii from China, does not look like a holly, this specimen is the only one known in cultivation outside China.
Larix griffithii Sikkim Larch from E Himalayas and Tibet, has long drooping branchlets and downy shoots which turn reddish-brown the second year, cones long with exposed arching bracts.
Picea several unusual spruces from around the world, some brought to Ness by modern day plant collectors, others procured via the ‘Index Seminum’, a system of seed exchange by Botanical Gardens worldwide.
P. alquociana from Japan.
P. brachytyla, a Wilson introduction, this tree comes from seed collected in the wild from Emei Shan (Mt. Omei) in Sichuan Provence, China, by Keith Rushforth and bears an abundance of purple cones in spring.
P. englmanii var mexicana, from Mexico, Arizona and New Mexico is another endangered tree, rare in the wild and in cultivation. Its dense forward pointing needles are not as glaucous as those of P. chihuahuana.
Picea chihuahuana from Mexico, endangered in the wild, rare in cultivation, dense, radiating, glaucous needles, tolerant of both heat and cold.
Pinus monophylla Singleleaf pinyon or Pinyon pine from Southern California, Edinburgh Rare Conifer Project the principal source of American pinenuts. Single needles are rounded as are 2, 3 and 5 needles of other pines when put together; a few single leaves may split into pairs by 2nd year. No wing to seeds. (Ronald Lanner , Pinyon Pine).
Pinus pinea Stone pine, from Mediterranean Europe, classic umbrella shape, source of pinenuts in Europe.
Pinus sylvestris ssp mongolica collected in wild from Siberia by Hugh McCallister. Comparing this to P. sylvestris, it has smooth grey-green shoots, pale brown winter buds and longer leaves up to 12cm (Scot’s pine 4-7cms),
Platycarya strobilacea, related to walnuts (Juglans), wingnuts (Pterocaya) and hickories (Carya), all have compound leaves. Platycarya have strobiles or cones hence species name; flowers are plumes of upright catkins.
Poncirus trifoliata Japanese Bitter Orange from S Korea. Fruit is a type of berry, Hesperidum, with a leathery rind and thick pith.
Quercus robur planted in memorium for Vera Gordon.
Sorbus matsumurana from Japan has big curved buds
Sorbus olivacea from China, has pink berries and pale foliage.
Sorbus rosea was introduced into cultivation through Ness, wild sourced from Gillgit, Pakistan, berries white turning pink.
11th October 2014
Led by Maria Knowles and Tim Baxter
Maria met us at the garden entrance and introduced us to Tim and then we all headed past the house, around which the garden was originally created, to the heather slope where we stopped to look at the first species, a lovely specimen of Abies procera. From then on we were expertly guided around a staggering collection of tree species. Maria has provided the annotated list below, highlighting some of the ones we were shown. As well as looking at the trees we were also shown behind the scenes where Tim told the group about Dr Raj Whitlock's long-term experiment on climatic adaptation in grassland plants and about plant propagation processes at Ness.
Abies equi-trojani Trojan Fir, from the Ida Mountains of Western Turkey.
Abies procera Glauca, Noble Fir from the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, where it was found by David Douglas in 1825. Look for the central spikes left when the huge cones disintegrate.
14 species of Alder in one bed including:
Alnus inokume from Japan.
Alnus firma and Alnus pendula also from Japan are both beautiful shrubs with attractive finely-toothed leaves and delicate flowers in spring.
Alnus sieboldiana, with large leaves, catkins and cones, was named after Von Siebold, a German botanist who worked in Japan as a doctor in the 1820s and amassed thousands of both living and preserved specimens of plants.
Alnus subcordata from Iran is a rare fast growing tree in cultivation.
Athrotaxis laxifolia, from temperate rainforests of Tasmania, used to be in Taxodiaceae now in Cupressaceae; cross between A. cupressoides Pencil Pine and A. selaginoides King Billy Pine.
Betula ashburneri the type specimen, found and named by Hugh McCallister and the late Kevin Ashburn.
Betula chichibuensis from Japan, rare in the wild, does well at Ness.
Betula dahurica var parvifolia (Japan) and var dahurica (Korea) beautiful peeling bark.
Betula lenta Cherry birch, from North America, has lovely yellow autumn colour.
Cornus kousa Strawberry Dogwood, large white petal-like bracts and edible fruits.
Corylus ferrox (fierce) purported parent of family Betulaceae.
Eucalyptus viminalis, transports huge amount of water to leaves 80-120 litres per day, tap root 6ft down, lateral roots 100ft spread, regrows when cut or burnt down, fruit is capsule.
Ilex limii from China, does not look like a holly, this specimen is the only one known in cultivation outside China.
Larix griffithii Sikkim Larch from E Himalayas and Tibet, has long drooping branchlets and downy shoots which turn reddish-brown the second year, cones long with exposed arching bracts.
Picea several unusual spruces from around the world, some brought to Ness by modern day plant collectors, others procured via the ‘Index Seminum’, a system of seed exchange by Botanical Gardens worldwide.
P. alquociana from Japan.
P. brachytyla, a Wilson introduction, this tree comes from seed collected in the wild from Emei Shan (Mt. Omei) in Sichuan Provence, China, by Keith Rushforth and bears an abundance of purple cones in spring.
P. englmanii var mexicana, from Mexico, Arizona and New Mexico is another endangered tree, rare in the wild and in cultivation. Its dense forward pointing needles are not as glaucous as those of P. chihuahuana.
Picea chihuahuana from Mexico, endangered in the wild, rare in cultivation, dense, radiating, glaucous needles, tolerant of both heat and cold.
Pinus monophylla Singleleaf pinyon or Pinyon pine from Southern California, Edinburgh Rare Conifer Project the principal source of American pinenuts. Single needles are rounded as are 2, 3 and 5 needles of other pines when put together; a few single leaves may split into pairs by 2nd year. No wing to seeds. (Ronald Lanner , Pinyon Pine).
Pinus pinea Stone pine, from Mediterranean Europe, classic umbrella shape, source of pinenuts in Europe.
Pinus sylvestris ssp mongolica collected in wild from Siberia by Hugh McCallister. Comparing this to P. sylvestris, it has smooth grey-green shoots, pale brown winter buds and longer leaves up to 12cm (Scot’s pine 4-7cms),
Platycarya strobilacea, related to walnuts (Juglans), wingnuts (Pterocaya) and hickories (Carya), all have compound leaves. Platycarya have strobiles or cones hence species name; flowers are plumes of upright catkins.
Poncirus trifoliata Japanese Bitter Orange from S Korea. Fruit is a type of berry, Hesperidum, with a leathery rind and thick pith.
Quercus robur planted in memorium for Vera Gordon.
Sorbus matsumurana from Japan has big curved buds
Sorbus olivacea from China, has pink berries and pale foliage.
Sorbus rosea was introduced into cultivation through Ness, wild sourced from Gillgit, Pakistan, berries white turning pink.
