Trees
Prunus dulcis - Almond
Corylus avellana - Hazelnut
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Corylus avellana - Hazelnut |
Uses - One of the finest temperate nuts eaten roasted or raw. The wood from hazel is also commonly used. Soft, easy to split but not very durable it is mainly used for small items of furniture, hurdles, wattles, basketry, pea sticks, etc. The tree is very suitable for coppice. The twigs can be used to feed rabbits and goats all year round The nuts also contain 65% of a non-drying oil that can be used in paints, cosmetics, etc. Finely ground seeds are used as an ingredient of face masks in cosmetics.
Biodiversity - The pollen-bearing catkins can be available to pollinators from as early as late Jan - late March. Hazel leaves provide food for the caterpillars of many moths. Hazelnuts are used by dormice to fatten up for hibernation and in spring the leaves are a good source of food for caterpillars, which dormice also eat. Hazelnuts are also eaten by woodpeckers, nuthatches, tits, wood pigeons, jays, and a number of small mammals.
Cornus mas - Cornelian Cherry
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Four seasons of Cornus mas from our home garden. |
The seeds can be roasted, ground into a powder, and used as a coffee substitute and a small amount of edible oil can be extracted from the seed. A dye is obtained from the bark and the leaves are a good source of tannin. The wood is very hard, it is highly valued by turners and has a history of use for tools, machine parts, etc. We use the twigs to feed rabbits and goats all year round.
Biodiversity - One of the earliest trees to flower, attracting a wide range of pollen and nectar-feeding invertebrates from Feb - March. We often see great tits, blue tits, and long-tailed tits in our trees during the winter. I'm not sure whether they are feeding on the buds, dried fruit or perhaps the invertebrates sheltering under the bark and crevices.
Shrubs
Chaenomeles speciosa - Japanese Quince
Species Overview - A thorny deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub native to eastern Asia, usually growing to about 2 m tall and generally exhibiting a rounded outline, but is somewhat variable in form. The plants establish a very dense crown with a tangled jumble of branches that are either spiny or with spurs. The flowers come before the leaves and are usually red, but maybe white or pink. The fruit is fragrant and looks similar to a small apple although some cultivars have much larger pear-shaped fruits. The leaves do not change color in autumn.
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Chaenomeles speciosa - Japanese Quince |
Uses - The fruits don't make great eating and are generally extremely hard but following a cold spell I found the Japanese Quince softened enough to squeeze like a lemon, and the juice being very acidic makes them an excellent alternative to lemon juice. Another plus for this fruit is that they have a delicious and somewhat addictive aroma that lingers around for a few days resembling that of pineapples, lemons, and vanilla. We leave the fruits in the car or around a room to act as a natural air freshener.
Biodiversity - The flowers are attractive to a wide range of pollen and nectar-feeding invertebrates from March- April, sometimes in February. With regular pruning the shrubs become dense providing suitable nesting habitats for birds such as wren - Troglodytes troglodytes, chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita and robin - Erithacus rubecula. The diets of these birds include some common vegetable pests and can help keep pest populations in check.
Mahonia aquifolium - Oregon Grape
Species Overview - A great little shade-tolerant evergreen shrub growing to 1 m tall by 1.5 m wide that can cope with most soils and thrive in shady spots where many other plants succumb. It is resistant to summer drought and tolerates wind. The plant produces dense clusters of yellow flowers in early spring, followed by dark bluish-black berries. Once the plant gets going it's very vigorous and produces many suckers.
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Mahonia aquifolium - Oregon Grape |
Uses - The small purplish-black fruits can be used to make jelly or juice that can be fermented to make wine. The inner bark of the larger stems and roots of Oregon grapes yield a yellow dye; the berries give purple dye. The holly-like evergreen leaves are sometimes used by florists to add to bouquets. It makes a great understory shrub for densely shaded areas.
Biodiversity - Excellent early-flowering nectar source for bees and bumblebees. The nectar and pollen may be taken by blackcaps, bluetits, and house sparrows. Berries are eaten by blackbirds and mistle thrushes. Good caterpillar food plant.
For more on this plant see our Mahonia aquifolium plant profile
Lonicera caerulea - Honeyberry
Species Overview - Honeyberry, also known as haskap, is a type of edible berry that is native to parts of Asia and Europe. It is a member of the honeysuckle family. The small cream-colored, tubular flowers appear in very early spring followed by purple fruits very early in the summer. Honeyberries have a distinctive, elongated shape and range in color from dark blue to purple. The plants are hardy and can grow in a variety of soil types, but they prefer well-drained soil and full sun and grow best in cooler climates.
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Lonicera caerulea - Honeyberry |
Biodiversity - A highly rewarding bee forage plant with attractive nectar. Preferenced by long-tongued bees, especially bumblebees. As the plants develop the dense shrub form should provide suitable refuge for a range of ground-dwelling invertebrates and small mammals.
For more info on this plant check out our Essential Guide to Probably Everything you Need to Know About Growing Honeyberry. We also have a range of excellent cultivars available from our nursery
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Regenerative Landscape Design Online Course |
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Herbs
Primula vulgaris - Primrose
Biodiversity - Primroses are one of the earliest spring flowers. They may be found flowering in warm sheltered nooks as early as the end of January, although most flower from March to May. Because they flower so early in the year, they provide a vital source of nectar at a time when there are few other flowers around for insects to feed on such as adult Brimstone butterflies which have hibernated over the winter and often emerge on warmer winter days.
For more on this plant see our Primula vulgaris plant profile
Bellis perennis - Daisy
Biodiversity - A valuable addition to grassland areas managed for wildflowers and wildlife attracting a good deal of attention from pollinators when little other forage is available.
Rumex acetosa - Sorrel
Biodiversity - The plant is pollinated by the wind so does not attract bees and other pollinators but it is noted for attracting wildlife, providing bird food via seeds and food for a wide range of invertebrates
Bulbs
Allium ursinum - Wild Garlic
Crocus vernus - Spring Crocus
Biodiversity - An important food source for some insects, such as bees and butterflies, which rely on nectar from the flowers for energy
Allium neapolitanum - Daffodil Garlic
Biodiversity: A wide range of invertebrates visit these flowers for pollen and nectar including wild micro bees, wasps, and butterflies.
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