Galanthus Nivalis; Snow drop.

Common Name: Snowdrop

Latin Name: Galanthus Nivalis

Type: Perennial

Location: Plattfield park

Ultimate height: 25cm

Ultimate spread: 20cm

Located Galanthus Nivalis height: 20cm

Leaf Shape: Linear shaped leaf deep green in colour

Bark: Green stem

Fruit/Flowers: Fruits are small, capsule like. Flowers roughly 15-25 mm long. Internal colour of flower includes 3 segments white in colour with a central green patch. Outer flower being fully white in colour.

Distribution: Unknown but widely naturalised.

This particular Galanthus Nivalis is located in a shallow flower bed, edging an entrance road into a plot of hardscape industrial land. Their condition was surprisingly good given their limp form, intruding into the road. Amongst the plant is various evergreen shrubs dominating the flower bed. The ground conditions were dry and tough to excavate. I took a sample of lower level soil and carried out soil pH tests which read to have a pH of 7.5 indicating the soil to be ALKALINE

pH chart (GARDENERS mate)

My illustration of the Galanthus Nivalis; Snow drop

Cotoneaster Horizontalis

Latin Name: Cotoneaster Horizontalis

Type: Deciduous or Evergreen

Location: Fletcher Moss

Ultimate height: 0.5 – 1m

Ultimate spread: 1 – 1.5m

Located Cotoneaster Horizontalis height: 0.5m

Leaf Shape: Petite, ovate shaped leaves.

Bark: Mousy brown, sometimes greyish in colour.

Preferred soil type: Well-drained chalk, clay, sand or loam.  

Fruit/Flowers: White or pink coloured flowers in small clusters. Fruit being red, purple or black coloured berries.

Distribution: Native to China  

This particular Cotoneaster Horizontalis is located alongside a hard public footpath amongst various other shrubs and trees. The ground conditions were moist but very dense proving hard to excavate. I took a sample of lower level soil and carried out soil pH tests which read to have a pH of indicating the soil to be 

My illustration of the Cotoneaster Horizontalis

Ligustrum Ovalifolium; Privet

Common Name: Privet

Latin Name: Ligustrum Ovalifolium

Type: Deciduous/Evergreen

Location: St James Church, Cheshire

Ultimate height: 2.5 – 4m

Ultimate spread: 2.5 – 4m

Located Ligustrum Ovalifolium height: 40cm

Overall shape: Rectangular hedge, trimmed. 

Leaf Shape: Oval shaped, Yellow in colour.  

Bark: Stem, Green in colour

Preferred soil type: Moist but well-drained chalk, clay, sand or loam

Fruit/Flowers: Fruit being a small berry, glossy black in colour. Flowers being small, white in colour.

Distribution: Native to Japan

This particular Ligustrum Ovalifolium is located within the gardens of a church. Used as a decorative feature, trimmed into a hedge like shape. At the feet of the plant is a top layer of small sized stones used as ground cover. There were no plants in close proximity other than differing specie of shrubs in a separate bedding. Its condition was and seemed to thrive of its nutrients. The ground conditions were slightly moist and dense. I took a sample of lower level soil and carried out soil pH tests which read to have a pH of indicating the soil to be 

My illustration of the Ligustrum Ovalifolium

Picea Abies; Norway spruce

Common Name: Norway Spruce

Latin Name: Picea Abies

Type: Evergreen

Location: Chadderton

Ultimate height: 44m

Located Picea Abies height: 10 - 12m

Leaf Shape: Stiff, short needle like linear shaped leaves.

Bark: Scaled, brownish/red in colour with resinous patches in maturity.

Preferred soil type: Moist but well-drained loam, clay or sand.

Fruit/Flowers: Small male cones yellowish in colour found in clusters amongst the tip of the shoots. Female cones narrowly oval and can grow up to 18cm in length

Distribution: European Mountains

This particular Picea Abies is located at the entrance of a small car park seemingly planted as a focal point to the park. It is fairly distanced from any other differing vegetation. In close proximity is a row of the same species of tree which appear to be of the same age, connecting this particular Picea Abies to the rest, indicating these trees to be intentionally planted in a grid like pattern as a form of decorative feature. The ground conditions were dry  and quite dense. I took a sample of lower level soil and carried out soil pH tests which read to have a pH of 7.0 indicating the soil to be NEUTRAL

pH chart (GARDENERS mate)

My illustration of the Picea Abies