Garden Arabis

Flower: Garden Arabis produces an attractive flush of pure white, four-petalled flowers, typically blooming from early to mid-spring (March to May). Each flower measures around 1–1.5 cm across and grows in small, loose clusters at the tips of the stems. The flowers have a delicate appearance but are surpris... Fruit: After flowering, Arabis caucasica forms long, narrow seed pods known as siliques – characteristic of the Brassicaceae family. These seed pods are slender, up to 4 cm long, and hang downwards, gradually drying out to release small seeds. The fruiting stage typically occurs from late spring into early... Leaves: The leaves form a low-growing rosette at the base, with smaller, more spaced-out leaves climbing up the stems. Basal leaves are oblong to spoon-shaped and often slightly toothed, while upper stem leaves are narrower and may clasp the stem slightly. The foliage is covered in fine hairs, giving the pl...

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Chinese Barberry

Flower: Chinese Barberry produces attractive yellow flowers in spring, typically from April to May. The flowers are small (around 6–10 mm across) and borne in drooping clusters (racemes) of 6 to 25 blooms. Each flower has six petals and a central cluster of stamens that may move in response to touch — a tra... Fruit: Following flowering, the plant forms oblong to ovoid berries that ripen to a dark blue-black by late summer or early autumn. The fruit is around 1 cm long and covered in a distinctive white bloom (a powdery coating). While mildly astringent and not commonly eaten, the berries are not considered toxi... Leaves: The leaves of Berberis julianae are leathery, evergreen, and dark green with a glossy surface. They are oblong to narrowly elliptic, usually 4–9 cm long, with sharply toothed (spiny) margins. The leaves are borne in tufts along rigid stems, which are themselves armed with three-pronged spines at eac...

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Gagnepain's Barberry

Flower: Gagnepain’s Barberry (Berberis gagnepainii) produces small, bright yellow flowers arranged in short, arching clusters (racemes) that appear in late spring, typically May to June. Each flower is around 5–7 mm across with six petals and numerous stamens. The rich colour and nectar attract pollinators,... Fruit: The fruits are oval to ellipsoid berries, about 1 cm long, ripening from green to dark purple or bluish-black by late summer. They contain a few seeds and have a sour, acidic taste. The berries persist into autumn and are eaten by birds, which help disperse the seeds. Leaves: Leaves are glossy, dark green, and leathery with a holly-like appearance. Each leaf has sharply toothed or spiny margins and is typically up to 6 cm long. The leaves are arranged alternately and often grouped in small clusters along the branches. The shrub is evergreen, retaining foliage year-round.

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Meadow Barley

Flower: Meadow Barley produces narrow, upright flower spikes 5–10 cm long, composed of closely packed spikelets with long, slender awns that give the plant a soft, bristly appearance. Flowering from June to August, each spikelet typically contains a single fertile floret with two sterile side florets. The f... Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry grain (caryopsis), like other grasses, which develops at the base of the fertile floret. When mature, the seed drops to the ground, often with parts of the bristle-like awns still attached, aiding in dispersal. Leaves: Leaves are flat, narrow, and tapering, usually 10–30 cm long. The sheaths and blades are often softly hairy. Leaf blades may have a bluish-green tint, and ligules are short and membranous.

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Wall Barley

Flower: Wall Barley produces dense, bristly spikes up to 10 cm long, composed of tightly packed spikelets with long, rough awns giving a distinctly “furry” or brush-like appearance. Flowering occurs from May to July, and like most grasses, the flowers are wind-pollinated and not visually showy. Fruit: The fruit is a typical grass grain (caryopsis) enclosed by persistent bristles and glumes. The whole spike can detach in segments, aiding seed dispersal along paths, fur, or clothing. The bristly nature makes the fruit a nuisance for dogs or livestock, sometimes getting stuck in ears or fur. Leaves: Leaves are broad for a grass, flat, and greyish-green, with rough edges. The sheaths are also rough, and the plant forms loosely tufted clumps, often less than 60 cm tall. The ligule is very short and membranous.

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Sea Barley

Flower: Sea Barley produces dense, bristly flower spikes resembling miniature barley ears, with long awns (bristle-like appendages) extending from the glumes. The flowers are wind-pollinated, typically appearing from May to July, and arranged in short, flattened spikes that break apart easily at maturity. Fruit: The fruit is a single-seeded grain (caryopsis) typical of grasses, enclosed within the husk formed by the glumes. The fruit detaches with its surrounding bristles, aiding dispersal by animals or wind. Leaves: Leaves are narrow, grey-green, and rough to the touch, with prominent sheaths. Like other barley species, the ligule is short and membranous, and the plant often grows low and tufted in habit, forming dense clumps in coastal areas.

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Wall Bedstraw

Flower: Wall Bedstraw produces tiny, greenish-white to pale yellow flowers from June to August. Each flower has four narrow, pointed petals and appears in loose, branched clusters near the top of the plant. Though individually insignificant, the flowers collectively give the plant a fine, airy appearance. T... Fruit: The fruits of Galium parisiense are small, dry schizocarps, dividing into two one-seeded nutlets. These are covered in hooked hairs, allowing them to cling to animal fur, feathers, or clothing for dispersal. The seed surface is often noticeably bristly under magnification, aiding both adhesion and w... Leaves: Leaves are very narrow (filiform) and arranged in whorls of 6 to 8 around the wiry, angled stems. They are typically rough to the touch due to minute hairs and are adapted to prevent water loss. The plant's overall appearance is wiry and highly branched, often forming loose tufts or tangled mats. It...

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Trailing Bellflower

Flower: The Trailing Bellflower is adorned with charming violet or blue-hued flowers, forming a bell-like structure with five delicate petals. These star-shaped blossoms create a visual symphony during the late spring to early summer months. The heart-shaped, bright green foliage serves as an elegant backdr... Fruit: The Trailing Bellflower does not produce conventional fruits; instead, it reproduces through seeds. After the flowering season, the plant forms seed capsules. These capsules contain small seeds, contributing to the plant's reproductive cycle. The seeds are typically dispersed when the capsules dry a... Leaves: The leaves of the Trailing Bellflower are heart-shaped, displaying a vibrant shade of green. This foliage serves as an attractive backdrop to the plant's elegant violet or blue-hued flowers. The leaves are relatively small and have a smooth texture, contributing to the overall visual appeal of the p...

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Adria Bellflower

Flower: Many violet blue, bell-shaped flowers, each is 2cm in diameter. Adria Bellflower looks quite similar to Trailing Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana) but is darker in colour. The flowers of Adria Bellflower also form a deeper bell. Pollinated by insects. Fruit: The fruit of Adria Bellflower typically consists of a dry, spherical capsule that contains tiny seeds. This capsule, when mature, will split open to release the seeds, allowing them to disperse and propagate the plant. Leaves: The leaves of Adria Bellflower are typically lance-shaped or elliptical, with a smooth, dark green appearance. They have a simple, alternate arrangement along the stem and may feature a slightly serrated or wavy edge. The leaves are typically medium-sized and are often covered in fine hairs, giving ...

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Bird-in-a-bush

Flower: Bird-in-a-bush produces dense, tubular flowers in shades of pink, reddish-purple, or occasionally white, blooming in March to April. The flowers are about 2 cm long, spurred at the back, and grow in compact, upright clusters (racemes) above the foliage. Each flower has a distinct lipped shape, chara... Fruit: The fruit is a narrow capsule (technically a silique), about 1–2 cm long, which splits open when mature to release small, roundish black seeds. These seeds are sometimes dispersed by ants (a process known as myrmecochory), as they possess fatty appendages (elaiosomes) attractive to them. Leaves: The foliage is finely divided and fern-like, with a delicate, blue-green hue. Leaves are typically three times dissected, giving a soft, feathery appearance. They arise from the base and may partially wither by the time the flowers are fully open, as the plant is ephemeral and goes dormant after blo...

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Narrow-leaved Bittercress

Flower: The flowers of Cardamine impatiens are small and white, forming loose, elongated clusters (racemes) at the top of the plant. Each flower has four petals arranged in a cross shape, typical of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Blooming occurs from May to August, with individual flowers measuring arou... Fruit: After flowering, the plant produces slender, upright seed pods (siliquae), which are 2–4 cm long and strongly resemble those of other bittercresses. When ripe, the pods are touch-sensitive and explode when disturbed—a mechanism called ballistic dispersal—scattering the tiny seeds several feet from t... Leaves: The foliage of Narrow-leaved Bittercress is distinctive, with pinnately divided leaves that are narrow and elongated. Basal leaves tend to have rounded lobes, while the upper stem leaves are more linear and finely toothed, giving the plant a delicate, almost fern-like appearance. The leaves are a mi...

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Hairy Bittercress

Flower: Hairy Bittercress produces small, white flowers with four petals arranged in a cross shape, typical of the Brassicaceae family. The flowers usually bloom from early spring through summer and grow in loose clusters atop slender, often hairy stems. Their delicate appearance attracts small pollinators ... Fruit: The fruit of Hairy Bittercress is a thin, elongated seed pod called a silique, measuring around 2 to 3 centimeters long. When mature, the pods split open explosively to scatter tiny seeds, allowing the plant to spread rapidly in gardens, lawns, and disturbed soils. Leaves: The leaves form a basal rosette at the plant’s base and are pinnate with several small, rounded leaflets that often have finely toothed edges. The stems and leaves are covered in fine hairs, giving the plant its characteristic “hairy” texture and helping distinguish it from similar species.

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Ladder Brake

Flower: Ferns do not have any flowers. They reproduce by means of spores. Fruit: The spores ripen in April and May. Leaves: The 1-pinnate leaves (fronds) are composed of paired linear leaflets. Ribbon Fern (Pteris cretica) is a similar-looking species but that has 4 to 7 pairs of leaflets whereas Ladder Brake has got 10 or more pairs of leaflets. Also, the lowest leaflet is never forked.

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Ivy Broomrape

Flower: Ivy Broomrape produces a spike of tubular, hooded flowers from June to August. The flowers are typically dull purple or brownish-violet, with paler lips and sometimes faint yellow markings. They are about 1–2 cm long and grow densely along the unbranched stem. The plant lacks chlorophyll and does no... Fruit: After pollination, the flowers develop into small, dry seed capsules that contain thousands of minute seeds. These seeds are dust-like and dispersed by wind or water, but they only germinate if they encounter the correct host plant (in this case, ivy) and environmental conditions. The capsules matur... Leaves: Ivy Broomrape has no true leaves, as it is a holoparasitic plant. Instead, it has a scaly, brownish stem devoid of green pigment. These scale-like structures are reduced leaf remnants that do not carry out photosynthesis. The plant draws all its nutrients and water from the roots of ivy, to which it...

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Buddleia

Flower: Buddleia, often called the Butterfly Bush, is renowned for its long, tapering flower spikes, which bloom from July to September. The tiny, tubular flowers are densely packed into cones that can reach up to 30 cm long. Typically purple or lilac, but also found in white, pink, and dark mauve cultivars... Fruit: After flowering, Buddleia produces elongated seed capsules that split open to release fine, dust-like seeds. These are wind-dispersed and can travel considerable distances, which explains the plant’s widespread colonisation of disturbed ground. The seeds mature in autumn and are a key reason why Bud... Leaves: The leaves are lance-shaped, grey-green on the upper side and whitish and felted underneath, giving the plant a slightly silvery look in sunlight. They grow opposite each other in pairs along the woody stems and can reach up to 20 cm long. The foliage contributes to Buddleia's resilience and drought...

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