Hedge Planting In Whitworth Park Hedge Bed Preparation Planting - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Hedge Planting In Whitworth Park Hedge Bed Preparation Planting Hedge Plants

Wildflower Planting Mix Species A specific hedgreow wildflower mix has been selected which is able to survive initially in full sunlight and in Oxeye daisy partial shade as the hedge plants Red campion begin to grow taller and bush out. Foxglove Wood avens Field scabious Common mallow Hedgerow cranesbill Common St John’s wort Self heal Autumn hawkbit

Oxeye daisy - Chrysanthemum leucanthemum Also called Moon Daisy, Dog Daisy and Horse Daisy. Common throughout Britain and one of first flowers to colonise unsprayed grasslands. A tea of the plant is useful for relaxing the bronchials. It is diuretic and astringent, useful for stomach ulcers and bloody piles or urine. The name ‘ox - eye’ was a flattering name affectionately given to Hera , the Queen of Olympian gods in Greek mythology,

Red campion - Silene dioica Also called Adder’s flower, Robin Hood and Cuckoo flower (not be confused with the other Cuckoo flower). Its distribution is widespread but patchy. It can hybridise with the white campion to produce a flower of an intermediate colour. The first part of its scientific name, Silene, refers to Silenus, the drunken, merry god of the woodlands in Greek mythology. The second part of its scientific name, dioica , means ‘two houses’, and refers to the fact that each Red Campion plant has either all male or all female flowers. The root has also been used as a soap substitute for washing clothes, obtained by simmering the root in hot water.

Foxglove - Digitalis purpurea Foxglove is a very common plant of acidic soil, thriving in a range of habitats including open woods, moorland, heath margins and hedge banks. It is a biennial plant that occasionally lives longer than two years. The name is derived from Anglo Saxon – foxes glofa meaning glove of the fox and was perhaps associated with areas known to be inhabited by foxes. A single plant provides from one to two million seeds to ensure its propagation. The dried, powdered leaves are the source of the drug digitalis, which is used in the treatment of heart complaints. This powerful drug slows and strengthens the heart rate, and stimulates the kidneys to remove excess fluid from the body.

Wood avens – Geum urbanum Wood avens also know as Herb Bennet is a common yellow flowered perennial of woods and hedge banks throughout Britain. In folklore, Wood avens is credited with the power to drive away evil spirits, and to protect against rabid dogs and venomous snakes. It was associated with Christianity because its leaves grew in threes and its petals in fives (reminiscent of, respectively, the Holy Trinity and the Five Wounds). Modern herbalists use it to treat diarrhoea, heart disease, halitosis and mouth ulcers, and to prevent colic. Not all of these uses are supported by scientific evidence though, so don’t try it at home!

Field scabious – Knautia arvensis Also called Lady’s pincushion and Blue bonnets. It is a perennial plant that grows between 25 and 100 cm high. It prefers grassy places and dry soils, avoiding heavy soils, and flowers between July and September. The flowers vary in colour from pale lilac to purple. Scabious is derived from scabiosa herba, the herb for treating scabies. Traditionally it was used for treating scabies and other skin conditions such as the sores caused by the Bubonic plague. Its flower is highly attractive to bees and butterflies.

Common mallow – Malva sylvestris This is a common and widespread perennial of road-verges, footpaths, beaches and rough land. It can grow to bush like proportions up to four feet in height. Common Mallow is also known as Pick Cheeses because of the round shape of their seeds. The name comes from Latin malva meaning soft. In the past, the flowers were spread on doorways and woven into garlands or chaplets for celebrating May Day. The leaves, flowers and seeds of the Mallow were eaten by the Romans both for food and as a preventative medicine.

Hedgerow cranesbill – Geranium pyren Hedgerow cranesbill is part of the wild geranium family and is as the name suggests associated with hedgerows. It is most commonly found in southern and eastern England. The name cranesbill is derived from their distinctive seed cases which are shaped like a birds bill. It was first recorded in the UK in 1762.

Common St Johns Wort – Hypericum perforatum A bright perennial of open woods, rough grass and road verges. It can grow up to two feet tall and produces golden yellow flowers from June to September. Originally a plant associated with pagans the flower was burned on Mid Summer’s Day to purify communities and crops. Christians adopted the burning of the flower to commemorate the feast of St John the Baptist, hence the flower’s name, which also conveniently coincided with the date of Mid Summers Day. Traditionally the plant was used to make a poultice for healing both wounds and burns and it is still used in modern herbal medicine for this purpose.

Self Heal – Prunella vulgaris Self-heal is a perennial plant with creeping runners. It produces flowering stems to about 20cm in height. The 5-petaled purplish flowers are arranged in a leafy spike and bloom between May and October. It’s a very common plant throughout Britain and Ireland, abundant in pastures and lawns, on roadsides and waste ground; typically associated with moist, fertile soils. As the name suggests this plant has an association with healing and was traditionally used for treating cuts, sores and ulcers. The leaves were smeared with lard and applied to the affected area. It was also taken as a tea.

Autumn hawkbit – leontodon autumnalis Autumn hawkbit is an attractive, short, sometimes sprawling grassland plant. Flowers form in loose clusters and bloom from July to October. It is also known as Autumn Dandelion, Dog Dandelion and Lion's-tooth. The latter comes from the Latin scientific name which likens the cut appearance of the leaves to lions teeth. The English name derives from the mediaeval belief that hawks ate the plant to improve their eyesight. It is found in meadows and other grasslands and on roadside verges