When selecting plants, you should start by using what you already have in the garden; especially mature trees and shrubs.
Growth Shape - The way a plant grows is genetically determined. How well individual plants grow varies with:

• availability of light,
• exposure to wind,
• and competition for food and space with other plants.

So, if you wish to see your plant at its best, rather than as a plant within a hedge effect, please give it room to grow to produce its natural growth habit.

Each tree or shrub will have one of the following growth shapes:-

Columnar

These diagrams come from a very useful book called
Van den Berk on Trees
ISBN 90-807408-8-8
written to answer customer's questions over 50 years to these Dutch growers.

Oval

Broad Fan-shaped/ Broad Vase-shaped

Rounded / Spherical

Flattened Spherical

Narrow Conical / Narrow Pyramidal

Broad Conical / Broad Pyramidal

Ovoid / Egg-shaped

Broad Ovoid

Narrow Vase-shaped/ Inverted Ovoid

Fan-shaped/ Vase-shaped

Narrow Weeping

Broad Weeping

Single-stemmed Palm , cyad, or similar tree

Wild Date Palm

Multi-stemmed Palm, cyad, or similar tree

Areca Palm

The Deciduous Tree Gallery,
Evergreen Tree Gallery,
Deciduous Shrub Gallery and the Evergreen Shrub Gallery compare colour photographs of some of the following plants in thumbnail shape and larger size shape.

The following table lists these shapes for the trees in the Plant Name A to Z pages.

The overall amount of sunlight received depends on aspect, the direction your garden faces:-

North-facing gardens get the least light and can be damp

South-facing gardens get the most light

East-facing gardens get morning light

West-facing gardens get afternoon and evening light

Sun Aspect,
Soil Type,
Soil Moisture,
Plant Type and
Height of Plant
are used in the
Plant Photo Galleries
in the comparison of thumbnail photos

Surface soil moisture is the water that is in the upper 10 cm (4 inches) of soil, whereas root zone soil moisture is the water that is available to plants, which is generally considered to be in the upper 200 cm (80 inches) of soil:-

• Wet Soil has Saturated water content of 20-50% water/soil and is Fully saturated soil
• Moist Soil has Field capacity of 10-35% water/soil and is Soil moisture 2–3 days after a rain or irrigation
• Dry Soil has Permanent wilting point of 1-25% water/soil and is Minimum soil moisture at which a plant wilts
• Residual water content of 0.1-10% water/soil and is Remaining water at high tension
• Available Water Capacity for plants is the difference between water content at field capacity and permanent wilting point

Sun Aspect:-

• Full Sun: At least 6 full hours of direct sunlight. Many sun lovers enjoy more than 6 hours per day, but need regular water to endure the heat.
• Part Shade: 3 - 6 hours of sun each day, preferably in the morning and early afternoon. The plant will need some relief from the intense late afternoon sun, either from shade provided by a nearby tree or planting it on the east side of a building.
  Dappled Sun - DS in Part Shade Column: Dappled sunlight is similar to partial shade. It is the sun that makes its way through the branches of a deciduous tree. Woodland plants and underplantings prefer this type of sunlight over even the limited direct exposure they would get from partial shade.
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight each day, with filtered sunlight during the rest of the day. Full shade does not mean no sun.

Chalky alkaline soils are derived from chalk or limestone with a pH of 7.1 or above.
Clay soils swell and shrink as they wet and dry.
Lime-Free soils are acidic and without chalk.
In poorly drained soils (50 % solid materials and about 50 % pore space), most of the pore space is filled with water for long periods of time, leaving too little air.
Light sandy soils dry out quickly and are low in nutrients.

Plants required for different garden sites:-

• Acid Site - An acid soil has a pH value below 7.0. Clay soils are usually acid and retentive of moisture, requiring drainage. The addition of grit or coarse sand makes them more manageable. Peaty soil is acidic with fewer nutrients and also requires drainage.
• Alkaline Soil - An alkaline soil has a pH value above 7.0. Soils that form a thin layer over chalk restrict plant selection to those tolerant of drought.
• Back of Shady Border
• Bank / Slope problems include soil erosion, surface water, summer drought and poor access (create path using mattock to pull an earth section 180 degrees over down the slope). Then, stabilise the earth with 4 inches (10cms) depth of spent mushroom compost under the chicken wire; before planting climbers/plants through it.
• Bee Pollinated Plant instead of wind-pollinated plant. This prevents the pollen from being blown into faces of hay fever sufferers.
  Bloom per Month
  Blooms Nov-Feb
  Blooms Mar-May
  Blooms Jun-Aug 1, 2
  Blooms Sep-Oct
  
  0-24 inches
  (0-60 cms)
  24-72 inches
  (60-180 cms)
  Above 72 inches
  (180 cms)
• Bog Garden requires plants that prefer water in the soil round their roots.
• Cold Exposed Inland Site is an area that is open to the elements and that includes cold, biting winds, the glare of full sun, frost and snow - These plants are able to withstand very low temperatures and those winds in the South of England.
• Crevice Garden
• Containers in Garden
• Dust and Pollution Barrier 1, 2 - Plants with large horizontal leaves are particularly effective in filtering dust from the environment, with mature trees being capable of filtering up to 70% of dust particles caused by traffic. Plants can also help offset the pollution effects of traffic. 20 trees are needed to absorb the carbon dioxide produced by 1 car driven for 60 miles.
• Front of Border / Path Edges - Soften edges for large masses of paving or lawn with groundcover plants. Random areas Within Paths can be planted with flat-growing plants. Other groundcover plants are planted in the Rest of Border.
• Edibles in Containers
• Hanging Basket
• Seaside Plants that deal with salt-carrying gales and blown sand; by you using copious amounts of compost and thick mulch to conserve soil moisture.
• Sound Barrier - The sound waves passing through the plant interact with leaves and branches, some being deflected and some being turned into heat energy. A wide band of planting is necessary to achieve a large reduction in the decibel level.
• Trees for Lawns
• Trees for Small Garden
• Windbreak - By planting a natural windbreak you will create a permeable barrier that lets a degree of air movement pass through it and provide shelter by as far as 30 times their height downwind.
• Woodland ground cover under the shade of tree canopies.
  The plants normally selected by most landscapers and designers are by nature low-growing, rampant, spreading, creep-crawly things and yet the concept of ground cover demands no such thing. The ideal description of a groundcover plant includes:-
  • a bold dense mass of leaves completely covering the ground most of the year; evergreens gain gold stars.
  • They should require little or no maintenance - if you have to give the plant more than its share of attention, you might as well save your money and spend the time weeding.
  • use the plant on ground areas that are difficult to maintain, such as steep banks or boggy patches.
  • use the plant to cover areas where not much will grow, such as deep shade or sandy soils.
    
    Ground Cover a thousand beautiful plants for difficult places by John Cushnie (ISBN 1 85626 326 6) provides details of plants that fulfill the above requirements - this groundcover index is in the PLANTS Page Menu in Plant Selection Level 5.
    
    Using these groundcover plants in your planting scheme (either between your trees/shrubs in the border or for the whole border) will - with mulching your beds to a 4 inch depth and an irrigation system - provide you with a planted garden with far less time required for border maintenance.
    
    The groundcover list is sorted in the following pages under the following height of plant range:-
    Below 2 feet (0-24 inches (0-60 cms)) in height in
    Ground-cover List 1 Page 1, 2, 3
    
    Between 2 and 6 feet (24-72 inches (60-180 cms) in height in
    Ground-cover List 2 Page 4, 5, 6
    
    Above 6 feet (72 inches
    (180 cms)) in height in
    Ground-cover List 3 Page 7

In the case of some genera and species, at least two - and sometimes dozens of - varieties and hybrids are readily available, and it has been possible to give only a selection of the whole range. To indicate this, the abbreviation 'e.g.' appears before the selected examples ( for instance, Centaurea cyanus e.g. 'Jubilee Gem'). If an 'e.g.' is omitted in one list, although it appears beside the same plant in other lists, this means that that plant is the only suitable one - or the only readily available suitable one - in the context of that particular list.

Chalky alkaline soils are derived from chalk or limestone with a pH of 7.1 or above.
Clay soils swell and shrink as they wet and dry.
Lime-Free soils are acidic and without chalk.
In poorly drained soils (50 % solid materials and about 50 % pore space), most of the pore space is filled with water for long periods of time, leaving too little air.
Light sandy soils dry out quickly and are low in nutrients.

To locate mail-order nursery for plants from the UK in this gallery try using search in RHS Find a Plant.

To locate plants in the European Union (EU) try using Search Term in Gardens4You and Meilland Richardier in France.

To locate mail-order nursery for plants from America in this gallery try using search in Plant Lust.

To locate plant information in Australia try using Plant Finder in Gardening Australia.

Soil Moisture:-

Sun Aspect:-

Plant Location:-

Plant Name

with link to mail-order nursery in UK / Europe

Plant Names will probably not be in Alphabetical Order

Common Name

with link to mail-order nursery in USA

Flower-ing Months

Flower-ing Colour

Height x Spread in
inches (cms).
 

25.4mm = 1 inch

304.8mm = 12 inches

12 inches = 1 foot

3 feet = 1 yard

914.4mm = 1 yard

I normally round this to
30 cm = 1 foot,
90 cm = 3 feet and
100 cm = 40 inches

Plant Type
(Per = Perennial) with link to
Plant Description Page,
Companion Plants to help this plant Page,
Alpine Plant for Rock Garden Index Page
and/or
Native to UK WildFlower Plant in its Family Page in this website

Comment

AC = Acid Soil

AL = Alkaline Soil
 

AN = Any for Acid, Neutral or Alkaline Soil

FA = Grow for Flower Arrangers

FB = Front of Border
/ Path Edges

RB = Rest of Border

SP = Speciman

RG = Rock Garden

WP = Within Path

CL = Climber or Shrub grown against a wall or fence

BE = Bedding

GP = Grow in Pot / Container

HB = Grow in Hanging Basket

HE = Hedge
GC = Ground Cover
SC = Screening

TH =
Thorny Hedge

BG = Grow in Bog Area

BA = Grow on Bank / Slope

Soil:-

AN = Any Soil

SE = Seaside / Coastal Plants

CH = Chalk

EX = Cold Exposed Inland Site

CL = Clay

DP = Dust and Pollution Barrier

LF = Lime-Free (Acid Soil)

D = Dry

S = Full Sun

SO = Sound Barrier

PD = Poorly Drained
PE = Peaty

M = Moist

PS = Part Shade
DS = Dappled Sun

WI = Wind Barrier

LS = Light Sand

W = Wet

FS = Full Shade

WO = Woodland

AN

CH

CL

LF

PD

LS

D

M

W

S

PS

FS

AC

AL

AN

FA

FB
RB

BE

GP

HB

HE

SC

BG

BA

SE

EX

DP

SO

WI

WO

SP
RG

PE

DS

WP
CL

TH
GC

Fan-shaped/ Vase-shaped Tree or Shrub

AC

Acer capillipes

360 x 300
(900 x 750)

Deciduous Tree

AN

M

S

PS

AN

GC

Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala (Acer ginnala) groundcover grows on any, clay, Lime-free (Acid) or Sandy Soil.

Amur maple. Locally Invasive Species Category A in America

Apr-May

Cream

from Commons-wikimedia

336 x 300
(840 x 750)

Deciduous Tree

3-lobed leaves which turn red in autumn; cream flowers are followed by red fruit

AC

Acer palmatum 'Senkaki'

240 x 180
(600 x 450)

Deciduous Tree

AL

Amelanchier laevis

Allegheny Service-berry

240 x 240
(600 x 600)

Deciduous Tree

AL

Amelanchier lamarcki

276 x 240
(690 x 600)

Deciduous Tree

Height in inches (cms):-

25.4mm = 1 inch
304.8mm = 12 inches
12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
914.4mm = 1 yard

I normally round this to
25mm = 1 inch
300mm = 30 cms = 12 inches =1 foot,
900 mm = 3 feet = 1 yard and
1000mm = 100 cms = 1 metre = 40 inches

Site design and content copyright ©December 2006. Page structure changed September 2012. Created New Page structure and Pages before information added to those new pages. May 2015. Data added to existing pages and page structure changed December 2017. Tidied up the text format and added comparison tables January 2024. Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.  

Perryhill Nurseries sells Plants for a Purpose in these lists:-

• Clay Soils
• Chalk Soils
• Trees and Shrubs suitable for damp sites
• Plants suitable for shady places
• Plants suitable for industrial areas.

This table has been copied from
Ivydene Gardens Plants:
Plant Pruning

Pruning of
Woody Plants in Groups 1 - 13 and Herbaceous Perennials in Group 14 with Ferns in Group 15 and Evergreen Perennials in Group 16.

The aim of formative pruning of a new plant is to produce a balanced framework of sturdy, well-spaced branches that permit maximum light and air to reach the entire plant. Most evergreen trees and shrubs require little formative pruning, but may need light shaping after planting (plant in Autumn) in Spring, to ensure balanced growth. Formative pruning of deciduous trees/shrubs should be carried out in the dormant season (most deciduous trees/shrubs have lost their leaves by January and do not grow new ones before March), either at or soon after planting in the Autumn. If a young shrub does not have a balanced framework, cut off the sideshoots of the main stems, then select 4 or 5 of the strongest, most evenly spaced main stems from the resulting growth to form the new framework, and cut out the rest. Some plants from pruning group 1 need only minimal pruning; these include slow-growing shrubs with an intricate, ornamental branch structure whose appearance is easily spoiled by cutting back.

Some old or overgrown shrubs - such as those that produce new shoots from the base or from old wood - may be rejuvenated by hard pruning. Renovate deciduous shrubs after flowering or when dormant in January, and evergreen shrubs in mid-Spring. Cut back up to one-third of the oldest stems close to the base. Of those that remain, cut out the weak or dead wood, then rubbing, crossing or congested stems and finally shorten the oldest by half to strong buds. Repeat the following year, cutting back the remaining old main stems.

For pruning of plants after their first year from planting in your garden; begin by removing dead, damaged or diseased wood, and then crossing shoots. If the 'normal' branch is horizontal, then cut out the vertical crossing branch. If the 'normal branch is vertical, then cut out the horizontal crossing branch. Remember to see whether the crossing branch you take out will affect the overall shape of the plant less than the other one - to make sure that you do not destroy the 'normal' shape of the plant. Then follow the respective pruning action for the Pruning Group for that plant in the following table:-

Pruning Group Number

Type of Plant

Pruning Action

When

1. e.g. Acer palmatum

Evergreen and deciduous trees/shrubs that flower on previous or current year's growth and need minimal pruning

Remove crossing shoots to maintain framework.

In late winter or early Spring, when dormant; some in late summer or early autumn to prevent sap bleeding.

2. e.g. Forsythia

Deciduous Shrubs that flower in Spring or early Summer on previous year's growth

Cut back flowered shoots to strong buds or young lower or basal growth. On established plants, cut back about 1/4 of old shoots to the base, to promote replacement growth.

Annually, after flowering.

3. e.g. Kerria

Deciduous shrubs that flower in Spring or early Summer on previous year's growth, and produce new growth at or near ground level.

Cut back flowered shoots to young sideshoots or to strong buds low down on branch framework, to encourage new growth.

Annually, after flowering

4. e.g. Hydrangea macrophylla

Deciduous shrubs that flower in mid to late Summer or Autumn on previous year's growth.

Trim off last season's flowerheads to the first bud beneath each flowerhead. With established plants, cut back about 1/4 of old shoots to the base, to promote replacement growth.

Annually, from early to mid-Spring.

5. e.g. Prunus triloba

Deciduous shrubs that flower between late Winter and early Spring on previous year's growth.

Cut back all stems to strong buds or to developing shoots close to the base of the plant, to promote replacement growth.

Annually, after flowering

6. e.g. Buddleja davidii

Deciduous shrubs that flower in mid to late Summer or Autumn on current year's growth.

Cut back to low permanent framework. For Sub-Shrubs, and for drastic renovation, cut back all flowered stems close to the base.

Annually, as buds begin to swell in early spring.

7. e.g. Cornus alba

Deciduous trees and shrubs that, when pruned hard, produce colourful winter stems, or large or brightly hued foliage, as ornamental features. Plants that flower on previous year's wood do not bloom if pruned this way.

Cut back all stems to within 2 or 3 buds of the base, or to the permanent framework. Feed or apply well-rotted farmyard manure, and mulch to compensate for loss of wood.

Annually, in early Spring.

8. e.g. Camellia, Rhododendron

Evergreen shrubs that flower between Winter and early Summer on previous or current year's growth, and need minimal pruning.

Trim or lightly cut back shoots that spoil symmetry. Dead-head regularly if practical (unless fruit is required).

Annually, after flowering. Remove dead and damaged growth in mid-Spring.

9. e.g. Eucryphia

Evergreen shrubs that flower between mid-Summer and late Autumn on previous or current year's growth, or that bear insignificant flowers, and that need minimal pruning.

Trim or lightly cut back shoots that spoil symmetry. Shrubs grown for foliage often tolerate harder pruning. Dead-head regularly if practical (unless fruit is required).

Annually, or as necessary, from mid to late Spring.

10. e.g. Calluna, Erica, Lavandula

Evergreen shrubs that flower on previous year's growth in Spring or early Summer, or on current year's growth in late Summer or Autumn. (Tree heathers require only minimal pruning).

Cut back flowered shoots to within 1" (2.5cm) of previous year's growth.

Annually:

• after flowering, if flowering on previous year's growth.
• in early or mid-Spring, if flowering on current year's growth.

11. e.g. Akebia, Clematis montana

Vigorous, deciduous and evergreen climbers that flower on previous or current year's growth, and need no regular pruning.

Trim to fit available space; carry out renovation pruning as needed

Annually, or as needed:

• after flowering, if flowering on previous year's growth.
• in late Winter or early Spring, if flowering on current year's growth.

12. e.g. Solanum crispum

Less vigourous, deciduous and evergreen climbers that flower on previous or current year's growth.

"Spur prune" by cutting back side-shoots to within 4 buds of it's main stem. Thin out overcrowded shoots by unravelling every branch onto the ground. Then, retie the main branches to its support - this could be chainlink fencing from 24 to 60 inches (60-150 cms) with twine not with plastic, metal or rubber. Then starting at the base, inspect each sub-branch and tie it to the climber support. Then tie the next one if there is room; if not cut it back to within 4 buds of its connection to its parent branch. And carry on up that sub-branch, until all its sub-branches have been dealt with. Then repeat the process on the next main branch system, until all the branch structure has been retied. You will end up with a lot more flowers and a better looking climber. This complete process may well need to be done every 2 or 3 years, so that you do not end up with a thick mass of twigs and a leafy climber on the outside after 4 to 5 years.

Annually:

• after flowering, if flowering on previous year's growth.
• in late Winter or early Spring, if flowering on current year's growth.

13. e.g. Ceanothus

Wall trained, deciduous and evergreen shrubs that flower on previous or current year's growth.

Cut back flowered shoots to within 4 buds of permanent framework. Trim outward-facing shoots and those growing towards the wall.

Annually:

• after flowering, if flowering on previous year's growth.
• in late Winter or early Spring, if flowering on current year's growth.

14. e.g.

Herbaceous perennials.

Apply top dressing of bone meal.

The plants produce vigorous shoots. When the plant is one-third of its final height, pinch out the weak shoots.

Cut shoots down to the base, and remove dead and faded growth and weeds. Divide perennials every 4 years to maintain vigour and replant the divided portions elsewhere in the garden. To appreciate grasses and other plants during the Winter, delay cutting and mulching until early Spring. Apply a 4 inch deep mulch of organic matter such as Spent Mushroom Compost or Bark.

Apply bone meal in early Spring after rain.

Each Spring

Every Autumn

15. e.g.

Ferns

Remove old fronds. Divide every 4 years to maintain vigour. Apply top dressing of bone meal and apply a 4 inch deep mulch of organic matter such as Spent Mushroom Compost or Bark.

Each Spring

16. e.g.

Evergreen perennials

Apply top dressing of bone meal.

Remove dead and faded growth and weeds. Divide perennials every 4 years to maintain vigour and replant the divided portions elsewhere in the garden. To appreciate grasses and other plants during the Winter, delay cutting and mulching until early Spring. Apply a 4 inch deep mulch of organic matter such as Spent Mushroom Compost or Bark.

Apply bone meal in early Spring after rain.
Every Autumn

17. e.g. Bamboo

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY PLANTING TREES TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, UNLESS YOU WANT AN IMPENETRABLE CONTINUOUS HEDGE

• "How Much Room Should I Allow?
  With all these considerations, when you are looking for trees to plant, look at the final sizes listed for them and then get out into the garden with a measure, to see how much room you really have, considering all the things we have talked about here. Look at the places you were thinking of planting and consider the following distances.
  To protect foundations, sewers and drains, allow the following spacings:
  • Small trees, such as flowering dogwoods, magnolia, or smaller conifers – allow 10 feet.
    • Medium-sized trees, such as fruit trees, birch trees, or larger Japanese maple – allow 20 feet
    • Large-trees, like sugar maple, oaks, Gingko, or flowering pear – allow 30 to 50 feet
    • Large, aggressive trees like poplars, silver maple or willows – allow 100 feet
• Distance From Buildings and Other Trees
  There are other factors worth considering when planting near your home, besides protecting foundations. First there is visual scale. A typical two-story home, with a pitched roof is 20 to 25 feet tall. Many trees, evergreen or deciduous, will grow 60 to 80 feet tall, and right alongside your home that is going to look pretty silly. Besides that, overhanging branches can break, causing roof damage, or if the whole tree comes down in a storm it will demolish most of your home. Far better to plant trees that grow no more than 40 feet tall within a 20 feet radius around your home. Keep those larger trees further away, where you can see and admire their beauty, without any risk.
  Consider too the width of the tree. As a rule of thumb, if you half the width listed for a mature tree, that should be the minimum distance away from the house – even then the branches will in time touch the windows. So a better rule would be two-thirds of the listed width. That is also a good rule for spacing trees apart, if you want them to retain their individual identity. Trees planted close together make a nice forest, but that may not be the garden style you had in mind!"
• View these pages for further details -
  Without replacing Soil Nutrients, the soil will break up to only clay, sand or silt ,
  Subsidence caused by water in Clay and
  Use water ring for trees/shrubs for first 2 years.
  
   

Outside the shop of Gillingham Street Angels in Chatham, Medway Council has installed a new tree in a 2 x 2 metre area with stakes. Photo taken on 30 june 2023 by C. Garnons-Williams.

Some material was placed in that 2 x 2 metre area after the tree was planted and then a wacker plate was used to vibrate that material down at 3.2 metres per second with 520 Kg per square metre pressure right up to the trunk of the new tree. Any tree roots under that would have been crushed by that vibrating 1146 pound pressure, which is more than half a ton.


When planting these trees in the next 2 years, try not to kill every one.
Soil for plants must have air in it for the roots to use to go places; so do not use waker plates to kill them off. I hope that this process of hammering down the earth for each of the new tree roots in Medway will not be repeated to waste the £125,000 funded by the Forestry Commission's Urban Tree Challenge Fund with its matched funding of £125,000 from Medway Council and the £115,000 from the Local Authority Tree Fund over the next 2 years from 2 December 2022.

WHY IS THERE NO MEMBER OF THE MEDWAY STAFF OR ITS HIRED CONTRACTORS WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT PLANTS AND WHO ALLOWS THIS, AND
THE NEGLECT OF THE OTHER TREES IN THE CHATHAM HIGH STREET THAT ARE NOW BEING CUT DOWN DUE TO NEGLECT IN ALLOWING THE PROTECTIVE METAL STRUCTURES ROUND THEM TO BE GROWN INTO BY THOSE TREES WHICH THEN KILLS THE TREES?

Unfortunately the material that was pressured down was not soil, because on Thursday 25 May 2023, I saw that tarmac had been laid on top of that material in the 2 x 2 metre area right up to the trunk of the new tree.
Did you know that is also what Guernsey did in September 2019?
This stops water etc as detailed in point 10 below from interacting with the crushed roots of that tree, so that the

• Forestry Commission,
• Medway population who are funding this £125,000 matched funding and
• the Local Authority Tree Fund
  will be very grateful to Medway Council in wasting their funds by planting trees and then proceeding to kill them.
  
  
  This copy of point 7 comes from the Home page:-
  7. 166 trees in the pavements in a short section of a road in Funchal, Madeira are being slowly, starved, dehydrated, asphyxiated, poisoned by tarmac and concrete, burnt inside their hollow trunks, roots pounded by 40 ton lorries or shoes of pedestrians, and allowed to rot until killed off during February 2019 (see information in Problems with trees in pavements in Funchal, Madeira in January/February 2018 Page, which appears to have had no effect) as shown by my 433 photos in the following pages:-
  • Death of tree roots and
    • Death of tree trunks/branches caused by people.
    • Solution to problems for trees caused by people using irrigation -
      Growth of Pollarded Tree in Hotel Garden in 1 year provides a water solution to this destruction.
    • Damage to Tree Trunks 1, 2, 3, 4 caused by people,
    • Damage to Tree Roots caused by people,
    • Area of Open Ground round trees,
    • New Trees in pavements 1, 2,
    • Irrigation of current trees,
    • Watersprouts on trees,
    • Crossing Branches in trees,
    • Utility Equipment with tree Foliage,
    • Lights on trees,
    • Bycycle Lane in Pavement,
    • Public Gardens alongside pavements,
    • Hotel/Private Gardens alongside pavements,
    • Current Permeable Pavement Surface round trees and
    • Irrigation and Fertilising of trees. "Understanding Fern Needs
      Ferns have the same basic growing requirements as other plants and will thrive when these are met. There is nothing mysterious about the requirements - they are not something known only to people with green thumbs - but the best gardeners are those who understand plant requirements and are careful about satisfying them.
      What, then, does a fern need?
    • All plants need water. Water in the soil prevents roots from drying, and all mineral nutrients taken up by the roots must be dissolved in the soil water. Besides water in the soil, most plants need water in the air. Adequate humidity keeps the plant from drying out. Leaves need water for photosynthesis and to keep from wilting.
    • All green plants need light to manufacture food (sugars) by photosynthesis. Some plants need more light than others, and some can flourish in sun or shade. Most ferns, however, prefer some amount of shade.
    • For photosynthesis, plants require carbon dioxide, a gas that is exhaled by animals as waste. Carbon dioxide diffuses into plants through tiny pores, called stomata, that abound on the lower surface of the leaves. In the leaf, carbon dioxide is combined with the hydrogen from water to form carbohydrates, the plant's food. This process takes place only in the presence of light and chlorophyll, a green pigment found in plant cells. To enhance growth, some commercial growers increase the carbon dioxide level in their greenhouses to 600ppm (parts per million), or twice the amount typically found in the air.
    • Plants need oxygen. The green plants of a plant do not require much oxygen from the air because plants produce more oxygen by photosynthesis than they use. The excess oxygen liberated from the plants is used by all animals, including humans. What do plants do with oxygen? They use it just as we do, to release the energy stored in food. We use energy to move about, to talk, to grow, to think - in fact, for all our life processes. Although plants don't talk or move much, they do grow and metabolize and must carry on all their life processes using oxygen to release the stored energy in their food.
    • Roots need air all the time. They get it from the air spaces between the soil particles. Overwatering displaces the air between soil particles with water, thereby removing the oxygen needed by the roots. This reduces the root's ability to absorb mineral nutrients and can foster root-rot. These gases need free access to the roots:-
    • Nitrogen Cycle -
      Nitrogen is the most commonly limiting nutrient in plants. Legumes use nitrogen fixing bacteria, specifically symbiotic rhizobia bacteria, within their root nodules to counter the limitation. Rhizobia bacteria fix nitrogen which is then converted to ammonia. Ammonia is then assimilated into nucleotides, Amino Acids, vitamins and flavones which are essential to the growth of the plant. The plant root cells convert sugar into organic acids which then supply to the rhizobia in exchange, hence a symbiotic relationship between rhizobia and the legumes.
    • Oxygen Cycle -
      No nutrient absorption occurs at the root zone unless oxygen is present.
    • Carbon Dioxide -
      Plant roots uptake carbon dioxide to provide carbon for parts of the foliage.
    • Plants need minerals to grow properly. The minerals are mined from the soil by the plant's root system. If a certain mineral is missing, such as calcium needed for developing cell walls, then the plant will be stunted, discoloured, or deformed.
    • Some plants tolerate a wide range of temperatures, whereas others are fussy. If the temperature is too high or low, the machinery of the plant will not operate satisfactorily or will cease entirely.
    • The basic needs of plants are not hard to supply, but growing success depends on attending to these needs with care and exactitude. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of these requirements, with the exception of mineral needs, which are discussed in Chapter 5."
    • You can see further damage done to trees in pavements in Madeira in these pages:-
      Pavements of Funchal, Madeira
      Damage to Trees - Pages
      1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
      6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
      11, 12, 13
      for trees 1-54,
      14, 15,
      16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
      21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
      for trees 55-95,
      26, 27, 28, 29, 30,
      31, 32, 33, 34, 35,
      36, 37,
      for trees 95-133,
      38, 39, 40,
      41, 42, 43, 44, 45,
      for trees 133-166
      
      
      
      Let us repeat point 10:-
      10. Since I was adding to the 97 out 706 ferns to the Fern Gallery, I thought you might be interested in the following to explain why the current treatment of growing plants in pavements in Madeira is lacking in care:-
      
      This row gives a very clear overall description of the
      Cultural Needs of Plants
      from Chapter 4 in Fern Grower's Manual by Barbara Joe Hoshizaki & Robbin C. Moran. Revised and Expanded Edition. Published in 2001 by Timber Press, Inc. Reprinted 2002, 2006. ISBN-13:978-0-88192-495-4.

By the bus stop for the 145 after the George Pub on City Way, Rochester, there is a mature tree killed by honey fungus. A few yards away, there is a new building being built with a great deal of heavy steelwork. The lorries bringing that steel do not put down supporting trackways and so the pavement had 2 deep indentations in it. The roots of this mature tree were in that area and would have been broken by this and that is where the honey fungus got in. Having infected that tree and killed it off, the fungus went up about 20 yards to a pollarded tree that had been knocked to a 45 degree angle by a heavy duty motor vehicle and infected that as well. When Medway Council sent repairers to relay the pavement tarmac, I informed them about the trees. The dead trees have not been removed and so that honey fungus will continue up and down City Way on the grass and tree verge between the road and the tarmac pavement, and into the gardens along that side.

Like the new trees that had died of disease in a car park of a new Aldi store in Gillingham, nothing was done about them by Medway Council for about a year, while Aldi continued to sell garden trees from the same car park area.

Perhaps it might make sense if all the trees under the protection of Medway Council were identified, put onto a map and their details held in a database and what happens to each in each year. Then have a department to look after them on a continuing basis. Unfortunately Medway trees are only dealt with when they have died or in the case of trees in Chatham High Street where the trunk has exceeded the space within the metal fence surrounding it and the metal has entered the trunk - once a circle of metal has gone into the trunk then the 1 cell thick cambium layer has been breached and everything above it dies. Because nobody has stopped this from happenning, good mature trees have been killed off by neglect due to no maintenance staff.

TABLE A with white background column

Pre July 2022, the
Evergreen Perennials used this
gallery only.

The Evergreen Perennials have

• Plant Description Pages
• their flower colour compared in a 7 Flower Colour per month Gallery
• their Flower Shape compared in a Gallery, and
• their Plant Use compared in another Gallery

The following Column cells with White Background explains the above process in this table.
The next 2 tables (TABLE B and TABLE C) support this explaination.

If both 'Evergreen Perennials' and
'Every Plant detailed in this website' use the same Flower Colour per Month Gallery or
flower shape table,
then the 2 cells are joined together)

This TABLE A will be appended to every page
(TABLE B and TABLE C will be appended
only to the site map pages)
comparing Evergreen Perennials in
the following galleries:-

P-Evergreen A-L Evergreen Perennial
Plant Descriptions
P-Evergreen M-Z Evergreen Perennial
Plant Descriptions .

Evergreen Perennial for 7 flower colours per month .

Evergreen Perennial Flower Shape for
Evergreen Perennial Flower Shape .

Evergreen Perennial Plant Use .
 

TABLE A with yellow background column

Post July 2022, then
'Every plant detailed in this website' will also use this gallery.

Every Plant detailed in this website has

• Plant Description Pages or row in a table
• their flower colour compared in a 7 Flower Colour per month Gallery
• their Flower Shape compared in a Gallery, and
• their plant Use compared in another Gallery

The following Column cells with Yellow Background explains the above process in this table.
The next 2 tables (TABLE B and TABLE C) support this explaination

If both 'Evergreen Perennials' and
'Every Plant detailed in this website' use the same Flower Colour per Month Gallery or
flower shape table,
then the 2 cells are joined together)

This TABLE A, TABLE B and TABLE C will be appended only to the site map pages in the remaining galleries and to the site map pages comparing 'Every Plant detailed in this website' in the following galleries:-

Plants detailed in this website by Botanical Name as shown in the next row,
Wildflowers detailed in their Common Name and Botanical Name in the second row down, and the third row down shows even more.

Evergreen Perennial 7 flower colours per month .

Wildflower Flower Shape for
Flower Shape .

Evergreen Perennial Flower Shape for Plant Use .
 

Their Plant Description Pages in

...P-Evergreen A-L

...P-Evergreen M-Z
with the following
Evergreen Perennial and Alpine Evergreen Index Pages
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L, M, N,
O, P, Q, R, S, T, U,
V, W, X, Y, Z ,
 

Their Plant Description Page or row in

Plants detailed in this website by
Botanical Name
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L, M, N,
O, P, Q, R, S, T, U,
V, W, X, Y, Z ,

Continuing from October 2023
All
use of plants will be compared in Evergreen Perennial Flower Shape Gallery,
Flower colour/month in Evergreen Perennial Gallery and
Flower Shape in Wildflower Flower Shape Gallery

The process below provides a uniform method for
comparing every plant detailed in the following galleries with
the ones already compared in the relevant plant gallery
from the last list of plant galleries in this cell:-

These are the galleries that will provide the plants to be added to their own Extra Index Pages

• Bee plants for hay-fever sufferers -
  The Index and Flower Colour per month plants are detailed in the Yellow background of Table 4 in the next Table on the right.
  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O,
  P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, XYZ
  The Header Row for the above Extra Indices pages is the same as used in the 1000 Ground Cover A of Plants Topic:-
  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N,
  O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, XYZ
• Plants that grow in Chalk -
  A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N,
  O, P, QR, S, T, UV, WXYZ ,
• Rock Garden and Alpine Flowers -
  A, B, C, D, E, F, G,H, I, J, K, L, M,
  NO, PQ, R, S, T,UVWXYZ ,
• Bulbs from the Infill Galleries see Hardy Bulbs, Half-hardy Bulbs, etc in the previous column of this table.
  
  Also, the plants detailed
  in the yellow background of Table 1 in the next table on the right.
  
  Also the plants detailed in
  All Plants Index Gallery
  in the aquatic colour background of Table 1 in the next table on the right.
• The complete Camera Photo is displayed on the screen as detailed in Table 6 below in the previous column
• Climber in 3 Sector Vertical Plant System as detailed in Table 8 in the next table on the right
• Plants with Sense of Fragrance from Roy Genders as detailed in the yellow background of Table 7 in the next table on the right
• Lists from from Landscaping with Perennials by Emily Brown. She is writing about perennials in America as detailed in the yellow background of Table 2 in the next table on the right