The Secret Codes in Botanical Gardens
There is always a hidden language, everywhere and in everything. The Cambridge University Botanic Garden was founded in 1845 and the first plant in the…
Tag: botany
Giant Viper’s-Bugloss and Natural Navigation
Giant Viper’s-Bugloss, Echium pininana, is a tall flowering plant in the borage family, native to La Palma in the Canary Islands. It shows a strong…
Spring Starts Low in Trees
Leaves burst out earliest low down in the smallest trees and lowest branches. For more seasonal tree signs, please see How to Read a Tree.
Grass Colour and Soil Depth
The colour of grass can indicate the depth of the soil. Towards the end of summer, especially hot dry ones, the colour of the grass…
Wayfinding with Weld – Reseda luteola
Weld (Reseda luteola) is a tall, hairless biennial plant found on dry ground. It grows up to 1.5m tall and has green-yellow flowers. It thrives…
Butcher’s Broom – Ruscus aculeatus
Butcher’s broom is a dark, spiny waist-high evergreen shrub. It is a perennial plant with sharp pointed leaves. The height and prickliness gave rise to…
What’s the difference between ‘windthrow’ and ‘windsnap’ in trees?
And how can they help me find my way in the woods? Both ‘windthrow’ and ‘windsnap’ are names given by foresters to trees that have…
The Curious Phototropic Journey of the Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Keep an eye out for this marvellous plant on walls near you. The ivy-leaved toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis) is beautiful and intriguing. It grows towards the…
Phototropism and Gravitropism
There is a nice example of gravitropism and phototropism in action in this picture. Gravitropism – The orientation of a plant or other organism in…
Southern Ripening
There is no better way to get a feel for botany than to grow something from seed. By the time a plant is even a…