Category Archives: plants

Beautiful but deadly – the plant with a dark side

Posted on May 15, 2019 by

Rhododendron may appear beautiful – but one type of this impressive looking plant is posing a deadly threat to Scotland’s rainforest plants and lichens. Rhododendron ponticum, a majestic shrub with its early summer explosions of bright pink blooms, is a … Continue reading →

Posted in invasive non-native species, plants, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , ,

The Graips of Sloth: the List of Winter Gardening Don’ts & Dos

Posted on February 5, 2019 by

This week, our gardener at our Battleby office, Jim Carruthers, shares some great tips on what to do – and NOT to do – to keep our gardens in good shape over winter.  Many are tempted to atone for the excesses … Continue reading →

Posted in battleby, gardens, plants, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , ,

Connecting people and plants

Posted on November 16, 2018 by

SNH’s Iain Macdonald was just one of around 175 people with a passion for wild plants at an unofficially record-breaking meeting in Edinburgh recently… Not long ago I was sitting in a room surrounded by botanists, probably the single largest … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, conference, Flowers, plants, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, science, SNH, Uncategorized, wild flowers | Tagged , , , , , , ,

A club where birdies are par for the course

Posted on October 16, 2018 by

In our guest blog today Billy McLachlin, course manager at Royal Troon Golf Club, tells us how they are working for wildlife on one of the world’s finest links courses. Royal Troon Golf Club is a site of international renown … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, biodiversity, Birds, citizen science, coastal, Community engagement, conservation, Flowers, plants, SSSI, Uncategorized, wildlife management | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Snails and grasshoppers on the menu at EU wild LIFE conference

Posted on September 18, 2018 by

Spiders, bees, grasshoppers, snails and other creepy-crawlies are top of the bill at an International nature conference taking place in Scotland this week. Wildlife specialists and project managers from across the European Union (EU) are meeting in Stirling for a … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, biodiversity, climate change, conference, Ecology, Flanders Moss NNR, Insects, Land management, peatland restoration, plants, Projects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

A trip to a wooded rock off the west of Scotland where the herbivores don’t go!

Posted on September 7, 2018 by

Kate Holl, SNH Woodland Adviser, recently visited a tiny island off the west coast of Scotland. The island has no herbivores such as deer, allowing the plantlife to grow wilder than anywhere else in Scotland! On a perfect summer’s morning … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Flowers, plants, trees, wild flowers, wild land, woodlands | Tagged , ,

How should you manage giant rhubarb in your garden?

Posted on August 2, 2018 by

Have you got giant rhubarb in your garden? A European-wide ban on the sale of this invasive non-native plant comes into force today. If you already have the plant, also known as Gunnera tinctoria, in your garden you can keep … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, Community engagement, conservation, Flowers, gardens, invasive non-native species, Land management, plants, Projects, Uncategorized, wild flowers, wildlife crime, wildlife management | Tagged , ,

St Cyrus’ most wild and rare

Posted on May 24, 2018 by

Simon Ritchie is the newly appointed Seasonal Reserve Assistant based at the SNH St Cyrus National Nature Reserve (NNR), north of Montrose. Growing up in the area, Simon has developed a wealth of experience, and knowledge of the reserve. As … Continue reading →

Posted in beach, beaches, biodiversity, coastal, Flowers, Marine, National Nature Reserves, plants, SNH, St Cyrus National Nature Reserve, Staff profile, Uncategorized, Volunteering, wild flowers, Year of Young People, Young people | Tagged , , ,

Are our plants changing?

Posted on June 17, 2016 by

How would you like to take part in a UK-wide project to record how our plant species are changing over time? The National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) is looking for volunteers to adopt a one km square. If you are … Continue reading →

Posted in citizen science, Community engagement, plants | Tagged , ,