Category Archives: plants

Mapping our species-rich grasslands

Posted on November 5, 2019 by

According to UK charity Plantlife, Britain has lost 97% of its species-rich grassland in less than a century. Hundreds of plants, fungi and invertebrate species rely on these important habitats – which in turn support healthy populations of birds and … Continue reading →

Posted in battleby, biodiversity, Cairngorms National Park, citizen science, Ecology, Flowers, Fungi, gardens, graduate placement, Habitat Map of Scotland, Land management, mapping, meadow, plants, SNH, Staff profile, Uncategorized, wild flowers, wild land, Young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bringing butterflies and bees back to Skolie Burn SSSI

Posted on September 26, 2019 by

Since starting a Community Woodland group, Ian Records’ life has changed completely – dropping leaflets, knocking on doors, writing up woodland management plans and doing flower surveys.  Here, he tells how a protected area can galvanise a local community to take action to improve their local area for people and wildlife. Continue reading →

Posted in Access, bees, biodiversity, citizen science, Community engagement, conservation, Ecology, Flowers, Insects, Land management, meadow, Orchids, plants, Projects, Scotland's Protected Places, SNH, SSSI, Uncategorized, Volunteering, wild flowers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Foraging Fortnight – a celebration of Scotland’s wild food

Posted on August 31, 2019 by

Elderberries, brambles, crab apples, hazelnuts and chanterelles are just some of the delicious wild finds of early autumn.  The first Foraging Fortnight, supported mainly by EU LEADER funding, coincides with this season of abundance – it runs from 31st August … Continue reading →

Posted in Festival, foraging, Fungi, mushrooms, Outdoor learning, plants, Rowan, SNH, Uncategorized, wild flowers, woodlands | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

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 , ,