Plants are an essential part of the McArthurglen sites and help us all to feel better and be happier.

Urban Planters and McArthurGlen wanted to help share some informative and easy to understand details of some of the plants we use around the centre you are visiting today. Looking at the plants around you, can you identify which location you are in?

If you have any questions about the plants on site please visit the McArthurGlen Guest Services and they will be more than happy to assist you. Enjoy the planting and thank you for taking the time to learn about our plants.

Location 1

Laurus nobilis

Plant info: Low maintenance, slow growing evergreen shrub or small tree of densely pyramidal-oval habit. Known for its aromatic leathery leaves which are often used in French and other Mediterranean cookery. Small green/yellow flowers bloom in spring. It is a great container plant and essential in the herb garden.

Fact: Laurus nobilis is one of the oldest shrubs, introduced at least as early as 1650.
Native to: Northern Africa, Western Asia and southern Europe.

Location 2

Ceanothus Blue Mound

Plant info: Ceanothus flower for around six weeks from late spring to early summer, although some bloom from July or August, and some varieties bear white or pink flowers.

Fact: The flowers are extremely attractive to pollinators, also known as ‘Californian lilac’ or ‘Soap Bush’.
Native to: North America.

Lavandula angustifolia

Plant info: A very popular and aromatic plants which are very easy to grow.

Fact: Lavenders are used at Cheshire Oaks as they are incredibly popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinating species.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Cistus argenteus

Plant info: This is particularly free flowering and forms a neat mound, with a profusion of delicate, papery, silvery-pink flowers.

Fact: They benefit from a liquid feed after flowering.
Native to: Rocky parts of the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.

Location 3

Ceanothus Blue Mound

Plant info: Ceanothus flower for around six weeks from late spring to early summer, although some bloom from July or August, and some varieties bear white or pink flowers.

Fact: The flowers are extremely attractive to pollinators, also known as ‘Californian lilac’ or ‘Soap Bush’.
Native to: North America.

Lavandula angustifolia

Plant info: A very popular and aromatic plants which are very easy to grow.

Fact: Lavenders are used at Cheshire Oaks as they are incredibly popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinating species.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Cistus argenteus

Plant info: This is particularly free flowering and forms a neat mound, with a profusion of delicate, papery, silvery-pink flowers.

Fact: They benefit from a liquid feed after flowering.
Native to: Rocky parts of the Mediterranean and Canary Islands.

Location 4

Phormium ‘Bronze Baby’

Plant info: Phormium is a beautiful, structural plant that is low maintenance and makes a impact, also available in tropical green for contrast.

Fact: In hot summers, tubular red flowers will pop up from the centre which are then followed by robust seed-heads.
Native to: New Zealand.

Rosmarinus officinalis

Plant info: These beautiful evergreens have filled our gardens with their invigorating scent for generations. Bees and butterflies love rosemary’s rich scent. Furthermore, this herb’s long flowering season is ideal when it comes to helping bees to fill their hives with honey.

Fact: Mosquitoes, black flies, and other outdoor party-crashers are repelled by this fragrant herb which is positive in keeping these pests away.
Native to: The hills along the Mediterranean, Portugal and Northern Spain.

Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’

Plant info: a grassy, evergreen sedge with long golden leaves. It’s ideal for growing in perennial container displays as a foil for brightly coloured flowers, and also looks good planted beside ponds or at the edge of borders.

Fact: There is over 2000 different varieties of this plant.
Native to: Japan.

Location 5

Viburnum tinus

Plant info: A dense, evergreen shrub with dark and oval, glossy leaves, which contrast beautifully with fragrant pinkish-white flowers, followed by dark black fruit, perfect for adding winter interest.

Fact: It is wild-life friendly as the blue-black fruits that showcase, attract foraging birds.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Location 8

Bergenia

Plant info: These easy-to-grow, evergreen perennials really earn their keep, making a year-round contribution to borders. Their large leathery leaves, often tinged red in winter, make attractive ground cover, while the flowers are an early bounty for pollinating insects. They combine well with other spring flowers in shade or sun.

Fact: Bergenia’s are also called Elephant’s Ears, you can see this from the large floppy leaves similar to an elephants’ ear.
Native to: Central Asia.

Verbena bonariensis

Plant info: It is best known for attracting bees, birds, butterflies and other pollinators. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers and has seeds for birds, so forms a very important part of the scheme to look after the environment here at Cheshire Oaks

Fact: Also known as Purpletop vervain.
Native to: South East Europe.

Location 9

Pinus

Plant info: Pine trees (genus Pinus) are evergreen, they produce cones that encase reproduction seeds.

Fact:  Pine trees shed their older needles in the fall season but maintain some foliage year-round.
Native to: Northern Temperature regions.

Carex

Plant info: Grown mainly for their typically evergreen leaves, which combine well with other ornamental grasses. The leaves can be pale to dark green, bright yellowish-green or bronze-purple.

Fact: What distinguishes a sedge from a grass is the flowering stems, which are triangular in cross section and solid, rather than round and hollow. 
Native to: Carex pendula is Native to the UK but other varieties can be native to Asia.

Location 9

Fatsia japonica

Plant info: A very successful shade-tolerant garden plant. The large glossy leaves make it a useful addition to tropical-type planting plans.

Fact: Also makes a beautiful house plant.
Native to: Southern Japan and Southern Korea.

Laurus nobilis (Bay)

Plant info: Low maintenance, slow growing evergreen shrub. Known for its aromatic leathery Small green/yellow flowers bloom in spring.

Fact: Laurus nobilis is one of the oldest shrubs, introduced at least as early as 1650.
Native to: Northern Africa, Western Asia and southern Europe.

Location 10

Phormium ‘Golden Ray’

Plant info: Phormiums are exotic-looking evergreen perennials. They offer striking, intense coloured sword-like leaves and slender flower spikes.

Fact:  In late winter and early spring it often develops a reddish-pinkish-apricot tinge that turns back to the regular colouration as the growing season progresses.
Native to: New Zealand.

Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’

Plant info: An evergreen ornamental shrub that adds a splash of warm colour to the winter garden before blooming in spring.

Fact: It’s a little sensitive to light so, if possible keep it out of the full sun, as this can cause the leaves to turn yellow.
Native to: Japan, China and Southeast Asia.

Pittosporum ‘Undulatum’

Plant info: Pittosporum are evergreen shrubs or trees with simple, leathery leaves and small, often fragrant, 5-petalled flowers.

Fact: The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Lepidoptera which means moths & butterflies.
Native to: Australia

Location 11

Betula pendula

Plant info: They can grow 15 – 25 metres in height and live for around 100 years. It is a hardy, light-demanding tree. Silver birch are used to improve soil quality. Its widely spread roots bring otherwise inaccessible nutrients into the tree, which are recycled on to the soil surface when the tree sheds its leaves.

Fact: Silver birch provides food and habitat for more than 300 insect species – the leaves attracting aphids which provide food for ladybirds and other species further up the food chain.
Native to: Europe and parts of Asia.

Location 12

Quercus (Oak)

Plant info: In Britain, oak trees host at least 280 species of insect – more than any other native tree – this is great news for our onsite biodiversity goals. These trees are protected, meaning we must have permission from the local council should we need to reduce the tree canopy or undertake other works on the tree. These trees have been here a long time before Cheshire Oaks was built.

Fact: Oak trees can live for over 1000 years, though 600 years is the average lifespan.
Native to: Europe and parts of Asia.

Location 13

Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve‘

Plant info: Beautiful and floriferous perennials which have flowers appearing on tall spires for months on end enjoy dappled shade. It is one of the single most important pollinators in the planting world.

Fact: Commonly known as the ‘Wallflower’, this nectar rich, sweet-scented flowers of the Erysimum attract both butterflies and bees, increasing biodiversity.
Native to: Southern Europe.

Hebe

Plant info: Bushy evergreen shrubs with purple, pink or white flowers in summer and sometimes in spring and autumn too. The leaves can often be variegated and tinged pink. This helps us to be earth-friendly as it will stay in all year, meaning fewer plant changes, fewer deliveries thus improving our carbon footprint

Fact: Hebe with small, scale-like leaves are called ‘Whipcord’ Hebe. Usually dense and compact, they are tougher than Hebe with larger leaves.
Native to: Australia and South America.

Phormium ‘Bronze Baby’

Plant info: Phormium is a beautiful, structural plant that is low maintenance and makes a impact, also available in tropical green for contrast.

Fact: In hot summers, tubular red flowers will pop up from the centre which are then followed by robust seed-heads.
Native to: New Zealand.

Location 14

Quercus ilex (Holly Oak)

Plant info: Quercus ilex is a large evergreen tree with black, finely cracked bark, developing a massive, rounded crown. Glossy dark green, ovate leaves, whitish beneath contrast with whitish young foliage and yellow catkins.

Fact: They are important infrastructure for wildlife habitat.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Location 15

Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ (Cherry Blossom)

Plant info: A beautiful ornamental cherry tree. In late spring it’s smothered in pale pink blossom, the foliage is green-bronze in spring and fresh green in Summer. In Autumn, the leaves turn orange and red before falling.

Fact: Commonly known as the flagpole cherry, this tree is massively popular amongst pollinators attracting them to Cheshire Oaks, improving biodiversity.
Native to: UK, Japan.

Erigeron glaucus (Sea Breeze)

Plant info: A clump-forming perennial bearing flowers with a yellow eye and white petals in summer. Green, lance-shaped leaves. Grows to 20cm high and has a spread of 30cm.

Fact: A top pollinator, attracting many pollinators including butterflies, moths particularly adore these daisies.
Native to: California.

Location 16

Heuchera villosa “Palace Purple”

Plant info: A popular heuchera is grown mainly for its distinctive foliage and looks great contrasted with other plants.

Fact: Dark wiry stems carry feathery heads of tiny white flowers which expand into rosy-bronze seed pods.
Native to: Well-drained rocky wooded slopes from Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee.

Choisya ternata

Plant info: Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange Blossom), is a very pretty, rounded, evergreen, dense shrub with aromatic, glossy leaves. Star-shaped pure white flowers bloom from late spring to early summer. It is a great plant to improve biodiversity, it is rich in nectar and is greatly appreciated by bees and butterflies.

Fact: Both the flowers and leaves have the divine fragrance of orange blossoms.
Native to: Southwestern US and Mexico.

Lavandula angustifolia

Plant info: A very popular and aromatic plants which are very easy to grow.

Fact: Lavenders are used at Cheshire Oaks as they are incredibly popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinating species.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’

Plant info: An evergreen ornamental shrub that adds a splash of warm colour to the winter garden before blooming in spring.

Fact: It’s a little sensitive to light so, if possible keep it out of the full sun, as this can cause the leaves to turn yellow.
Native to: Japan, China and Southeast Asia.

Euphorbia

Plant info: Many garden euphorbias are a staple of early summer gardens, with their acid yellow, green and bright orange shades amid the fresh foliage of the season. Others perform later in the summer, providing a vibrant contrast that mixes well with other perennials.

Fact: Commonly known as Spurges.
Native to: Euphorbia neutra is native to the Caatinga of Brazil.

Ceanothus Blue Mound

Plant info: Ceanothus flower for around six weeks from late spring to early summer, although some bloom from July or August, and some varieties bear white or pink flowers.

Fact: The flowers are extremely attractive to pollinators, also known as ‘Californian lilac’ or ‘Soap Bush’.
Native to: North America.

Location 17

Prunus lusitanica (Portuguese Laurel)

Plant info: An evergreen shrub or small tree of spreading habit, the dark red shoots bearing deep green ovate leaves. Small, fragrant white flowers form in early summer, are followed by small, dark purple fruits later in the season.

Fact: A very important species looking after our pollinating bees and butterflies at Cheshire Oaks, improving biodiversity.
Native to: Southwestern France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco.

Location 18

Crocosmia

Plant info: Crocosmias are multi-flowered perennials that come in a range of fiery colours. Easy to grow, they thrive in a range of soil types, in sun or partial shade.

Fact: They are pollinated by insects, sunbirds and the wind.
Native to: Southern and Eastern Africa.

Lavender ‘Beezee White‘

Plant info: Lavender beezee white is compact and makes a lovely low informal hedge or path edging with a wonderful fragrance.

Fact: It is a nectar haven for bees as it bears dense spikes of pure white flowers.

Native to: Southern Europe and Middle East.

Salvia nemorosa

Plant info: Salvias thrive in a sunny sheltered spots, they produce summer-long displays of spiky, nectar-rich flowers.

Fact: The species name ‘nemorosa’ means ‘of woods’, which is where the plant is typically found.
Native to: Central Europe and Western Asia.

Location 19

Lavandula angustifolia

Plant info: A very popular and aromatic plants which are very easy to grow.

Fact: Lavenders are used at Cheshire Oaks as they are incredibly popular with bees, butterflies and other pollinating species.
Native to: The Mediterranean.

Choisya ternata

Plant info: Choisya ternata (Mexican Orange Blossom), is a very pretty, rounded, evergreen, dense shrub with aromatic, glossy leaves. Star-shaped pure white flowers bloom from late spring to early summer. It is a great plant to improve biodiversity, it is rich in nectar and is greatly appreciated by bees and butterflies.

Fact: Both the flowers and leaves have the divine fragrance of orange blossoms.
Native to: Southwestern US and Mexico.

Salvia nemorosa

Plant info: Salvias thrive in a sunny sheltered spots, they produce summer-long displays of spiky, nectar-rich flowers.

Fact: The species name ‘nemorosa’ means ‘of woods’, which is where the plant is typically found.
Native to: Central Europe and Western Asia.

Euphorbia

Plant info: Many garden euphorbias are a staple of early summer gardens, with their acid yellow, green and bright orange shades amid the fresh foliage of the season. Others perform later in the summer, providing a vibrant contrast that mixes well with other perennials.

Fact: Commonly known as Spurges.
Native to: Euphorbia neutra is native to the Caatinga of Brazil.