ALMOND

ALMOND

    Almond tree (Prunus dulcis), a member of the family Rosaceae, is an economically important crop tree grown primarily in Mediterranean climates, with California producing nearly 80 percent of the world’s supply. There are two varieties, sweet almond and bitter almond. Sweet almonds are the familiar, edible type consumed as nuts and used in cooking or as a source of almond oil or almond meal. Almond trees are deciduous with a hardy dormancy. Typically growing 3–4.5 meters (10–15 feet) tall, the trees are strikingly beautiful when in flower; they produce fragrant, five-petaled, light pink to white flowers from late January to early April. Almonds are high in protein and fat and provide small amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B complex, and E.

   PINE TREE

PINE TREE

Pines are some of the best-known plants around the world. They possess huge economic importance through the timber trade and are easily identifiable due to their characteristic cone-shaped growth form and needle-like leaves. Pines can be either trees or shrubs. They are all woody, branching plants and grow into the iconic cone shape that pines are famous for. From the top of the tree or shrub, a single ring of new branches each year which creates a gradual increase in length from the newest to oldest branches.

They typically have thick bark and possess needle-like leaves and hardened cones. Most species are evergreen and their leaves are typically long-lived. Leaves of the bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva), are known to live for up to 40 years.

  BIRCH

BIRCH

Birch is deciduous tree that belongs to the family Betulaceae. There are around 60 different species of birch that grow in temperate climate around the world. Birch requires well-drained soil, enough moisture and direct sunlight for the proper growth. It usually grows near the lakes and rivers. Birch is known as pioneer species because it easily populates habitats destroyed by fire. This plant is mainly cultivated because of its ornamental morphology and high-quality wood. 

Birch is a medium-sized tree that can reach 30 to 50 feet in height. Some species may grow to the height of 80 feet under appropriate conditions. Birch has green leaves that are oval or elliptical in shape. Leaves are single or double serrated on the edges.

Bark of the birch can be white, grey, yellow, silver or black in color. Young trees have smooth bark. Deep ridges on the bark are characteristic for the older plants. Bark of almost all birch species peels off in long horizontal strips.

       IVY

IVY

Ivy, any plant of the genus Hedera, with about five species of evergreen woody vines is wonderful evergreen for shady locations. They are most useful on north and east-facing banks, under trees where grass will not grow or as an under planting between shrubs. The plant roots hold the soil, discouraging erosion and slippage on slopes. Roots grow deep and fill soil densely.

Ivy climbs almost any vertical surface with aerial rootlets (small roots along the stem).

Many small and miniature-leafed forms of English ivy are useful for small-area ground covers, hanging baskets, and training to form intricate patterns on walls and in pots.

   DOUGLAS FIR

DOUGLAS FIR

    Douglas fir (pseudotsuga) trees have long, flat, spirally arranged needles that grow directly from the branch and completely surround it. Each yellow- or blue-green needle is borne singly and has a short stalk at the base and a grooved upper surface. Winter buds are brown, shiny, and pointed. The hanging oblong cones characteristically have three-pointed bracts (outer cone scales) that protrude from the cone scales. Cones mature in one season and retain their scales when they fall. Douglas firs may reach heights in excess of 90 meters (295 feet) and have diameters of more than 4 meters (13 feet), but most contemporary stands are composed of trees that are much smaller because many old specimens have been logged. 

   APRICOT

APRICOT

Apricot, (Prunus armeniaca) is a stone fruit of the family Rosaceae closely related to peaches and plums. Apricots are cultivated throughout the temperate regions of the world, especially in the Mediterranean. They are eaten fresh or cooked and are preserved by canning or drying. The fruit is also widely made into jam. Apricots are a good source of vitamin A and are high in natural-sugar content. Dried apricots are an excellent source of iron.

Apricot trees are small and spreading, with broad ovate leaves that have pointed tips and are bright green in colour. The self-pollinated flowers are white in full bloom and borne singly or doubly at a node on very short stems. The fruits are drupes with a large, flat pit, or stone, within which is the seed. Similar in shape to a peach, the fruit is nearly smooth, round to oblong in some varieties, and somewhat flattened but with little to no hairiness when ripe. Its flesh is typically a rich yellow to yellowish orange. 

   CALLA LILY

CALLA LILY

Calla lilies contain large, arrow-shaped leaves growing on stalks but not a stem in sight. That's because this plant grows a special kind of underground stem called a rhizome. Leaves, roots, and bracts (specialized leaves that surround the flowers) grow directly from a calla lily's thick, fleshy rhizome. A calla lily's characteristic creamy white, trumpet-shaped bracts are called spathes. 

Popular in gardens, in containers, and in floral arrangements, calla lilies grow in clumps that get to be about three feet tall and two feet wide. They grow best in partial shade or full sun in rich, moist soil. Calla lilies would be a good choice for a rain garden or for bordering a pond. Although they are perennial herbs, they can’t survive back in response to dry conditions or cold weather. If the weather gets below about 10 degrees in the winter, you'll want to bring the plants inside until spring. Various cultivars and related species grow spathes that are green, yellow, pink, or maroon.

 LAVENDER

LAVENDER

Lavender, (Lavandula), genus of about 30 species of the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to countries bordering the Mediterranean. Lavender species are common in herb gardens for their fragrant leaves and attractive flowers. The plants are widely cultivated for their essential oils, which are used to scent a variety of products. The dried flowers, for example, have long been used in sachets to scent chests and closets, and the ancient Romans used lavender in their baths. Lavender is sometimes also used to flavour beverages and sweets and has a number of applications in herbal medicine. Lavenders are small evergreen shrubs with gray-green hoary linear leaves. The purple flowers are sparsely arranged on spikes at the tips of long bare stalks and produce small nutlet fruits. The fragrance of the plant is caused by shining oil glands imbedded among tiny star-shaped trichomes (plant hairs) that cover the flowers, leaves, and stems. 

  WALNUT