Help
Browsing, Copyright, Creatures, Creatures menu, Distribution maps, Icons, Images, Lists, Pick List, Plants menu, Printing, Search, Support.
Search
Type in part of the name in the box. There is no need to use capitals or complete words. Gardening with Wildlife in Mind assumes you are looking for words beginning with what you type without your having to add a 'wild card' asterisk. The name search looks through the scientific names and the common names for plants and animals. So aqu finds 'Aquilegia vulgaris', 'Ilex aquifolium' and 'Mahonia aquifolium'. Remember, you may get a few 'extras' with your selection. Holly will also find 'sea holly' and rose will list several different roses plus 'rosemary' 'rose-root' and 'Rosebay willowherb'. Similarly, gre woo finds 'great spotted woodpecker' and 'green woodpecker'.
Check the boxes to limit the selection to creatures or plants. The region drop down allows you to select only items found in any one of five regions of England - (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to come when data is received). Selecting an item from the groups drop down shows you all the creatures in the database of a particular kind like bats or seed-eating birds.
Search results
When you have made a search, the results are presented as a list. Click the thumbnail image or the name of a plant or creature to see its detail screen. If there are more than 5 items in the list you can move between pages by clicking the page or goto links above the list or by scrolling the thumbnails up or down using their arrows.
Creature screen
This page shows all the information held about a creature including an image, the common and scientific names, a description, its food, predators, prey and the plants on which it depends.
Plant screen
This page shows all the information held about a plant including an image, the common and scientific names, a description, its features: flowering season and colour, foliage, growing requirements, and the creatures that depend on it.
Entry details
Multiple images
Some entries have more than one image. Thumbnails of all the available images appear above the main image. Click any thumb to make it the main image.
The icons
Some of the features of each plant are described by icons. The same icons are used on the Search screen (see below)
moisture
dry (tolerates dry conditions): very well drained soil that doesn't retain moisture
average (tolerates moist conditions): free draining soil that holds some moisture within it
wet (tolerates wet conditions): damp soil, though not necessarily permanently waterlogged.
light
sun (tolerates full sun): position exposed to full sunlight for most of the day and especially to midday sun
part shade (tolerates partial shade): exposed to sun for several hours a day, often woodland glades
shade (tolerates full shade): where there is shade nearly all the time.
Distribution maps
The distribution map on the record screen shows in red where in five regions of England the plant or creature may be found in the wild. The initial data collected for Natural England Gardening with Wildlife in Mind includes references to other parts of Britain and Ireland but initially there is only regional distribution data for England. Data for other countries will be added later.
Browsing
Under each plant there is a list headed 'Animals' showing which creatures use it for food or nesting. Click the link to go to the entry for that creature. The creature has a link back to that and other plants. It may also have links to other creatures that are its predators or prey. Click the links to see any entry. You can continue to browse indefinitely. Use the back button on your browser to retrace your steps. Click on one of the thumbnails to return to your original search.
Return to search
Click the 'Back to search results' link to return to your current search. You can also scroll and use the thumbnails to do this. Use the search box above the entry to make a new search. To return to the complete list of plants and creatures, press the reset button to clear all criteria before making the search.
Pick lists
Pick lists allows you to use Natural England Gardening with wildlife in mind to create bespoke lists of plants or creatures, perhaps listing plants already in your garden or maybe to use as the basis for choosing new plants you want to order. You might also want to list creatures in the database that interest you. You can print lists you create using your browser's print function.
Printing a pick list
To print a pick list, choose the pick list you wish to print in the right hand side of the pick list screen and click the 'Print' button. The application creates a print document on the screen. When the document has printed you have to click the on-screen document away before resuming your use of the program.
Using the pick list feature
Pick lists are compiled by clicking the 'Add to Pick List' link on the record under the Search screen. Items bookmarked remain selected until individually deselected in the Pick list screen. A pick list can be printed using your browser's print function.
Creatures menu
This page provides an alphabetical list of all the creatures in the database. Click any of the links to access a creature's detail screen.
Plants menu
This page provides an alphabetical list of all the plants in the database. Click any of the links to access a plant's detail screen.
Copyright
The text on this website is copyright: © 2003-2007 Natural England/English Nature; software © 2002-2007 Ideal Integration Limited; compilation and arrangement © 2002-2007 by the publisher, The Plant Press; images © photographers as detailed where they appear. No part of this software and/or documentation may be reproduced, duplicated or distributed in any form without prior written permission from The Plant Press. whose registered address is Plant Press Limited, 61 Old Malling Way, Lewes, BN7 2EP - GB
Support
Please email comments and queries about content to e-mail
Steve Berry at Natural England, and about the organisation and functioning of the database to e-mail John Stockdale at the Plant Press.
