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Just like people, plants have preferences, and different species prefer different conditions. They can either thrive or suffer depending upon the prevailing environment. Two factors in particular can have a significant effect on plant growth and vitality - soil and moisture.
The table below is a much simplified guide to selecting suitable plant species for the prevailing conditions in your garden. There are four major soil types: Sandy, Clay, Loam and Chalk, and three typical environments: Wet, Exposed and Shaded.
A tick in the appropriate box signifies suitability or tolerance, and two ticks is especially well suited. A blank space suggests neither tolerance nor intolerance, while a cross denotes unsuitability or intolerance.
| Species / Latin Name |
Soil Preference
|
Tolerance
|
|
Sand
|
Clay
|
Loam
|
Chalk
|
Wet
|
Exposed
|
Shaded
|
|
Acer campestre
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Acer platanoides
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
|
|
|
Acer pseudoplatanus
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Alnus cordata
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
Alnus glutinosa
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Alnus incana
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
Betula alba
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
Carpinus betulus
|
|
üü
|
ü
|
û
|
|
|
ü
|
|
Castanea sativa
|
üü
|
|
ü
|
û
|
û
|
|
|
|
Cornus sanguinea
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Corylus avellana
|
|
üü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
ü
|
|
Crataegus monogyna
|
ü
|
üü
|
üü
|
ü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Fagus sylvatica
|
ü
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Fraxinus excelsior
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Euonymus europaeus
|
|
û
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
|
|
|
Ilex aquifolium
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
Ligustrum ovalifolium
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Ligustrum vulgare
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Malus sylvestris
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
û
|
|
|
Populus canescens
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
û
|
û
|
|
Populus tremula
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
|
Prunus avium
|
|
ü
|
üü
|
û
|
|
|
|
|
Prunus myrobalana
|
ü
|
üü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
|
Prunus spinosa
|
ü
|
üü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
|
Quercus robur
|
ü
|
üü
|
üü
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
Rhamnus cathartica
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
üü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Rhamnus frangula
|
|
üü
|
üü
|
û
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Rosa canina
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
ü
|
|
|
Salix alba
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Sorbus aucuparia
|
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
Sorbus torminalis
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
|
Taxus baccata
|
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
û
|
|
ü
|
|
Tilia cordata
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
|
Tilia platyphyllos
|
û
|
ü
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
| Viburnum lantana |
ü
|
û
|
ü
|
üü |
û
|
|
|
|
Viburnum opulus
|
|
ü
|
ü
|
|
|
|
ü
|
If you would like further information, please don't hesitate to contact us. Also, see our other specialised advice pages.
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