Ness Botanic Gardens

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Address and contact details

Neston Road, Ness, Cheshire, CH64 4AY

Tel: 0151 3530123

Email: nessgdns@liverpool.ac.uk

Web site: www.liverpool.ac.uk/ness-gardens/

Latitude: 53° 16' 27" N

Longitude: 3° 02' 45" W

Background to the collection

Year founded:

1898

Ownership:

University of Liverpool

Garden code:

LIVU

Umbrella organisation:

University of Liverpool

Personnel

Director:

Matthew Clough

Garden & Collections Manager:

Nick Lightfoot

Business Manager:

Zoe Chapman

Botanist:

Tim Baxter

Head Gardener:

Phil Kay

Contact person:

Matthew Clough

Total Staff:

Total Horticultural Staff:

Physical environment

Altitude:

30 m

Soil type:

Clay, sand and loam

Aspect:

South

Total area:

26 ha

Weather records

Weather Station on site run by National Centre for Atmospheric Science, see https://sci.ncas.ac.uk/ness/

Temperature

Average daily:

9.9 °C

Av. monthly max:

13.8 °C

Av. monthly min:

6.5 °C

Absolute maximum:

32.5 °C

Absolute minimum:

-12.9 °C

Wind

Direction:

West

Strength:

Above average

Rainfall

Average annual:

750 mm

Month of maximum:

September

Month of minimum:

June

Plant collection

Notable plants within the collection:

Sorbus carmesina (type) Sorbus kongboensis (type) Sorbus rehderiana Sorbus amoena Sorbus fansipanensis (type) Sorbus bulleyana (type) Sorbus cinereopubescens (type) Sorbus ellipsoidalis (type) Sorbus epidendron Sorbus forrestii (type) Sorbus gonggashanica (type) Sorbus helenae Sorbus matsumurana Sorbus leyana Sorbus needhamii Sorbus parva (type) Sorbus parvifructa (type) Sorbus rosea (type) Sorbus lanata Sorbus rushforthii (type) Sorbus yuana Betula ashburneri (type) Betula insignis ssp. vietnamensis Betula bomiensis Betula cylindrostachya Betula chichibuensis Betula michauxii Betula delavayi Betula calcicola Betula potaninii Betula maximowicziana Betula murrayana Betula megrelica Betula medwediewii Alnus acuminata ssp. acuminata Alnus nepalensis Alnus inokumae Ilex linii Lindera praetermissa

Geographical area(s) of specialisation:

Northern Europe, Middle Europe, Southeastern Europe, East Europe, Northern Africa, Macaronesia, Southern Africa, Siberia, Soviet Far East, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, Western Asia, China, Eastern Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Indo-China, Australia, New Zealand, Subarctic America, Western Canada, Eastern Canada, Northwestern USA, North-Central USA, Northeastern USA, Southwestern USA, Southeastern USA, North and Central Mexico, Northern South America, Southern South America

Special families within the collections:

Pinaceae, Aceraceae, Agavaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Araliaceae, Begoniaceae, Berberidaceae, Betulaceae, Boraginaceae, Bromeliaceae, Buddlejaceae, Cactaceae, Campanulaceae, Cercidiphyllaceae, Cistaceae, Compositae, Cornaceae, Cupressaceae, Davidiaceae, Droseraceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Ericaceae, Eucommiaceae, Eucryphiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Gentianaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Helwingiaceae, Iridaceae, Labiatae, Liliaceae, Primulaceae, Rosaceae, Salicaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Taxodiaceae, Tetracentraceae, Trochodendraceae

Special genera within the collections:

Sorbus s.l., Betula, Cotoneaster, Alnus, Rhododendron, Santolina, Hedera, Acer, Ilex, Salix, Primula, Berberis, Fraxinus, Spiraea

Special collections:

Conifers, ICCP – 10 Genera, 14 Species, 14 Taxa, 24 Accessions, 30 Plants
Alnus, Univ – 32 Species, 33 Taxa, 50 Accessions, 150 Plants.
Betula, Univ. – 44 Species, 50 Taxa, 166 Accessions, 400 Plants.
Cotoneaster, Univ. – 70 Species, 80 Taxa, 100 Accessions, 300 Plants.
Sorbus Univ. – 60 Species, 100 Taxa, 150 Accessions, 350 Plants.
National willow collection, ex. Long Ashton. – 36 Species, 56 Taxa, 400 Accessions, 800 Plants

TARGET 8 SPECIES:

TARGET 8 PROJECT TAXON LIST				UK Red Data List 2005	SAP lead partner	WELSH Red Data List 2008	IRISH Red Data List 2005	TARGET 8 PROJECT datasheet	Garden(s)
Cerastium alpinum Alpine Mouse-ear	B	W		VU		CR		T8	Ness Chester Zoo
Cotoneaster cambricus Cotoneaster integerrimus	B			CR	UKSAP CC Wales Ness	CR		T8	Ness Chester Zoo NBG Wales
Damasonium alisma Starfruit	B			CR	UKSAP Plantlife			T8	Ness Chester Zoo
Luronium natans Floating Water-plantain	B	W	I	LC	UKSAP British Waterways		prop		Ness Chester Zoo
Potamogeton compressus Grass-wrack Pondweed	B	W		EN	UKSAP British Waterways	VU		T8	Ness Chester Zoo
Salix lapponum Downy Willow	B			VU				T8	Dundee BG RBG Dawyck Ness Chester Zoo
Stellaria palustris Marsh Stitchwort	B	W	I	VU		VU		T8	Ness

Record Keeping:

Records kept
Computerised

Record System:

IrisBG

Facilities on site

Herbarium:

Yes, with wild collected and cultivated specimens. Code LIVU in Index Herbariorum

Library:

Yes

Research facilities:

General biological laboratories

Publications:

Garden catalogue, Index seminum, garden guide

Identifications:

Undertakes free identifications for the general public. Internal verification of material

Teaching and Education:

Primary, secondary, higher, taxonomic and public education

Interpretation:

Supervised garden walks, signs, brochures, guided trails

Friends Organisation:

Yes
Approx 5,500

Visitor facilities:

Restaurant, café, plant shop, gift shop, book shop

Access to the collections

Public access:

Admission charge

Public opening hours:

Mon-Sun: 10am-dusk

Guiding principles behind the collection

To be recognised as a world-ranked centre of excellence in plant science, conservation and applied environmental science, co-operating with other botanic gardens and research stations throughout the world. To form positive and constructive links with local, regional communities and to contribute to and support local regional developments in plant and environmental science. To collaborate with other University Departments to enhance the University of Liverpool's standing in teaching and research. To maintain first-class displays of plants of national and international importance, which are open to the public for enjoyment. To develop visitor services at Ness so that it remains a high-profile tourist attraction. To educate school children, students and the general public via guided tours, lectures and other means.

Location map

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Celebrating 25 years of PlantNetwork: 1996 – 2021

Celebrating 25 years of PlantNetwork: 1996 – 2021

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