A Plant’s Life – outside notes for teachers
Stop 1 – Dinosaur tree
Dawn Redwood, Metasequioa glyptostroboides
This Dawn Redwood was planted in 1949, but its relatives were around when dinosaurs
were alive. Remains of the tree were seen in fossils, but until 1945 people thought the
tree was extinct. Then a few trees were found growing in China. Find a cone from the
tree on the ground and take a look at it. This tree in currently ‘endangered’. What
is it in danger of becoming? (extinct). Why do plants become extinct? Share
some ideas (deforestation for fuel and timber, cleared for building sites).
Stop 2 – The oldest tree in the Garden
Yew, Taxus bacatta
Some trees have been green all winter, the evergreens. This evergreen tree is the
oldest in the Garden. Look at the date it was planted and then work out how old it is
(365 years old). Its leaves need to be tough to survive several years in the sun, wind,
rain and frost. Carefully touch them. What do they feel like?
Stop 3 – Cool plants on the Rock Garden
Some plants grow in cold places, on the sides of steep hills or mountains. To keep
themselves warm these plants sometimes grow close to the ground keeping their small
leaves close together. Try it for yourselves. First, everyone stand very close together,
then everyone stand far apart. When did you feel warmest? Have a look around the
rock garden and see if you can see plants with small leaves growing close to the ground.
Stop 4 – Evergreen
Black Pine, Pinus nigra
Although most trees have leaves in the summer, not all trees will keep their leaves
through winter. The black pine is a tree that will keep its leaves in the winter. We call it
an evergreen tree. Look on the grass, find one of the pine cones from the tree. If
you are lucky you can shake the cone and the seeds of the tree will fall out. You may
also find some of the tree’s leaves on the ground. Why do you think they are called
pine needles? Do they look like normal leaves?
Stop 5 – Hitching a ride up to the sunshine!
Sorbus sargentiana
Can you spot the plant that is hitching a free ride from this sorbus tree? Take a
careful look at the branches to spot the mistletoe plant. Most plants have roots in the
ground to suck up water. How does the mistletoe get water? (Its roots tap into the
branch of the tree and suck up water). Can you think how this plant got here? (Birds eat
the berries from the mistletoe and leave its seeds on the branches of trees). They start
to grow wherever the birds leave them. Can you hear or spot any birds in the
Garden today?
Stop 6 - Float away in the Lily House
Water Lettuce, Pistia stratoites
Plants grow in lots of different habitats. The plants that grow in the Lily Pond need to be
good at floating. When you learn to swim you wear armbands that are full of air. Lots of
the leaves in this pond have ‘armbands’. Find the water lettuce plant. Roll up you
sleeves. Gently push the plant underwater. Now let go. Does it sink or does it float?
It should float because of the tiny bubbles of air that are trapped next to the hairs on its
leaves.
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