Vascular plantsIn pockets of old pasture and ancient woodland we’ve found some rare and fascinating plants
We have recorded 241 species of vascular plant, mostly thanks to former vice-county recorded Stuart Hedley.
Most of the farm was managed intensively for sheep, with regular silage making, heavy grazing, and reseeding destroying the botanical interest.
We have pockets of grassland, however, that have escaped agricultural improvement and remain rich in plantlife. A band of calcrete (calcium carbonate like limestone) runs over a small section of unimproved grassland, which is abundant with uncommon calcicoles ("lime-dwellers") such as Stemless Thistle Cirsium acaule, Flea Sedge Carex pulicaris, and Large Thyme Thymus pulegioides, as well as old grassland specialists like Devil's Bit Scabious Succisa pratensis, Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus, and Quaking Grass Briza media. In other remnant patches of grassland, Adder's Tongue Fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, orchids, and Cowslips Primula veris can be found.
Our ancient woodland is another source of interesting and varied plantlife, supporting many slow colonising ground flora such as Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia, Toothworth Lathraea squamaria, and Yellow Archangel Lamium galeobdolon. In the canopy Small-leaved lime Tilia cordata and Wild Service Tree Sorbus torminalis can be found.