Saturday 30 April 2016

A Paradise for Botanists: Wild Flowers in Ancient Woodland


Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia. Also known as lover's knot or devil-in-a-bush. (Poisonous).  Found in Shadwell Wood and West Wood.
Two ancient woods in north west Essex, Shadwell Wood and West Wood, are bright with wild flowers at this time of year. As you might expect, there are bluebells, lesser celandines and wood anemones in flower now.  But these woods are also known for their rarer plants, and these include wild flowers that are nationally uncommon, such as the true oxlip Primula elatior.  This flower can only found in this part of the country because of the local soil, which is chalky boulder clay.  The oxlip is found in damp woodlands.

Wild Oxlip
Because of this, Shadwell Wood and West Wood have long been known as botanists' woods.  The earliest records for West Wood, for example, date from the 1200s, when the land was owned by the Hospitallers (also known as the Knights of St John). It's said that they used gather medicinal herbs here.

Bugle
A note on my calendar says 'visit Shadwell Wood and/or West Wood in late April/early May'. It's a note I write on my calendars every year, although I never have the time to visit both woods. Last year I visited Shadwell Wood - and I visited it, too, in 2013 writing about it here. So this year I decided to visit West Wood.

I found the wild oxlips glowing in the sunlit rides and glades. They were a beautiful sight.  Perhaps Shakespeare had a wood like West Wood in mind when he wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream':

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violets grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

But even if Shakespeare had visited the oxlip woods of this area, a clear identification of Primula elatior wasn't made until the 1800s. This was done by the Essex scientist and horticulturist Henry Doubleday working with Charles Darwin.  They recognised that the Bardfield oxlip (as they called it - after the village of Great Bardfield about five miles away from West Wood) wasn't just a primrose/cowslip hybrid but a true species. Primula elatior was known as the Bardfield oxlip for many years afterwards - and this is a local name still in use today.

I didn't see any honeybees on the oxlips. Some will be visiting, but there were also fields of oilseed rape in flower around West Wood and I suspect most of the honeybees will be heading straight for that.
Among the oxlips in West Wood were the first early purple orchids.  Many of these were just starting to flower...


Deep in the woods were two ponds in a glade. Swimming just below the surface were several great crested newts (apologies for the quality of the photo but there was a sudden hailstorm in the sunshine at this point creating ripples all across the surface of the water).


I was delighted to see my first orange tip butterflies of the year, and one of their favourite flowers, the cuckoo flower, growing freely in the rides...


I also saw dog's mercury and wood violets. Wood barley Hordelymus europaeus, which is rare in Essex, can be found here, but to be honest I don't know much about this plant.  I imagine it can be found later in the summer. Adder's-tongue fern also grows in West Wood later in the year, as do more orchids, including the greater butterfly and the common spotted.


As to birdsong - I heard chiffchaffs, wrens, song thrushes, blackbirds and other familiar song birds. The information board at the entrance to the wood identified redpolls as a bird to look out for, but I didn't see any on my visit.  At times I was distracted anyway from the birdsong by the planes going overhead - West Wood is on the flight path to Stansted.  It was such a shame.  I don't know what sort of damage planes flying low over an ancient woodland can do to it, but it must be some. I hope any proposed airport expansion doesn't happen because that will inevitably worsen the impact. The contrast between the planes flying over and the planes not there was huge - when the planes had gone the wood was truly peaceful once again.

Pendulous sedge.
Around the edge of the wood there was evidence of visits by deer.  Their tracks were everywhere. The wood is managed to keep the deer from munching the wildflowers by the erection of chestnut paling and brushwood fencing.

When I left, I promised myself I'll visit one of the oxlip woods again next year. It really is a place to appreciate spring.

51 comments:

  1. Quite a lovely collection Wendy.

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  2. You are very knowledgeable about the plants, I always forget their names. I will look up both woods and if the weather is good today I think a walk may be the order of the day. Lovely pictures xxxx

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    1. It is great that you're thinking of visiting either or both. Now is definitely the time for the spring flowers, but it'll also be worth visiting in a few weeks to see other flowers such as the butterfly and spotted orchids. I'm wondering if I can make another visit later on in the year, too. Thanks Fran

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  3. Oh, I would have been in my element, I am a bit of a wildflower geek I have to say. This looks like a wonderful wood to visit with so much of interest to see, shame it is on the flight path but hey you can't have everything. It would be lovely to have a wood like this near us I am so envious.

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    1. I'm definitely a wildflower geek too! I do love these woods because the wildflowers are everywhere - the conditions are just right for them. It is a shame about the planes at West Wood but it's a question of not letting them spoil the visit.

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  4. It sounds a truly wonderful place to visit, these places are so special. Just having primroses crossing with cowslips in the garden here, it was wonderful to see the real oxlip for a change, many thanks.

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    1. It is a delight seeing rare wildflowers like the oxlips here - although they're doing so well in these woods it is difficult to think of them as uncommon when you see them. I'm so pleased these woods are being cared for; they are special.

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  5. This reminds me of going for walks in The Derbyshire Peak District when I was at school with our Botany teacher - I don't think that they do that anymore, or even have Botany teachers.
    I have always loved the Cardamine pratensis - cuckoo flower, or what I grew up as calling Lady's smock. Such a sweet little flower that used to be common, but now is a delight to simply catch a sight of.
    Love your combination of the oxslip with the early purple orchid.

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    1. Walking in the Peak District with a knowledgeable Botany teacher sounds like a wonderful experience. I would have loved that as a child - I loved lessons outdoors. I hope it happens somewhere but I imagine it's not widely done. In a similar way, I take beekeeping 'lessons' with some primary school children and they love being outside as well and learning about nature. They always have such interesting questions.
      I often call the cuckoo flower lady's smock, too!

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  6. The oxlips are so pretty. Until we moved here I'd never seen bugle as a wild plant, only something I purchased at the garden centre. Now I have it everywhere, the flowers a much deeper blue than anything I had previously purchased.
    I hope the deer stay out of West Wood, gorgeous as they are they can be so destructive.

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    1. I have bugle growing in our lane as well. The bumblebees love it. Unfortunately the council contractors have often cut it down in the past (as part of grass cutting) although I have asked them not to.
      I think Essex Wildlife Trust are doing their best to keep the deer away from the wildflowers. There's lots of evidence of management.

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  7. A wonderful post Wendy with some beautiful photos. Have always wanted to see Herb Paris so particularly enjoyed your first photo :) Such a shame about the planes but it looks a superb wood to visit.

    Well done on the Orange Tip - still looking here!!

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    1. Thanks Caroline. I've not seen herb paris outside these woods - it is an unusual flower.
      I've seen a few male orange tips now, but none in my garden despite lots of jack-by-the-hedge flowering this year. No females yet, though. I've still not seen many butterflies at all this year but hopefully now it's warming up more will appear.

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  8. Beautiful! It's wonderful to know there are still wild places in the world.

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    1. I agree! It is great to know there are, but of course they're declining in number. West Wood is close to Stansted and there is development everywhere here.

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  9. Wonderful stuff Wendy, a botanists paradise indeed :-) True ancient woodland is so precious isn't it and the abundance of nature within them is testament to just how diverse the natural world of this island can be.

    Fascinating to read about the Oxlips, whilst the Herb Paris is an amazing looking flower. Also great to see the first Orchids starting to appear, a sign that summer is just around the corner, and I would have been dead chuffed to see the Great Crested Newts :-)

    Hope you are well :-)

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    1. Thanks David. There's so much in ancient woodland that can't be found anywhere else. It does make it so precious.
      I hope to see more orchids this summer and orchids I haven't seen before as well.
      I was pleased to see the Great Crested Newts; I saw two of them that day. I kept out in the open in the hailstorm so that I could carry on watching them!
      Hope you're well too and have a good weekend.

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  10. Lovely post and flowers, I have marked up my calender with notes of were to go and when. Every year I visit Oxenber Woods in North Yorkshire, a very old Hazel wood on a lime stone hills. Depending on the weather throughout spring the flowers can be in full bloom or just coming through. All similar to what you have recorded, Herb Paris is a plant I would like to record but have managed to miss it every time I've gone.
    Amanda xx

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    1. I always mark my calendar to go and visit favourite or new wildlife sights. I would be really fed up if I forgot about something and remembered all about it too late (and had to wait another year!)
      Oxenber Woods sounds lovely. I hope you get to see some herb paris soon. Thanks Amanda

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  11. What a lovely post. How pretty the Herb Paris, Oxslips, Orchids and Bugle are so delicate and how wonderful to see them in the woods. It is a shame about the aircraft overhead but the wood looks full of wonderful wildlife and I hope it stays that way:)

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  12. It was wonderful to walk among so many wildflowers. I did imagine how it must have been when ancient woodland covered much more of this area. I hope the woodland that's left receives the strongest protection in the face of local development and airport expansion.

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  13. I love how you know so much about all the wild plants and flowers, you have helped me identify many over the time I've followed your blog and I'm glad you are back blogging after a break in 2015.

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind words, Suzie.

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  14. It's wonderful to know that pieces of ancient woodland are being preserved. For those of us who live in other countries, your photos also are a glimpse into a world we have only imagined through books.

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    1. One of the things I love about blogging is sharing photos from different countries. We can all glimpse other worlds and see how beautiful other places are.
      The woods are cared for by the local Wildlife Trust. So much ancient woodland here is looked after by volunteers - who are brilliant.

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  15. What lovely wildflower gardens to visit. The paris caught my eye. I just found a couple of paris varieties to add to my new garden but the quadrifolia is proving to be very elusive. Your photos are beautiful.

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    1. Hello Stacy - we've not been in touch for a while and it is good to hear from you. Hope you're well.

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  16. Those woods do look like paradise at this time of year with some exceptional plants and all the wildlife and bird song. The herb Paris looks very unusual.
    We have seen so many cowslips this weekend, it must be a good year for them. Sarah x

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    1. I love to see the cowslips. One of my favourite sights is cowslips on a Cornish headland I know. I did plant some in the garden many years ago but they didn't thrive, unfortunately. I might try them in another spot.

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  17. What a lovely walk you must have had, such a rare find in these times. I love seeing cowslips with the bluebells such a great plant combination!

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    1. This is my favourite time of year and the wildflowers are one of the reasons why. The colours are so fresh in the woods. It's just a shame that it only lasts a few weeks.

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  18. Hello!:) The pretty wild flowers in these ancient woodlands are really special. It's good to know that a Wildlife Trust cares for places like these.I enjoyed seeing all the flowers and your photos. Perhaps on my next visit I will recognize some wild plants that grow in our woods. Thank you for sharing your excellent knowledge.:)

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  19. Thanks so much for visiting. I love discovering wildflowers I haven't seen before and I'm hoping to find more of these this summer. The local Wildlife Trust owns several small pieces of woodland and a few meadows that I haven't visited yet where the rarer wildflowers are growing.

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  20. Oh, ancient woodlands and wildflowers have to be two of my favourite things, throw in newts and I'm truly in heaven. What a wonderful post, I did enjoy it. Shame about the planes though, I'm with you re any expansion.xxx

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    1. I'm very anti-expansion, I'm afraid. I only have to stand in West Wood to remind myself why. I love walking in most woods but ancient woods are really something special.

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  21. Hello, lovely collection of wildflowers. The newt is cool too, great sighting. A wildflower walk sounds lovely. Have a happy day and week ahead!

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    1. Hello Eileen and thanks for visiting. I was delighted to see the newt. It is great that they are doing so well here. Have a good week too!

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  22. I lived not too far from these woods for many years, but I didn't know about them. I will now put a note to visit friends from my old village in spring (and fit in a visit to one of these woods). I know exactly what you mean about the plane noise in this area. It's such a pretty part of Essex - and idyllic between flights.

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    1. The villages are pretty, aren't they - and most are on quiet lanes and roads, so the planes are really the only noise. I thought the greater impact was on West Wood, but then it may be different days have different flight paths.

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    2. The villages are pretty, aren't they - and most are on quiet lanes and roads, so the planes are really the only noise. I thought the greater impact was on West Wood, but then it may be different days have different flight paths.

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  23. Beautiful flowers, fantastic images.

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  24. I have always loved wildflowers. As a teenager, I would hike in the woods and fields for hours on end...and I loved the way that the smell of the wildflowers would fill the air :)

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Keith. The most amazing scent in the woodlands here at the moment is that of bluebells. It is wonderful.

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  25. Woods are so rich botanically they really show up the paucity of wild plants in almost every other habitat by comparison. It looks and sounds a glorious place and one to be treasured.

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    1. These woods certainly contrast with the nearby arable fields. The woods have so many flowers, the fields have very few scattered around the edges (and hardly any where the fields have been ploughed right to the hedges). It would be lovely to have more wildflower meadows here, but of course there aren't because they wouldn't make money.

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  26. Gorgeous. Wonderful to have two such special woods to choose from each year. Just about the only thing I miss about where we used to live is the ancient oak woodland that was close by. It too had lots of wonderful and occasionally rare wild flowers, not the oxslips though, so pretty.

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    1. I love that each area of Britain does have its own special countryside. There is the lovely coast where you are and here we have some beautiful ancient woodland. Of course we're trying to stop it from being built on, but hopefully places like these two woods will always remain protected.

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  27. Gorgeous! What a lovely place so rich in flowers and other wildlife. I am not good at IDing wildflowers so learn a lot from other people's blogs - the only problem is trying to retain that knowledge.... lol! Lovely post!

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    1. I'm hoping to go back soon to see the later flowers. There should be more orchids out. I could spend hours just wandering through them. Thanks Mandy

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