Disease resistant elms
Progress report
by Ian Bushell
On April 10th we checked the fifteen Dutch Elm Disease Resistant trees, donated by Peter Shallcross and Frank Crosier, that we had planted in April 2021.
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Charlock
This is charlock (Sinapis arvensis) photographed in the reserve this week by Clive Knight. It likes disturbed ground and Clive found this specimen growing in the spoil from the wetland scrapes in Lambrok Meadow.
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Moss
Before you drag the pressure washer out of its winter hibernation, let’s talk about the ecological importance of the moss growing between your patio pavers.
Continue readingThe battle with Spanish squill
Every year, as the reserve’s bluebells come into flower, the Friends do battle against a dreaded invasive alien: Spanish squill. This week Sarah, Alan, Jim and Ian set to in the copse next to the Heritage Orchard, where the squill are threatening our native bluebells.
Continue reading “The battle with Spanish squill”Ground Ivy
This is ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), a little blue flower so common as to be almost invisible. It grows all over the reserve and flowers at any time of the year.
Continue reading “Ground Ivy”Arboreal sex
At this time of year, the reserve is full of pollinators carrying pollen from tree to tree in a kind of reproductive frenzy.
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Fact file: English oak
Here is a fact file to go with yesterday’s newly planted English oak:
Continue readingThe Trefoil Oak
by Ian Bushell
It was a bit of a miserable drippy morning but eventually we sorted things out. The Trefoil Guild and the two metre English oak tree [Quercus robur] they have gifted to the reserve to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee arrived at the top of Simpsons Field at 10:30am, as planned.
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Germination
All over the reserve, all sorts of seeds are germinating.
Cowslip
For several years, we have been trying to establish cowslips (Primula veris) in the reserve’s fields but with less success than we would like. The problem is timing.
Read on to find out moreLesser Celandine
The lesser celandines (Ficaria verna) are in flower.
Continue reading “Lesser Celandine”Jay
Last week, Cheryl Cronnie photographed this jay (Garrulus glandarius) foraging in the long grass for the acorns it buried there before the winter arrived.
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Daffs for Mother’s Day
Rather than adding to the environmental cost of the cut flower industry, take your mother for a walk in the park to look at our native daffodils.
Planting the scrapes
by Ian Bushell
Today’s work party [the 15th] was all out planting in the mud.
Continue readingTree numbers
There are forty six species of trees in the reserve.
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A gorgeous picture of late snowdrops from FoSCP member Peter White.
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Wood anemone
There are wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) in the copse between Sheep Field and Sleepers, and under oak 5552 in the corner by the central path..
Continue readingBlackthorn
Prunus spinosa
Header image by C.J.Seymour
Native daffodils
Battered by the winter, the one thousand native daffodils we planted around Village Green in 2017 are bravely flying the flag.
Click here for a gallery of picturesScientific names
Above is a picture is of Caltha palustris flowering in Lambrok Stream, a plant I have always called marsh marigold but that Ian calls kingcup. Who is right?
Read on to see who is right
Snowdrops
Cheryl Cronnie has sent us pictures from the bottom copse in Sheepfield, of snowdrops just about to burst into flower.
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Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 