Plants in woodland. Ancient woodland

Flower calendar - Bluebells...

Our woodland and meadows:-
11.5.2014
Speedwell at "Moonbeam" pitch

28.1.2014

 1.7.2013
Scarlet Pimpernel at "Axis" pitch

Wild mustard

Wild strawberries

Grasses

28.6.2013
Purple clover

Queen Anne lace

Yellow vetch

17.6.2013
Wood Avens

11.6.2013

Orchid and buttercup
Speedwell and purple vetch

speedwell

Clover, stitchwort and horsetail

10.5.13 

 Wild whitecurrants

Emerging Ferns

Primroses at shack

Leopardsbane

Bluebells


Forget me not (mysotis)
Lesser celandines
Fernscomfrey


Apparently there are a few ways to tell if woodland is ancient,:-

1. If it is shown on early maps,

2.If it is irregular shape and not a rectangle as with modern tree planting because it is easier to fence.

3.Woodland on slopes was not easy to clear or farm, so it got left where it was.

4.Native primroses are paler yellow and native bluebells hang to one side.

5. Existence of ancient hollow way (an old track pasing through the middle of the wood.)

All of the above are evident in the valley of what is called "Hidden valley" on old local maps.

yellow archangel

scarlet pimpernel at entrance to "Hoot"

Primroses on the valley embankment.

Orange hawkbit at "Hawk"  near "Aero"

3 kinds of orchid:-

Early spotted, common spotted pyramid?