James Common

Flora of Allen Banks & Staward Gorge

The ancient woodland lining the banks of the River Allen in Northumberland provides one of the region’s richest habitats for woodland plants and ferns. From the National Trust’s Allen Banks estate south to Briarwood Banks, Planky Mill and Cupola Bridge, this stretch supports an impressive diversity of species, from conspicuous spring flowers to easily overlooked botanical specialities. It is a landscape I return to repeatedly throughout the year, as each visit seems to reveal something new.

Ferns & Horsetails

Hard Shield-fern
Polystichum aculeatum

Hard Shield-fern is a robust evergreen fern of woodland, rocky slopes and shaded hedge banks. Its dark green fronds are stiff and glossy, with sharply pointed pinnules that give the plant a distinctly rigid appearance. It can be found in most areas, from Allen Banks south to Cupola.

This species is somewhat similar to Soft Shield-fern, a rare plant in the area, but can be distinguished by its adnate pinnules and tapering frond base.

Beech Fern
Phegopteris connectilis

Beech Fern is a delicate species of damp woodland, ravines and upland slopes. The soft green fronds are broadly triangular, with the lowest pair of pinnae spreading noticeably outwards from the rest of the frond. A narrow wing of leafy tissue runs along the rachis between the pinnae.

Beech Fern is one of the rarer ferns found in the area and is best sought around Cupola Bridge.

Oak Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris

A delicate fern of damp woodland, shaded rocks and upland screes. Its pale green fronds are thin-textured and broadly triangular, dividing into three main branches from near the base. Spreading by slender creeping rhizomes, it often forms loose patches in cool, humid habitats.

The best populations of Oak Fern can be found at Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Briarwood Banks.

Polypody
Polypodium vulgare

A familiar fern of walls, rocks, tree trunks and shaded banks. The leathery fronds are deeply pinnatifid with rounded lobes arranged along a creeping rhizome. On the underside, the round yellow-orange sori are uncovered by an indusium, helping to distinguish the species from many other common ferns.

Polypody grows abundantly throughout the area, so be sure to look up!

Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum

A graceful species of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded ground. The pale green stems carry repeated whorls of fine, drooping branches that give the plant a soft, feathery appearance. The branches themselves are branched, helping separate it from other horsetails.

Great Horsetail
Equisetum telmateia

The largest British horsetail, favouring damp woodland, stream banks and flushes on base-rich soils. The sterile stems are tall and pale green with conspicuous black-tipped sheaths and whorls of long branches, giving the plant a striking, architectural appearance.

In spring, separate fertile shoots appear first, bearing a large terminal cone before the green sterile stems develop.

Wildflowers

Wood Stitchwort
Stellaria nemorum

Wood Stitchwort is a sprawling perennial of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded hedge banks. Its white flowers have deeply divided petals that can give the impression of ten petals rather than five. The lower leaves are stalked and broadly oval, while the upper leaves clasp the stem, helping to distinguish it from other stitchworts. Compared to the much more abundant Greater Stitchwort, it is a much more delicate plant.

Again, this one is best looked for at Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Briarwood Banks.

Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis

A curious woodland orchid lacking green pigmentation and therefore unable to photosynthesise. The entire plant is pale brown to honey-coloured, with a thick stem bearing numerous small flowers and a mass of tangled roots said to resemble a bird’s nest. It grows in deep leaf litter in shaded woodland, obtaining nutrients through associations with soil fungi.

Early-purple Orchid
Orchis mascula

One of the first orchids to flower in spring, equally at home in open woodland as it is in grassland and dunes. The dense spike carries rich purple flowers with spotted lips, while the broad basal leaves are often marked with dark blotches. A hood formed by the upper petals and sepals gives each flower a compact, helmeted appearance.

Mountain Pansy
Viola lutea

A colourful perennial of upland grassland, heaths, rocky slopes and areas polluted with heavy metals. The flowers are highly variable, ranging from bright yellow to purple or bicoloured forms, often marked with dark guidelines toward the centre. It is a rather distinctive and lovely little plant.

Upland Enchanter’s-nightshade
Circaea x intermedia

A scarce hybrid found in damp, shaded woodland and along stream sides. In appearance, it sits somewhere between Circaea lutetiana and Circaea alpina, typically showing relatively broad leaves and small white two-petalled flowers. Compared with the common enchanter’s-nightshade, the leaves are usually more strongly toothed and the petioles bear hairs on one side only.

This one is hard to spot at the best of times, but small colonies can be found scattered across the whole area.

Wood Vetch
Ervilia sylvatica

A slender scrambling perennial of woodland margins, hedge banks and rocky slopes. Its leaves are divided into several narrow leaflets and end in tendrils that help support the weak stems among surrounding vegetation. The pale particoloured flowers are followed by narrow pods.

A local rarity, it is best looked for at Stawart Gorge

Goldilocks Buttercup
Ranunculus auricomus

A variable perennial of woodland edges, hedge banks and damp grassland. The basal leaves are rounded and shallowly lobed, while the upper stem leaves are finely divided into narrow segments, giving the plant a distinctive two-part appearance.

Fun fact: what we know as Goldilocks Buttercup is actually an aggregate of many closely related but distinct microspecies, many of which are extremely difficult to tell apart in the field.

Bitter Vetch
Lathyrus linifolius

Bitter-vetch is a slender perennial of woodland edges, heaths and upland grassland. The leaves consist of a single pair of narrow leaflets ending in a branched tendril, while the reddish-purple flowers are borne in loose clusters on delicate stems.

Downy Currant Ribes spicatum

A deciduous shrub of woodland, rocky slopes and riverbanks. Its leaves are three to five lobed and softly hairy beneath when young, while the greenish flowers hang in drooping racemes during spring.

Separating this one from Red Currant is a challenge, but good resources can be found online. While it does not appear too downy, the specimen here has been identified by far more accomplished botanists than I.

Fly Honeysuckle
Lonicera xylosteum

A deciduous shrub of woodland, limestone slopes and hedge banks. The leaves are oval and softly hairy, arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, while the small creamy-white flowers are produced in pairs from the leaf axils. These develop into glossy red berries, usually borne as twin fruits, which are a distinctive feature of the species.

Yellow Pimpernel
Lysimachia nemorum

A delicate creeping perennial of damp woodland, stream banks and shaded ground. Slender stems trail across the soil and root at the nodes, bearing opposite, rounded leaves on relatively long stalks. The small yellow flowers are produced singly in the leaf axils. A little beauty!

Water Avens
Geum rivale

Water Avens is a softly hairy perennial of damp meadows, flushes and stream sides. Its nodding flowers have reddish-brown sepals surrounding smaller cream to pinkish petals marked with darker veins. After flowering, the styles elongate into hooked structures that aid seed dispersal by attaching to passing animals.

Hybrid Avens
Geum x intermedium

Geum × intermedium is the hybrid between Geum rivale and Geum urbanum, typically occurring where the parent species grow together in damp woodland and streamside habitats.

In appearance, it is intermediate between the two, with partially nodding flowers, reddish sepals and broader yellowish petals that open more widely than those of Water Avens. The plant is often recognised by this combination of mixed characters.

Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium

A low-growing perennial of shaded flushes, springs and stream margins. Its rounded leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along creeping stems, helping distinguish it from the similar alternate-leaved species. In spring, the small flowers are surrounded by bright yellow-green bracts that make patches of the plant conspicuous against damp woodland ground.

Wood Forget-me-not
Myosotis sylvatica

A softly hairy perennial of woodland edges, hedge banks and shaded grassland. Its bright blue flowers, each with a contrasting yellow eye, are borne in coiled sprays that gradually unfurl as flowering progresses. The broad hairy leaves and relatively large flowers help distinguish it from several smaller forget-me-not species.

Wood-sorrel Oxalis acetosella

A delicate woodland perennial of damp, shaded ground. Its clover-like leaves are divided into three heart-shaped leaflets that often fold down in low light or rain. The white flowers are finely veined with pinkish-purple and carried singly above the foliage on slender stalks.

Sanicle
Sanicula europaea

Sanicle is a perennial of shaded deciduous woodland and base-rich hedge banks. The glossy basal leaves are palmately lobed and long-stalked, while the small pinkish-white flowers are grouped into compact, rounded umbels on slender stems. Later in the season, the fruits develop hooked bristles that readily cling to animal fur, aiding dispersal through woodland habitats.

Wood Crane’s-bill
Geranium sylvaticum

A robust perennial of damp meadows, woodland edges and upland grassland. Its deeply divided leaves form loose clumps below tall stems carrying relatively large violet-purple flowers, often marked with darker veins. After flowering, the fruits develop into the long, tapering “crane’s-bill” seed head characteristic of the genus.

Common Cow-wheat
Melampyrum pratense

A slender annual of acidic woodland, heaths and moorland edges. The narrow opposite leaves line delicate green stems, while the pale yellow tubular flowers sit in the upper leaf axils, often subtended by reddish-tinged bracts. As a semi-parasitic species, it attaches to the roots of neighbouring plants to obtain additional nutrients.

Bugle
Ajuga reptans

A creeping perennial of damp grassland, woodland edges and hedge banks. Glossy leaves form low rosettes connected by runners, from which arise square stems bearing dense spikes of deep blue flowers. The hooded upper petals and spreading lower lip are characteristic of the mint family.

Intermediate Lady’s-mantle Alchemilla xanthochlora

A softly hairy perennial of grassland, road verges and woodland edges. Its rounded leaves are deeply pleated and divided into broad lobes with finely toothed margins, often holding conspicuous droplets of water in the centre. The frothy clusters of tiny yellow-green flowers are carried above the foliage on branching stems in summer.

Do not forget that Alchemilla are a tricky bunch to identify. Several others can be found in the area.

Lords-and-Ladies Arum maculatum

A distinctive woodland perennial of hedgebanks, shady lanes and damp woodland floors. The glossy, arrow-shaped leaves are sometimes marked with dark spots, while the unusual flower structure consists of a purple club-like spadix enclosed within a pale green hooded spathe. In autumn, the plant is especially conspicuous for its dense spike of bright red berries.

Grasses & Sedges

Wood Fescue
Drymochloa sylvatica

A robust woodland grass of shaded cliffs, ravines and steep deciduous woodland. Broad, flat leaves arise in loose tufts, while the flowering stems carry large, graceful, airy panicles. The combination of its habitat, purple-tinged stem bases and leaves that fold back towards their tips is usually enough to identify this species.

The best populations of this woodland grass are to be found near Cupola Bridge.

Wood Barley
Hordelymus europaeus

Wood Barley is a graceful perennial grass of ancient woodland and shaded hedge banks. Its broad leaves and arching stems are topped by slender spikes with long, fine awns, giving the inflorescence a soft, elegant appearance. The obviously “barley-like” flower heads help distinguish it from superficially similar woodland grasses.

Once again, the best populations of this woodland grass are to be found near Cupola Bridge.

Wood Melick
Melica uniflora

A delicate perennial grass of shaded deciduous woodland and hedge banks. Its slender stems carry a loose panicle of drooping spikelets, each usually containing a single fertile floret with a small cluster of sterile florets above.

Giant Fescue
Schedonorus giganteus

A tall, robust grass of damp woodland, riverbanks and shaded marshy ground. Its broad, dark green leaves and towering stems support a large, open panicle with drooping branches of spikelets. The combination of its size, coarse foliage and preference for wet, shaded habitats makes it one of the more distinctive woodland grasses, but if in doubt, look for purplish clasping auricles.

Wood-sedge
Carex sylvatica

A graceful woodland sedge of shady deciduous woods, hedge banks and stream sides. Loose tufts of broad green leaves give rise to arching stems bearing several long-stalked, drooping female spikes beneath a slender male spike. The elegantly hanging inflorescences are a useful feature for recognising the species in the field.

In the photograph, it can be seen growing alongside Remote Sedge.

Remote Sedge
Carex remota

A slender woodland sedge of damp pathsides, stream margins and shaded ground. Its narrow leaves form loose tufts, while the thin flowering stems carry numerous small spikelets spaced widely apart along the upper stem. This unusually elongated inflorescence is the key feature behind both the common and scientific names.

View Other Site Features

Limestone Pavement Plants at Great Asby Scar

I had wanted to visit a limestone pavement for what felt like many years, ever since first encountering the habitat in GCSE geography lessons – and even more so once I became interested in botany. This past Sunday, I finally had the chance when Matt agreed to drive two hours from Newcastle to Great Asby Scar.

Widely regarded as one of the finest examples of limestone pavement in England, Great Asby Scar lies on a hillside between the villages of Orton and Great Asby. Once heavily plundered by Victorian gardeners in search of decorative limestone, the site is now strongly protected as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve (NNR), largely because of the remarkable wildlife supported by this rare habitat. For our visit, we opted for a short route from a convenient nearby car park, though as the route map here shows, it would be very easy to extend the walk and take in even more of the spectacular scenery.

Limestone pavements are rare and highly specialised habitats, characterised by flat, block-like slabs known as clints and deep, nutrient-rich fissures called grikes. Together, these create a remarkable mosaic of microhabitats, where shade-loving woodland plants can thrive just inches away from drought-tolerant species exposed to the full sun. Among these are a host of interesting ferns — the main reason for our visit.

Setting out from the car park, it was not long before we encountered our first species among smaller outcrops of limestone beside the ascending path. Here, Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium grew alongside the lime-loving Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens and Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria. All are relatively common species, but it was pleasing to see them in a natural setting. Accompanying them were abundant Blue Moor-grass Sesleria caerulea and several woodland plants tucked away within the grikes, including Ramsons Allium ursinum and Dog’s-mercury Mercurialis perennis.

Wall-rue *Asplenium ruta-muraria* in its natural habitat on limestone rock

The thin calcareous grassland lining the path on our approach also held plenty of interest, including some lovely colonies of Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula. This species occurs here in impressive abundance. Much less conspicuous were Knotted Pearlwort Sagina nodosa and Thyme-leaved Sandwort Arenaria serpyllifolia, though both were flowering happily among the shorter turf.

A healthy patch of Early-purple Orchid *Orchis mascula*

More exciting still was a duo of scarce and rather diminutive ferns spotted as we neared the gate into the reserve. First came a solitary Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, followed shortly afterwards, much to my delight, by a fine example of Moonwort Botrychium lunaria, one of my favourite pteridophytes and a species I encounter only very infrequently indeed.

After this, we entered the main part of the reserve, passing a handy information panel before emerging onto an expansive area of limestone pavement. What struck us immediately was how each grike seemed to support its own distinctive assemblage of species. This diversity would have been very easy to spend an entire day peering into the crevices. Unfortunately, we did not have all day, so we quickly set about searching for some of the specialist ferns we had travelled such a long way to see.

Bluebell *Hyacinthoides non-scripta* could also be seen in the grikes

Finding these species proved fairly straightforward, in truth, as all grow conveniently close to the path. First came several large colonies of Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, a rather lovely species that, until now, I had only encountered in cultivation. Here, however, it seemed to be everywhere, spilling from grikes and shaded ledges in impressive abundance.

Limestone Fern *Gymnocarpium robertianum,* looking rather frizzy and unkempt

The next species, Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana, was somewhat less abundant, though still present in respectable numbers. Highly susceptible to grazing, this rather understated fern has its British strongholds in the limestone pavements of Cumbria and Yorkshire. It can be distinguished from similar-looking species by the distinctly glaucous tone of its fronds, caused by the copious glands spread across the frond surface.

Growing alongside these were Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride, Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and plenty of Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis. Had we spent more time scrutinising the male-ferns, we would almost certainly have found additional taxa among them. Plenty of Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum could also be seen, alongside the ever-present Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas.

Western Scaly Male-fern *Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis*

As things transpired, we located the vast majority of our target species rather quickly, leaving plenty of time for an enjoyable circular wander around the reserve to see what else we could find. Within the grikes, it was particularly nice to encounter Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis alongside the more familiar woodland flora. Other notable finds included Hairy Rock-cress Arabis hirsuta, Limestone Bedstraw Galium sterneri and an abundance of Mouse-ear-Hawkweed Pilosella officinarum with its cheerful lemon-yellow flowers.

We probably ought to have spent more time examining the sedges and grasses, but with temperatures creeping towards 21°C during our visit, we were beginning to feel fairly well cooked by that point.

Lily-of-the-Valley *Convallaria majalis* not yet in bloom

Deciding we were getting a little too warm, after a few hours, we eventually began the walk back from the scar. Had we spent longer there, no doubt many more interesting species would have revealed themselves, but even so, we enjoyed a wonderful few hours in what is a beautiful, diverse and incredibly atmospheric landscape.

I can certainly understand why so many people extol the virtues of northern England’s limestone pavements, and I will undoubtedly be returning to explore them again in the future.

Newcastle Tree Walks: Armstrong Park & Benton Bank

For some time now, I’ve been paying closer attention to Newcastle’s diverse and beautiful urban trees. From species gathered from across the globe to our own native trees and an array of curious cultivars, the city supports a surprisingly rich and varied urban forest. There is certainly plenty to discover.

In this new series of blogs, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite tree walks across urban Newcastle, highlighting a selection of the species that can be seen along the way. With so many trees growing throughout the city, it would be impossible to include them all, so this is very much a personal selection of favourites, curiosities and notable specimens. Corrections are very much welcome – I am still learning when it comes to exotic species!

Armstrong Park

You’ll begin your walk at slang.shows.yarn, beside the entrance to Armstrong Park from Jesmond Vale Lane — conveniently close to the Heaton Park route, should you wish to combine the two walks. Here, you’ll find yourself immediately surrounded by trees. To your left stands a fine Turkey Oak Quercus cerris, while to your right grows a twisted and rather mature Hornbeam Carpinus betulus. Nearby are several attractive hollies, including both native Holly Ilex aquifolium and Highclere Holly Ilex × altaclerensis. From here, keep right and take the upper path through the park — the lower route will come later.

This initial stretch contains several mature Rhododendrons Rhododendron ponticum, flowering in shades of pink and white during May, alongside some venerable Yews Taxus baccata. Continue along the upper path as far as the monolithed Beech Fagus sylvatica beside the track, noting a very young Cedar-of-Lebanon Cedrus libani planted nearby. It may be many years before this tree becomes truly impressive, but one day it should make a magnificent addition to the park.

The remains of the large Beech *Fagus sylvatica* by the footpath

At this point, the main path continues straight ahead, but a side trail branching right climbs in winding fashion towards Heaton Windmill. This detour is well worth taking for a few additional species, including Silver Birch Betula pendula, Hazel Corylus avellana and Bird Cherry Prunus padus. Much more interesting, however, is a fine Small-leaved Elm Ulmus minor agg. The real star of the show here, though, is Turner’s Oak Quercus x turneri, a naturally occurring hybrid between Holm Oak and Pedunculate Oak, first recognised in cultivation in England but originating from crosses that also occur naturally in southern Europe. It remains a rare tree in Britain and is little known in the North East. Although the height of this specimen makes it difficult to appreciate fully, the lower branches provide a good look at its distinctive leaves.

Near the top of the bank, around the windmill itself, stand mature Aspens Populus tremula and several large Hybrid Black-poplars Populus × canadensis. Beyond these, however, there is little else of note, so retrace your steps downhill to rejoin the main path through Armstrong Park.

Back on the upper trail, continue beneath the shade of several substantial Horse-chestnuts Aesculus hippocastanum. Following the route as far as the waymarker takes you past plenty of Lime Tilia × europaea. Near the railings overlooking the old “cattle run”, look out for White Willow Salix alba. At the same time, around the information board stand Copper Beech Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea and Norway Maple Acer platanoides. Continuing further, you’ll notice the ground becoming increasingly boggy beside the path due to a small spring. Around this point, look to your right for Cappadocian Maple Acer cappadocicum, identifiable by its broad-lobed leaves.

From here onwards, the upper path is dominated largely by Yew and Holly, though look carefully for a convincing holly impostor hiding in plain sight. These shrubs are actually False Holly Osmanthus heterophyllus, which have presumably been growing in the park for many decades. Beyond this, continue as far as the bench beside the path, where you’ll find Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanica alongside an unidentified cypress.

Beyond this point, the path becomes noticeably less shaded, with the canopy now dominated largely by Beech Fagus sylvatica. On the right-hand side of the trail stands a superb variegated Holly, probably a cultivated form of Ilex aquifolium, most likely ‘Argentea Marginata‘. A few steps further on, you’ll encounter Laburnum Laburnum anagyroides and, to the left, a particularly curious-looking Yew. Unlike the broad forms seen elsewhere in the park, this one grows in a narrow, upright column. It is Irish Yew Taxus baccata f. fastigiata, a distinctive and long-popular cultivar of our native species.

From here, you can either leave the park en route to Jesmond Dene or, to make the walk circular, turn left downhill onto the lower trail. We’ll take the latter route here.

The first section of the lower path offers many of the same species as above, though do look out for Leyland Cypress Cupressus × leylandii as the trail zigzags downhill towards a long flight of steps. From here, follow the path back towards your starting point through a much wilder-feeling part of the park rich in Lime Tilia × europaea and Wych Elm Ulmus glabra.

As you near the gate once more, Heaton’s famous Shoe Tree looms into view – a towering Sycamore festooned with all manner of discarded footwear. The exact origins of the shoes remain uncertain, though local legends suggest the tradition began either with students celebrating exam results or as a tribute to the historic Heaton Harriers running club. Whatever the truth, it certainly makes for one of the park’s more curious landmarks.

Just before reaching the Shoe Tree, look out for an unusual Holly bearing especially fierce spines on its leaves. This is Hedgehog Holly Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox’. Nearby stands an interesting whitebeam, possibly Broad-leaved Whitebeam Sorbus latifolia, though the whitebeam group is notoriously difficult to identify with certainty.

Broad-leaved Whitebeam *Sorbus latifolia*

Beyond the Shoe Tree, you’ll notice an arguably more attractive Sycamore with striking variegated foliage. This elegant specimen may be Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Simon-Louis Frères’. Growing nearby are Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos and another Norway Maple Acer platanoides, this time a cultivar selected for its noticeably auburn-tinted leaves.

*Acer pseudoplatanus* ‘Simon-Louis Frères’

All that remains from this point is to make your way back towards the gate. Before finishing the walk, however, you may wish to take one final detour uphill to the left towards the tennis courts. Here you’ll find more examples of Small-leaved Elm Ulmus minor agg, along with your first White Poplar Populus alba of the route.

Benton Bank Extension

For those wanting a little extra, an additional five minutes of walking opens up the chance to see several more interesting trees beyond the boundaries of Armstrong Park, around Benton Bank and the wooded areas on the opposite side of the Ouse Burn. To follow this optional extension, leave the park at spare.shins.usual shortly after taking the downhill turn towards the lower path.

From here, walk a short distance north past the pair of houses before turning left towards the area beneath the bridge. This section of Benton Bank contains several interesting conifers, most notably a fine Grand Fir Abies grandis close to the first bridge. A little further upslope grows a small Caucasian Fir Abies nordmanniana alongside Holm Oak Quercus ilex and several Leyland Cypress Cupressus × leylandii and Western Red-cedar Thuja plicata.

Looking back towards the Ouse Burn, you should spot a wood-chipped path leading south along the riverbank. Follow this as far as the grassy clearing at think.universally.store. Here, you’ll encounter a good selection of more familiar trees, including Swedish Whitebeam Sorbus intermedia, Grey Poplar Populus × canescens and Pear Pyrus communis. Particularly noteworthy, however, is Grey Alder Alnus incana, recognisable by its pointed leaves and pale glaucous undersides, along with another probable example of Broad-leaved Whitebeam Sorbus latifolia.

The banks of the Ouse Burn close to Benton Bank

From here, continue along the muddy riverside path as far as the bridge at sober.spoil.hotel. Along the way, keep an eye out for several hawthorns with unusually broad, square-lobed leaves. These are Midland Hawthorn Crataegus laevigata, an uncommon species in the local area. There is also a particularly nice Field Maple Acer campestre, perched precariously on the riverbank.

Cross the bridge, noting the fallen but rapidly regenerating Hybrid Black-poplar, and re-enter Armstrong Park via the entrance opposite, where you can continue your walk through the park.

Newcastle Tree Walks: Heaton Park

Jesmond Vale Lane

Your walk begins at exists.salt.wiping, at the junction of Jesmond Vale Lane and Jesmond Vale Road. Before heading any further, cast an eye into Armstrong Park beyond the iron fence, where you’ll spot a relatively new addition to the park, and a rather glamorous one at that. The tree with the striking white-margined, pointed leaves is Acer platanoides ‘Drummondii’, an attractive cultivar of Norway Maple that is sure to become increasingly spectacular as it matures.

Begin your walk by following the footpath as it curves down Jesmond Vale Lane, paying attention to the trees growing around the corner here. The main draw is a fine example of Leyland Cypress Cupressus x leylandii, though you’ll also find Elder, Yew and Sycamore nearby. On the south side of the lane, a small cluster of trees includes Japanese Cherry Prunus serrulata, near to which, a little further downhill, stands a rather lovely young Tulip-tree Liriodendron tulipifera with its highly distinctive leaves. Nearby, the deep purple foliage of Copper Beech Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea is easy to pick out.

Continuing down the lane and sticking to the path along the northern boundary of Armstrong Park, the most impressive tree here is a large Hornbeam Carpinus betulus, particularly handsome when hung with flowers in May. Around 20 metres further along stands a mature Common Whitebeam Sorbus aria and, conveniently positioned opposite the gate you’ll use to enter Heaton Park, Swedish Whitebeam Sorbus intermedia. Both sport lovely umbels of flowers in May. Cross over here and pause for a moment to admire the ruins of King John’s Palace.

Heaton Park

Following the path as it bends towards the car park, it is hard to miss the line of tall, stately trees bordering the car park. These are Hybrid Black-poplar Populus x canadensis, probably reaching 25–30 metres in height. In the lower car park, a few paces downhill, the margins hold fine examples of Wild Cherry Prunus avium and Plum Prunus domestica. It is also worth peering into the beds at bronze.taking.starts. Here, you’ll notice a small elm which appears to be English Elm Ulmus procera – the species famously lost from much of the UK due to Dutch Elm Disease. There are a few elm species in the area, but this one has a rough upper surface on the leaves and a hairy leaf stalk.

Enjoy these before moving on to jukebox.mining.stone, where your true parkland walk begins. Here, the verge supports another Hornbeam alongside a rather exotic-looking tree believed to be Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos – one of the more unusual species you’ll encounter in Heaton Park.

Hybrid Black-poplar *Populus x canadensis*

Continue downhill to the unmistakable Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris standing at the corner where the path meets the main thoroughfare. Looking across the walkway, the large, neat, conical conifers are Lawson’s Cypress Cupressus lawsoniana. From here, follow the main path as it heads south-west. You’ll soon pass into a pleasant patch of shade cast by an oak and a particularly beautiful Japanese Maple Acer palmatum, growing on opposite sides of the track. Around the maple, look out for some conifers growing on the raised ground surrounding Sambuca’s Pavilion, including Western Red-cedar Thuja plicata and Nootka Cypress Cupressus nootkatensis. There is also a small Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. glauca here. Off to the left, a young, particularly neat Acer is Scarlet Maple Acer rubra. From here, continue along the path, keeping the grassy bowling green to your right, as you make your way towards one of the park’s most famous trees.

The famous Pear *Pyrus communis* in Heaton Park

The ancient Pear Pyrus communis in Heaton Park is one of Newcastle’s oldest living landmarks, predating the park’s 1879 donation by the industrialist William Armstrong. It is a beautiful tree and, for a pear, an especially impressive specimen, particularly when covered in blossom during spring. Take a moment to appreciate it, but don’t forget to look around the immediate area too, as several other notable trees grow nearby. Directly opposite the pear, across the path, is a dense area of planting containing another Japanese Maple, Tulip-tree, Apple and a new species for the trail, Himalayan Birch Betula utilis.

A few paces further on, you’ll come to an interpretation board containing more information about the Heaton Pear. Beside it, a short side path branches right past a beautiful Cedar-of-Lebanon Cedrus libani. Take a brief detour here as far as the two large cypresses underplanted with Holly. Turning back at this point reveals a small grassy area behind which grows a sprawling Walnut Juglans regia. It may not be the grandest specimen on the route, but Walnut remains an uncommon sight in Newcastle’s parks. Afterwards, retrace your steps to the main path.

A view through the trees at this stage of your walk

Continue uphill as the path gently meanders through the park. Almost immediately, a glance to your left reveals a handsome variegated Holly, while a little further on stands the curious sight of another Tulip-tree supported by braces. Around it grow several lime trees, including Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos, identifiable by the densely hairy undersides of its leaves.

Tulip-tree *Liriodendron tulipifera* receiving a helping hand

A short semicircular path then veers left around a grassy verge planted with a young Hornbeam. Following this detour, the borders contain Field Maple Acer campestre, Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa and Juneberry Amelanchier × lamarckii. A tall birch nearby is our native Downy Birch Betula pubescens, here reaching around 20 metres in height and evidently of considerable age. While it isn’t a rare sight, it is a jolly big one. Even taller still is a towering example of Cider Gum Eucalyptus gunnii.

Rejoin the main path beside the remains of a tall Sycamore monolith and continue uphill. At the base of the slope grow several fine examples of Common Lime Tilia x europaea, Alder Alnus glutinosa and a few more cherries. As you make your way uphill, a glance to the left reveals a dense tangle of deciduous trees. Where the ground becomes noticeably boggy, look carefully into the thicket to spot a graceful Weeping Willow Salix x sepulcralis and, even better, a handsome Red Horse-chestnut Aesculus carnea. Beside the path stands a solitary, rather spindly Aspen Populus tremula. From here, the route curves beneath more lime trees and an enormous Beech Fagus sylvatica; however, if you take the damp path to your left, a look up toward the canopy should provide a glimpse of a tall Lombardy Poplar Populus nigra ‘Italica’.

Following the path as far as the tiered wildflower garden, you cannot fail to notice a gnarled but rather handsome London Plane Platanus x hispanica. While a familiar sight in southern England, this species remains comparatively uncommon in the North East. Just beyond, at boot.feeds.submit, you’ll reach the junction of several paths. You’ll eventually take the right-hand path, passing a couple of bins and a rather more impressive Walnut, but first, it is worth making a short detour up the left-hand path towards the entrance on Heaton Park Road.

Leaves of London Plane
*Platanus × hispanica*

A few additional species can be found here, including White Poplar Populus alba and several recently planted Judas Trees Cercis siliquastrum. The main attraction, however, stands beside the gate itself – a small but fascinating Maidenhair Tree Ginkgo biloba, one of the world’s most ancient tree species.

Returning to the junction, spend a moment admiring the Walnut before taking the path across the large grassy field. Continuing onwards, you’ll soon notice another tangle of trees to your right. Among them are Rowan Sorbus aucuparia, various fruit trees and a fine Turkish Hazel Corylus colurna. In the next cluster, around 15 metres further on, the trees are more familiar, though opposite stand several recently planted cherries, including Sargent’s Cherry Prunus sargentii — conveniently labelled to aid identification.

A view across the field in Heaton Park (with lots more interesting trees)

More unusual species await in the final cluster before the path enters woodland. Here you’ll find the striking Père David’s Maple Acer davidii and a glorious Red Oak Quercus rubra, especially spectacular in autumn when its foliage turns deep crimson.

Approaching the end of your circular loop, continue past the play area. Around homes.sugars.will, a path branches left into the deeper woodland. To your right stands another Turkish Hazel, though arguably more interesting is a mature Italian Alder Alnus cordata. This is a particularly impressive specimen, with a spread of around 14 metres. Opposite, on the grass, a less conspicuous sapling is a recently planted Montpellier Maple Acer monspessulanum.

Take the right-hand path, which gradually narrows into a muddier woodland trail, and make your way towards the large conifer standing between the grassy field and the path. This substantial tree is Grand Fir Abies grandis.

Almost at the end now, retrace your steps uphill towards the planted border outside the pavilion. As you reach the corner of the bed, look behind you to spot a fine Turkey Oak Quercus cerris. This area also contains a young Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata, distinguishable from the park’s other lime trees by the rusty-orange hairs beneath its leaves.

From here, continue past the flowerbeds and back to the main footpath beside the Japanese Maple where the loop began. Taking the path towards the nearest exit from Heaton Park to Jesmond Vale Lane, passing the house on your way, you’ll encounter another handsome London Plane as well as several examples of Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanica – a favourite planting in Victorian landscaped parks. Emerging once more onto the hill where the walk began, your tree trail comes to an end.

Specialist Woodland Grasses

A quick guide to some specialist woodland grasses

I have been meaning to start a series on the UK’s grass species for some time. After a few grass-focused outings this spring, I have decided now is the time. This post, and those to follow, aim to make grass identification a little less daunting for beginners by offering identification tips, quick field clues and habitat notes to help you identify grasses with confidence.

Over time, I will add more pages covering different habitats and grass groups as I continue learning myself, but for now, let’s take a look at some specialist woodland grasses. As ever, all images included are my own unless otherwise stated.

Wood Melick Melica uniflora

Wood Melick Melica uniflora is a dainty and rather beautiful grass of well-managed, typically ancient woodland. Flowering from spring into early summer, it often forms dense tufted patches through rhizomatous spread.

It is a distinctive species, recognised by its graceful sprays of bead-like flowers, ranging from brown to purplish, borne at the tips of fine, branching stems. Confusion is most likely with Mountain Melick Melica nutans, though that species is very rare in much of the UK. To be certain, look for the distinctive bristle pressed against the stem opposite the leaf ligule. The flowers of Wood Melick are also borne on several branches, unlike the next species.

Bristle on the opposing side to the ligule

Mountain Melick Melica nutans

This is a rather rare and presumably declining grass of woodland overlying limestone. You are rather unlikely to come across it in your average woodland, but if you do, good for you!

Altogether rarer than Wood Melick and rather more striking in appearance, Mountain Melick Melica nutans is typically found in woodland over limestone. It bears a one-sided spike of relatively large flowers which, unlike those of M. uniflora, hang delicately from the main stem rather than from side branches. This species also lacks the distinctive bristle or barb at the base of the culm leaves.

Note the absence of the bristle seen in *M. uniflora*

Wood Millet Milium effusum

Another grass with delicate, airy, bead-like spikelets, though quite different to the previous two. Wood Millet Milium effusum is a tall woodland grass of damper soils, recognised by its broad, dull green, hairless leaves and rather prominent ligule.

Its tiny, one-flowered spikelets are borne towards the tips of long, drooping branches, creating an elegant, open panicle. The glumes are as long as the entire spikelet and are green with a pale margin, as shown in the image below. Altogether, it is one of the more distinctive woodland grasses.

One-flowered spikelets on long, wiry branches

Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica

A rather rare and quite lovely grass, this one has its heartlands in Scotland, Wales and the north of England. Its niche habitat means it is unlikely to be encountered in most woodlands.

A grass of moist, shaded cliffs, ravines and overhangs within ancient woodland, often close to rivers, Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica is a humidity-loving species, typically growing in inaccessible places where competition from other plants is limited.

It forms dense tussocks of flat, shiny evergreen leaves which arch upwards at around 45 degrees, drooping only slightly at the tips. Looking into the tussock, the leaf sheaths are a rich dark brown to purplish colour, lending the base of the plant a distinctive appearance.

Unlike other large woodland fescues, it lacks clasping auricles, while the flowers are unawned. The leaves are also entirely hairless, further helping to separate it from similar woodland grasses.

Leaves arch upwards at around 45 degrees

Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus

A tall, short-lived grass of woodland over calcareous soils, Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus is one of our scarcest woodland grasses and has undergone a steady decline across much of its range.

Fortunately, it is the only true barley-like grass likely to be encountered in woodland, and its flower spikes are rather distinctive. Looking more closely, the whole plant is coarsely hairy and bears prominent clasping auricles which project more or less horizontally. In the absence of flowers, this helps separate it from similarly hairy species of Bromopsis. The basal sheaths are also brown rather than reddish, another useful distinction from Bromopsis.

Prominent clasping auricles, pointed horizontally

Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus

A rather tall perennial grass of shady spots within ancient and well-managed woodland, Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus is a robust tufted species, often reaching 150 cm in height. It has bright green leaves and distinctive clasping auricles with a purplish tinge, a feature unique among our larger woodland grasses.

The leaves are virtually hairless, tapering gradually to a fine point, while the ligule is short and fairly unobtrusive. Its flower spikes have a distinctive untidy appearance, owing to their long, wavy awns.

Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa

One of the commoner woodland grasses, Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa is a species of shaded corners and heavier soils. It is a distinctive tall grass with arching flowerheads, densely hairy sheaths, variably hairy leaves and a prominent ragged ligule.

The lemmas bear long awns and, importantly, the drooping flowerheads usually have just two branches at the lowest node. A rarer related species, Lesser Hairy-brome Bromopsis benekenii (not yet encountered by the author) typically has 3–5 branches at the lowest node instead.

False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum

A common grass of shaded woodland, wooded banks and other habitats on heavier soils, False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum is a clump-forming species which develops distinctive pale green, drooping tussocks.

The leaf sheaths are hairy, at least towards their lower portions, while the ligule is relatively long and pointed. Its flower spikes are also distinctive, initially held upright before arching gracefully over, and are composed of long, slender, overlapping spikelets arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf sheaths hairy in their upper portion

False Brome *Brachypodium sylvaticum* © David Jarema

Year of Ferns: Scarcities & Surprises

Motivated by last year’s fern forays and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them. This blog will be part #7.

A Few Scarce Ferns – 26 April

When it comes to our rarer ferns, it’s often best not to share precise locations. I’ll usually take cues from what trusted organisations and recorders have made public. Still, even then, the vulnerability of some populations makes it sensible to err on the side of caution. So, no grid references or site names this time, but suffice it to say that with spring getting underway, it felt like the right moment to head out in search of some of our more elusive pteridophytes. Cue a long drive away from Newcastle…

Our first stop was in pursuit of a particular favourite: Moonwort Botrychium lunaria. This curious little plant of calcareous grasslands, spoil heaps and old mine workings has become something of a personal nemesis – frequently eluding targeted searches, only to appear when least expected. On this occasion, however, I had a good idea where to look and despite it being a touch early in the season, was pleased to find the first fronds just beginning to emerge from the tightly grazed turf of an upland fell.

It’s a delightful species, though I’ll admit it, it doesn’t look like much early in the year.

The second target fern was rather more dependable. Holly-fern Polystichum lonchitis is a striking species, its tough, tapering fronds lending it a distinctive, almost architectural quality. It tends to favour the most inaccessible of habitats, occupying cool, well-drained niches at the base of cliffs, on shaded ledges, and among boulder scree. As such, it’s one of those ferns that usually demands a bit of effort to see.

Our plant, it must be said, was looking a little the worse for wear, with just a handful of fresh fronds emerging from a clump of last year’s browned foliage. Still, it very much counted. With any luck, I’ll come across more robust specimens when I make it to Scotland later in the year.

Not to be overlooked, the day also brought encounters with two particularly appealing lycophytes: Fir Clubmoss Huperzia selago and Lesser Clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides. Alongside these were a suite of more familiar upland ferns, rounding off a thoroughly satisfying trip.

An Unusual Escape – 27 April

Fast forward to Sunday and, rather unexpectedly, a guided walk with a local Friends group turned up another addition to the fern list. And an unlikely one at that. The rather impressive specimen pictured below proved to be Western Sword-fern Polystichum munitum, a North American species recorded from only a handful of sites nationally, according to the BSBI.

To encounter it in Holywell Dene, North Tyneside, was something of a surprise, and I’ll admit it took a bit of working through before the penny dropped. It is most likely a garden escape, but either way, it appears to represent the first known occurrence for South Northumberland.

Western Sword-fern *Polystichum munitum*

Woodland Specialists – 5 May

Whilst I’ve covered that particular trip in more detail elsewhere, a Bank Holiday wander at Cupola Banks above the River Allen yielded the next two ferns for the year. Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris and Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis are, in truth, among my favourites. While not especially rare in a national context, they are decidedly scarce in my part of the world.

Both species favour rugged, humid upland woodland that has remained largely undisturbed, often growing in spots that seem either inaccessible or of little interest to grazing animals. Delicate and rather pretty, they are among our most elegant ferns, and I never tire of seeing them.

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	Tyneside
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	Tyneside
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	Tyneside
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	Tyneside
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	Tyneside
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	Tyneside
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	Tyneside
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	Tyneside
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	Tyneside
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	Tyneside
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	Tyneside
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	Tyneside
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	Tyneside
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	Northumberland
#19 Lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina	Tyneside
#20 Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum vulgatum	Tyneside
#21 Delicate Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes	North Yorkshire
#22 Narrow Male-fern	Dryopteris cambrensis	North Yorkshire
#23 Green Spleenwort	Asplenium viride	North Yorkshire
#24 Parsley Fern	Cryptogramma crispa	North Yorkshire
#25 Moonwort	Botrychium lunaria	County Durham
#26 Holly Fern	Polystichum lonchitis	N/A
#27 Oblong Woodsia	Woodsia ilvensis	N/A
#28 Western Sword-fern	Polystichum munitum	Northumberland
#29 Oak Fern	Gymnocarpium dryopteris	Northumberland
#30 Beech Fern	Phegopteris connectilis	Northumberland

Cupola Bridge, Stawardpeel & Briarwood Banks

The wooded banks of the River Allen are one of the few places I find myself returning to year after year in search of wild plants (we all have those places, don’t we?). Typically, we follow a familiar route from the National Trust car park at Allen Banks as far as Briarwood Banks, before turning back satisfied with whatever the day has offered.

This spring, though, I was keen to try something a little different. Starting instead from the far end of the gorge at Cupola Bridge, we set out to explore some of the quieter wooded corners we’d somehow overlooked on previous visits. Our usual trips here come a little later in the season, often in search of Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis, but there was no reason to think an earlier visit would be at all dull.

Cupola Banks

Decanting at Cupola Bridge, the first stretch of our walk saw Matt and me enjoying a leisurely hour exploring Cupola Banks. It is surely one of the finest fragments of ancient woodland in the area, with a reputation for harbouring several local specialities, including Mountain Melick Melica nutans and Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus. Spoiler: we missed both, though in fairness, we were probably a little early for the barley.

Among the highlights here was Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica, a particularly elegant grass of humid cliffs, shaded overhangs and steep banks where competition from the ever-present Great Wood-rush Luzula sylvatica is reduced. We encountered several fine clumps along this opening stretch, pausing to inspect tussocks for the tell-tale purple-tinged stem bases. Scarce and seemingly in decline, this species is something of a specialist of steep-sided woodlands such as this, often confined to the most inaccessible ledges, making any meaningful monitoring a challenge.

Elsewhere, the supporting cast of woodland grasses was equally pleasing, with plenty of Wood Melick Melica uniflora, alongside Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus and Hairy-brome – all good indicators of long-established woodland habitats.

On the floral front, the path edges and wooded slopes were rich with interest. Yellow Pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, Water Avens Geum rivale and Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium were all present in good quantity, joined by welcome splashes of colour from Wood Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica, Bitter-vetch Lathyrus linifolius and a supporting cast of familiar woodland species.

Less eye-catching, perhaps, but no less noteworthy, were the lingering remains of last season’s Bird’s-nest Orchid. A reminder that we’d arrived a little early, and that a return visit later in the month will be well worth pencilling in.

Of course, I can scarcely go anywhere these days without giving due attention to the ferns (a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective), and the steep, wooded banks at Cupola proved well worth investigating. The usual suspects were quickly accounted for including Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas and Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina, while a few fine clumps of Borrer’s Male-fern Dryopteris borreri were a welcome bonus. Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum and Polypody Polypodium vulgare were also present, though both were to be expected.

The real highlight came a little higher up the slope, where we were delighted to find neighbouring populations of Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis and Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris. Both are scarce locally, and it is always a pleasure to encounter them, particularly growing side by side as they so often do in the damp, humid, rocky woodlands they favour.

To round things off, a small, shaded hollow beside the path held a modest colony of Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum, its delicately branched foliage easily separating it from other species liable to occur.

Stawardpeel Wood

The next leg of our walk carried us through Stawardpeel Wood, tracing the banks of the Allen and skirting the edges of a sizeable clearfell area. Botanically, much was familiar, with many of the same woodland species continuing along the route. One plant, however, did give us pause: a particularly handsome Dryopteris which, on closer inspection, revealed itself as Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis. A satisfying find, and well worth a closer look.

The more familiar species were in particularly good form along this stretch. Dog-violet Viola riviniana was abundant, joined by swathes of Ramsons Allium ursinum and patches of Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca – all classic woodland plants.

A final point of interest before reaching Plankey Mill came in the form of a robust member of the pea family scrambling through scrub at the edge of the clearfell. This proved to be Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica, a Rare Plant Register species in South Northumberland, though on this occasion it was still some way from flowering.

Matt, attempting to usher me along after spending way too long admiring the Wood Vetch

Plankey Mill & Briarwood Banks

The final leg of our small expedition proved to be the most rewarding. Plankey Mill itself offered little of note, aside from a patch of what was likely Upland Enchanter’s-nightshade Circaea x intermedia (one to revisit later in the season), but nearby Briarwood Banks and the pockets of calaminarian grassland in the vicinity were far more engaging.

Venturing back into the woodland, we made a point of checking on a small colony of Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula that had delighted us on previous visits. Encouragingly, two plants had escaped the attentions of passing feet and were still standing. Nearby, Bugle Ajuga reptans formed carpets in the shade, while a thriving population of Wood Stitchwort Stellaria nemorum was just coming into flower – another northern speciality.

Close to Briarwood Banks, several pockets of calaminarian grassland have developed on soils contaminated by heavy metals and other less savoury residues. These unusual habitats are a joy to visit early in the season thanks to the abundance of Mountain Pansy Viola lutea, which flowers here in April and May.

A short detour brought us to one such clearing, where the pansies were at their peak, forming a kaleidoscope of colour across the turf. Try as we might, we couldn’t pick out any of the pure yellow forms (a personal favourite), but with almost every other variation on display, it was hard to feel disappointed.

And that was that, a thoroughly rewarding spring wander in what must surely be one of the most scenic and botanically rich woodlands in Northumberland. There’s clearly plenty more to come here as the season unfolds, and I’ll have to make a point of returning to Cupola later in the year to seek out some of the species that were still waiting in the wings.

Year of Ferns: Tackling Teesdale

Year of Ferns: Adder’s-tongue

Adder’s-tongue – 17 April

Whilst there hasn’t been much time for fern hunting of late, things have been ticking along nicely. Although I have a few more exciting trips planned, much of my recent botanising has taken place closer to home, resulting in just two new finds. The first was Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina, which is now beginning to appear almost everywhere. The second find was far more exciting.

Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum is a curious little fern, and one that never fails to raise a smile. I still remember the first time I encountered it, back in 2018, shortly after beginning work with the Natural History Society of Northumbria. During a visit to the Society’s Gosforth Nature Reserve, I was led a few paces outside the reserve gate by Paul, the warden, who directed me towards the low vegetation growing along the unassuming verge between the reserve and a busy main road.

Typically, Ophioglossum appears here in late April or early May, presumably responding to the warmer conditions of spring. This year, however, has been unusual. Many things, from Bluebells to emerging butterflies, seem to be running several weeks ahead of schedule. With that in mind, I decided to check that same verge outside Gosforth Nature Reserve and, hey presto…

An indicator of older, unimproved grassland where both it and its associated fungi flourish, this species has suffered greatly from agricultural intensification, nutrient enrichment, and the loss of traditional grazing regimes. Today, it tends to persist only in places where land management has remained relatively unchanged: damp pastures, species-rich meadows, coastal dunes, etc.

The fact that it survives on this unassuming verge is a testament to the work of NHSN volunteers, who do their best to ensure the grassland is not mown inappropriately, and to the fortuitously placed signpost which protects the small group of ferns growing in the sward at its base. It is always satisfying when a species falls neatly into place ecologically, and nicer still to see a plant growing happily in the same spot where I first encountered it almost a decade ago.

Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum on the same verge several years back

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	January, Newcastle
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	January, Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	January, Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	February, County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	February, County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	March, Newcastle
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	March, Northumberland
#19 Lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina	April, Newcastle
#20 Adder’s-tongue	Ophioglossum vulgatum	April, Newcastle

Flora of Holy Island

Holy Island is a botanist’s paradise, famed for its orchids but also home to many other fascinating plants. Its dune slack flora, in particular, is a thing of beauty, though from the village to the shoreline and quarry, there are interesting things to see at every turn. For more information, I strongly recommend this book.

Please note that this page and other site features are a work in progress. More plants will be added as they are photographed.

Orchids

Lindisfarne Helleborine
Epipactis sancta

The Lindisfarne Helleborine is one of Britain’s rarest orchids, known only from a small area of dune slacks on Holy Island. It is a delicate, often self-pollinating species, producing greenish flowers that are easy to overlook amid surrounding vegetation. Endemic to this single locality, it is a good example of how specialised and localised Britain’s flora can be.

Most sources now regard this orchid as a subspecies of the Dune Helleborine Epipactis dunensis, though either way, it is rather special.

Marsh Helleborine
Epipactis palustris

Marsh Helleborine is arguably one of Britain’s most striking orchids, typically found in calcareous wetlands such as dune slacks and fens. Its elegant spikes carry numerous flowers, each with a distinctive white lip marked with pink and purple. It is rather conspicuous species when in bloom.

Although locally abundant in suitable habitat, it is sensitive to changes in hydrology and habitat quality, and so remains an important indicator of healthy wetland systems.

Frog Orchid
Dactylorhiza viridis

Frog Orchid is a small and rather inconspicuous species of short turf, dunes and unimproved grassland. Its dense spike of greenish flowers, often flushed with brown or purple, can be easily overlooked. Formerly placed in the genus Coeloglossum, it is a distinctive orchid whose subtle colouring sets it apart from its more showy relatives.

The individual flowers are said to resemble tiny frogs, though that could equally apply to the muddy brown colour of many individuals.

Early Marsh-orchid
Dactylorhiza incarnata

Early Marsh-orchid is a characteristic species of calcareous wetlands, including dune slacks, fens and marshy grassland. Its dense spikes of flowers range from pale flesh-pink to deeper purplish tones, often accompanied by unspotted, narrow leaves. Flowering earlier than many related species, it can be rather abundant throughout dune slacks on the island.

Several subspecies of Early Marsh-orchid are known, often defined by the colour of their flowers. These are not covered here, but a good resource can be found here.

Northern Marsh-orchid
Dactylorhiza purpurella

Northern Marsh-orchid is a robust and variable species of damp grassland, dune slacks and coastal habitats, particularly in the north and west of Britain. Its dense flower spikes are typically rich purple, though paler forms occur, and the lower lip is roughly diamond-shaped.

Locally abundant in suitable conditions, this is probably the most abundant orchid on Holy Island. You would struggle to miss it in early summer.

Pyramidal Orchid
Anacamptis pyramidalis

Pyramidal Orchid is a distinctive and often abundant species of calcareous grassland and dunes, occupying drier habitats than many of the species above. Its vivid pink flowers are borne in a tightly packed, pyramidal spike that gradually elongates with age, making it one of our most recognisable orchids. Flowering in early to mid-summer, it can form impressive displays in suitable conditions.

Whilst the typical form of Pyramidal Orchid is pink, white-flowered variants also occur on the island, albeit rarely.

Coralroot Orchid
Corallorhiza trifida

Coralroot Orchid is a small and unusual species of damp woodland and dune slacks, often associated with mossy, shaded conditions. Lacking chlorophyll, it appears pale and leafless, deriving its nutrients from fungi in the soil rather than through photosynthesis. Even on Holy Island, it is a rare and quite special little plant.

Common Twayblade
Neottia ovata

Common Twayblade is a widespread and adaptable orchid of grassland, woodland edges and dune systems. It is easily recognised by its pair of broad, opposite leaves and its tall spike of numerous small green flowers.

Common Spotted-orchid
Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Common Spotted-orchid is one of Britain’s most widespread and familiar orchids, occurring in grassland, dune slacks, woodland edges and roadside verges. Its flower spikes carry numerous pale pink to lilac blooms, each intricately marked with darker loops and spots, while the leaves are typically boldly spotted.

Holy Island is one of the few places, locally at least, where pure white Common Spotted-orchids are quite common.

Wildflowers

Pirri-pirri-bur
Acaena novae-zelandiae

Pirri-pirri-bur, is a low-growing, mat-forming plant of coastal grassland and dunes, introduced to Britain from New Zealand. Its small, inconspicuous flowers give way to distinctive spiny burrs that readily cling to clothing and animal fur, aiding its spread. It is a prodigious weed on Holy Island, though one which can be encountered rather widely.

This species was introduced as a wool contaminant and was first recorded in the wild in the UK in 1901. The populations on Holy Island show a preference for fixed dunes.

Purple Milk-vetch
Astragalus danicus

Purple milk-vetch is a low-growing legume of dry, calcareous grassland, including coastal dunes. Its compact clusters of rich purple, pea-like flowers sit above finely divided, grey-green foliage, creating a striking display in late spring. Now scarce and local in Britain, it is a species of considerable conservation interest.

It is classified as ‘Endangered’ in
The Vascular Plant Red Data List for
Great Britain due to a
substantial decline since 1930.

Carline Thistle
Carlina vulgaris

A distinctive plant of dry, calcareous grassland, including dunes and limestone slopes. Its stiff, spiny leaves form a low rosette, from which arises a striking, star-like flower head surrounded by straw-coloured bracts. Unusual among thistles, the flower heads open in dry, sunny conditions and close in damp weather, a trait once used as a natural weather indicator.

Seaside Centaury
Centaurium littorale

Seaside Centaury is a delicate annual of coastal habitats, particularly dune slacks and salt marsh edges. Its slender stems bear clusters of small, star-like pink flowers that open in bright sunlight, adding subtle colour to short, open turf. It is quite widespread on the island but is perhaps best observed on the Snook.

Autumn Gentian
Gentianella amarella subsp. septentrionalis

Gentianella amarella subsp. septentrionalis is a diminutive but striking plant of short, calcareous turf, including coastal dunes and grassland. This uncommon subspecies has pale white flowers, contrasting with the pink flowers of the common variety, and is confined primarily to coastal areas of Scotland and Northern England. It flowers later than most of the species on this list.

Henbane
Hyoscyamus niger

Henbane is a striking and rather sinister plant of disturbed ground, coastal dunes and waste places. Its large, sticky, foul-smelling leaves and pale yellow flowers, intricately veined with purple and marked by a dark centre, give it a distinctive and somewhat eerie appearance. Long associated with folklore and medicine, it is highly toxic and now a scarce and local species in Britain.

Look for this one on disturbed ground around the village and harbour.

Common Sea-lavender
Limonium vulgare

Common Sea-lavender is a characteristic plant of salt marshes and estuarine mudflats in southern England, but is altogether rarer in the North East. Here, it grows on the rocky shore of Cuthbert’s Isle, its airy sprays of small, violet flowers, each held within a papery calyx, can create a soft purple haze in summer.

The colony on Holy Island was (and may still be) the most northernly on the east coast of England.

Grass-of-Parnassus
Parnassia palustris

This is a beautiful plant of calcareous flushes, fens and dune slacks. Its solitary white flowers, delicately veined with green and held above a basal rosette of leaves, are among the most elegant in the British flora. Flowering late in the season, it is a characteristic species of unspoilt, high-quality habitat.

Rough Clover
Trifolium scabrum

Trifolium scabrum is a small annual of dry, open ground, particularly in coastal grassland and sandy soils. Its compact flower heads consist of tiny pink to whitish florets that can be easily overlooked among short turf. It grows in bare, open areas with little competition and can often be hard to find.

Look for Rough Clover on the Whin outcrops at Lindisfarne Castle.

Scots Lovage
Ligusticum scoticum

Scots Lovage is a robust coastal plant of rocky shores, dunes, cliffs and maritime grassland. Its fleshy, aromatic leaves and rounded umbels of greenish-white flowers are well adapted to salt-laden winds and exposed conditions. Largely confined to northern and western coasts, the colony of Holy Island represents its most southerly outpost on the east coast of Britain.

It is thought that drought sensitivity and the requirement for cold, wet conditions for germination may be responsible for limiting its spread to more southerly areas.

Round-leaved Wintergreen
Pyrola rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia

Rround-leaved Wintergreen is an elegant and rather local plant of dune slacks and fens. Its glossy, rounded evergreen leaves form a low rosette, from which rise slender stems bearing nodding, white, sweetly scented flowers. Often associated with base-rich, undisturbed habitats, it is a species of conservation concern.

Bog Pimpernel
Lysimachia tenella

This is a delicate creeping plant of damp, calcareous dune-slacks. Its slender stems bear small, rounded leaves and charming pink, striped star-like flowers that appear in summer.

Dwarf Mallow
Malva neglecta

Dwarf Mallow is a low-growing, often prostrate plant of disturbed ground, pavements and waste places. Its rounded, shallowly lobed leaves and small, pale pink flowers with darker veins give it a modest but attractive appearance.

This one is rather plentiful around the village, where it occurs at wall bases and on areas of waste ground.

Common Butterwort
Pinguicula vulgaris

Butterwort is a small carnivorous plant of wet heaths, flushes and calcareous wetlands. Its pale green, greasy leaves form a low rosette that traps small insects, supplementing its nutrient intake in poor soils. Above these, delicate purple flowers are borne on slender stems in early summer.

Tree-mallow
Malva arborea

A naturalised introduction, Tree Mallow is a tall, conspicuous plant of coastal cliffs, islands and maritime grassland. Its large, softly hairy leaves and pale pink to lilac flowers are quite distinctive.

Tree Lupin
Lupinus arboreus

Tree Lupin is a robust, shrubby plant of coastal dunes and sandy soils, introduced to Britain from western North America. Its tall spikes of yellow, pea-like flowers are often conspicuous, forming dense stands in suitable conditions.

While attractive, it can be invasive, altering dune habitats by fixing nitrogen and outcompeting native vegetation.

Parsley Water-dropwort
Oenanthe lachenalii

Oenanthe lachenalii is a slender plant of coastal salt marshes and damp grassland. Its finely divided leaves and loose umbels of small white flowers give it a delicate, airy appearance in summer.

Rather rare on the island, it occurs scantily in a few permanently damp dune slacks but is nowhere common.

Milk Thistle
Silybum marianum

Best found at the base of the Vicar’s Garden, Milk Thistle is a bold and distinctive plant of disturbed ground, roadsides, and coastal habitats. Large, glossy leaves display striking white marbling and sharp spines along their edges, while tall stems carry prominent purple flower heads that create an impressive sight.

Long associated with herbal medicine, it is likely a long-established introduction on Holy Island.

Brookweed
Samolus valerandi

Brookweed is a small and rather unobtrusive plant of damp ground, particularly in coastal habitats such as salt marshes and wet flushes. Its low rosette of fleshy leaves gives rise to slender stems bearing tiny white flowers, each delicately marked at the throat. Easily overlooked, it is a characteristic species of open, periodically inundated ground.

Hare’s-foot Clover
Trifolium arvense

A distinctive annual of dry, sandy soils, including dunes, heaths and disturbed ground. Its soft, cylindrical flower heads bristle with silky hairs, giving them a pale, silvery sheen reminiscent of a hare’s foot. It often thrives abundantly in open habitats, well-adapted to nutrient-poor conditions and sparse vegetation, and commonly appears throughout the village and harbour.

Blue Fleabane
Erigeron acris

Blue fleabane is a slender and often overlooked plant of dry, open ground, including dunes, grassland and disturbed soils. Its small, daisy-like flower heads are composed of numerous narrow rays, often tinged with lilac or purplish hues.

Rather localised, this one is best looked for in the quarry area.

Hound’s-tongue
Cynoglossum officinale

Hound’s-tongue, is a softly hairy plant of dry, often calcareous soils, including dunes, grassland and disturbed ground. Its dull reddish-purple flowers are borne in coiled clusters, while the elongated, velvety leaves are said to resemble a dog’s tongue, giving rise to its common name. The plant produces barbed burrs that readily cling to clothing and animal fur, aiding its dispersal.

Bugloss
Lycopsis arvensis

Bugloss is a rough, bristly annual of arable land, sandy soils and disturbed ground. Its small blue flowers, borne in coiled clusters, resemble those of forget-me-nots, though the plant itself is far coarser in texture.

Now much declined due to agricultural intensification, it is a scarce and local species of open, low-nutrient habitats.

Marsh Pennywort
Hydrocotyle vulgaris

Marsh Pennywort is a creeping plant of damp grassland, marshes and dune slacks. Its rounded, coin-like leaves are borne on slender stalks, forming spreading mats across wet ground.

This one is rather common across the island and can be found in most areas of suitable habitat.

Common Broomrape
Orobanche minor

Common Broomrape is a curious parasitic plant of grassland and dunes, most often associated with clovers. Lacking chlorophyll, it appears as a leafless spike of pale brown to purplish flowers, drawing all its nutrients from the roots of its host.

Shoreweed Littorella uniflora

Littorella uniflora is a small and specialised plant of clean, nutrient-poor waters, typically found along the margins of lakes, pools and dune slacks. Its tight rosettes of narrow, fleshy leaves often grow submerged or on wet sand, making it easy to overlook. The tiny, inconspicuous flowers are borne singly on short stems

Ferns, Horsetails & Clubmosses

Small Adder’s-tongue
Ophioglossum azoricum

Small Adder’s-tongue is a minute and easily overlooked fern of short, often coastal grassland and dune slacks. It typically produces a single, simple frond alongside a slender, fertile spike, both close to the ground.

This is a very rare plant in Northumberland; thus no information on location is provided.

Variegated Horsetail
Equisetum variegatum

Variegated Horsetail is a distinctive species of damp, often calcareous habitats, including dune slacks and lake margins. Its stiff, jointed stems are marked with characteristic black-and-white banding at the nodes, giving it a striking appearance. Often forming low, spreading patches, it is well adapted to open, seasonally wet conditions.

Lesser Clubmoss
Selaginella selaginoides

Lesser Clubmoss is a small and rather moss-like plant of damp grassland, heaths and flushes. Its delicate, creeping stems are clothed in tiny leaves, giving it a soft, low-growing appearance. Though easily overlooked, it is rather abundant across suitable habitats on the island.

Grasses, Rushes & Sedges

Sand Cat’s-tail
Phleum arenarium

A small annual grass of dry, sandy soils, particularly in coastal dunes and disturbed ground. Its short, dense, cylindrical flower spikes resemble a miniature cat’s tail, giving rise to its common name. Localised and easily overlooked, it is well adapted to open, shifting substrates with little competition.

Black Bog-rush
Schoenus nigricans

Black Bog-rush is a distinctive plant of base-rich fens, flushes and dune slacks. It forms dense tussocks of wiry stems topped with clusters of dark brown to black spikelets, giving it a characteristic appearance. Often dominant in suitable conditions, it is incredibly abundant on the Snook, where it forms dense drifts across damp depressions close to the car park.

Flat-sedge
Blysmus compressus

Flat-sedge is a low-growing plant of damp, calcareous grassland, fens and dune slacks. It forms small tufts of flattened stems bearing neat rows of brown spikelets, giving it a distinctive, orderly appearance.

A rare plant regionally, it is by no means scarce on Holy Island.

Long-bracted Sedge
Carex extensa

A characteristic plant of coastal salt marshes and maritime grassland, the flowering stems bear distinctive, leaf-like bracts that extend well beyond the spikelets, giving it a recognisable appearance. Tolerant of saline conditions, it is a typical species of the upper marsh and transitional coastal habitats.

Saltmarsh Rush
Juncus gerardii

Saltmarsh Rush is a characteristic species of coastal salt marshes and upper shore habitats. It forms dense tufts of stiff, grass-like stems, often dominating areas subject to regular salt spray and occasional inundation. Its compact clusters of small brown flowers are subtle but rather frequent once you get your eye in.

Sea Club-rush
Bolboschoenus maritimus

A robust plant of brackish wetlands, including salt marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons. The tall, triangular stems of Sea Club-rush bear clusters of brown spikelets, often forming conspicuous stands in shallow water or wet mud. Spreading by rhizomes and tubers, it can be locally dominant in suitable areas.

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Flora of Harshaw Linn

Hareshaw Linn, with its beautiful waterfall and steep-sided wooded banks, is an interesting place to visit whatever the season. Its flora, comprising many ferns and ancient-woodland indicator species, is distinctive and broadly representative of Northumberland’s upland gorges.

Please note that this page and other site features are a work in progress. More plants will be added as they are photographed.

Ferns & Horsetails

Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis

Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis, a rare subspecies of Maidenhair Spleenwort, is a small fern of rocky, calcareous habitats, confined to just a few places in the UK. It is identified by its dark, wiry stipe and rachis, bearing rows of small, rounded pinnules with noticably scalloped margins.

This is the rarest of the three Maidenhair Spleenwort subspecies found in the UK and is restricted entirely to a few areas of limestone rock, Hareshaw Linn being one of them. It is easy to spot close to the site’s waterfall.

Beech Fern
Phegopteris connectilis

A delicate fern of damp, shaded woodland and upland habitats. It is recognised by its soft, triangular fronds, with the lowest pair of pinnae spreading outwards and slightly downwards. Often forming loose colonies, it favours moist, acidic soils and is a characteristic species of undisturbed woodland, often in the uplands.

This is a scarce fern at Hareshaw Linn, but a few colonies can be found just before the waterfall.

Oak Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris

Oak Fern is a light and delicate fern of damp, shaded woodland and upland habitats. It is identified by its pale green, triangular fronds, divided into three main parts, giving it a soft and airy appearance. Often forming loose patches on moist, acidic soils, it is a characteristic species of cool, shaded, upland environments.

Like Beech Fern, this one is picky about where it grows. Look for it in the area of the third bridge.

Green Spleenwort
Asplenium viride

A small fern of rocky, often calcareous habitats, including cliffs, screes and limestone outcrops. It is readily identified by its bright green rachis, which distinguishes it from similar species with darker stems. The short fronds bear rounded pinnules, and the plant typically grows in crevices in exposed but sheltered rock faces.

Green Spleenwort does not seem to be faring particularly well at Hareshaw Linn. On my most recent visit, I was able to find just a single plant growing on rocks near the waterfall.

Brittle Bladder-fern
Cystopteris fragilis

Brittle bladder-fern is a delicate fern of rocky habitats, walls and shaded crevices. It is identified by its finely divided, lacy fronds and its fragile stems, which break easily when handled. The small, rounded sori on the underside of the fronds are covered by bladder-like indusia, giving the species its common name.

Best looked for around the waterfall but present in other exposed, rocky areas.

Polypody
Polypodium vulgare

A familiar fern of rocks, walls, tree trunks and woodland banks, recognised by its leathery, pinnate fronds with rounded lobes and the neat rows of circular sori on the underside. Often growing in mossy crevices or on old stonework, it is a widespread and rather prominent plant at this site.

Given its tendency to grow as an epiphyte, it sometimes pays to look up when searching for this fern.

Hard Shield-fern
Polystichum aculeatum

Hard shield-fern is a robust evergreen fern of woodland, hedgebanks and rocky slopes. It is identified by its dark green, glossy fronds with stiff, sharply pointed pinnules that give the plant a rigid appearance.

Separating this one from Soft Shield-fern can be tricky, but look for the Hard Shield-fern’s stiff, leathery texture and sessile pinnules (lacking a distinct stalk). Soft Shield-fern has a soft, limp feel, a truncate frond base, and distinctly stalked pinnules.

Lemon-scented Fern
Oreopteris limbosperma

A graceful fern of damp heaths, moorland and open woodland. It is recognised by its soft, pale green fronds and the fresh lemon scent released when the foliage is crushed. The fronds are broadly triangular, and the sori are arranged close to the margins on the underside.

Narrow Buckler-fern
Dryopteris carthusiana

Narrow Buckler-fern is a delicate fern of damp woodland, flushes and wet heaths. It is identified by its narrowly triangular fronds with finely divided pinnules, giving the plant a light and feathery appearance, and can be separated from Broad Buckler-fern by its straw-coloured scales that lack a dark central stripe.

Borrer’s Male-fern
Dryopteris borreri

Dryopteris borreri is the commonest member of the Dryopteris affinis complex and is distinguished by its soft-textured, semi-deciduous fronds that typically end in an abruptly squared-off base.

Other key features include its flat-topped pinnules with prominent “cat’s ear” teeth on the outer corners, fully stalked basal pinnules, and diffuse veins that frequently show pale blotching in the surrounding leaf tissue.

Broad Buckler-fern
Dryopteris dilatata

In damp woodland and along shaded banks, Dryopteris dilatata is one of the more conspicuous ferns. The large, broadly triangular fronds arise in dense clumps and are finely divided into many small segments. The scales covering the stipe (stem) are brown with a dark central stripe, separating them from Narrow Buckler-fern.

Hart’s-tongue
Asplenium scolopendrium

Hart’s-tongue stands apart from most British ferns in having long, undivided fronds rather than divided leaflets. The glossy, strap-shaped leaves form dense clumps on shaded banks, damp woodland floors and old walls. Beneath the fronds, the sori appear as paired, diagonal lines, a distinctive feature of the Asplenium.

Hard Fern
Blechnum spicant

Hard Fern [left] is a distinctive evergreen fern of damp woods, heaths and upland habitats. It forms low rosettes of spreading sterile fronds, from which arise taller, narrower fertile fronds that stand upright in the centre. The pinnae are stiff and evenly spaced, giving the fronds a neat, comb-like appearance.

Lady-fern
Athyrium filix-femina

A graceful and delicate species of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded banks. Its fronds are soft, pale green and finely divided, often arching outward to form loose, airy clumps. The sori are small and curved (J-shaped), helping separate it from most other ferns.

Wood Horsetail
Equisetum sylvaticum

Wood Horsetail is a delicate species of damp woodland, shaded banks and stream sides. Its slender stems bear numerous fine, drooping branches which, unique among horsetails, are branched again, giving a soft, feathery appearance.

Wildflowers

Downy Currant
Ribes spicatum

This rare little shrub is associated with the spate zone of shaded river and streamsides in north-eastern England, Cumbria, and north-eastern Scotland. It looks a lot like the common Red Currant, but can be separated based on its mat and rather dull, dark green leaves that are held at right angles to the stem. Helpfully, the petiole or leaf-stalk is he petiole is green in Downy Currant but orange-ish in Red Currant.

Herb-paris
Paris quadrifolia

Herb-paris is a distinctive woodland perennial recognised by its single whorl of four broad leaves set at the top of an upright stem. From the centre arises a solitary greenish flower with narrow sepals and a cluster of prominent yellow stamens. Later in the season, this develops into a single dark blue-black berry, a key feature that makes the species unmistakable

This is one of the truly special plants of Hareshaw Linn and can be seen easily from the path in the early stages of the wood.

Marsh Hawk’s-beard
Crepis paludosa

Marsh hawk’s-beard is a tall perennial of damp woodland, flushes and stream sides. The bright yellow flower heads are borne in a loose cluster, and the upper leaves clasp the stem with rounded, backwards-pointing auricles. Beneath the flower heads, the involucral bracts carry black glandular hairs, while the fruits are distinctive pale achenes that are ten-ribbed, hairless and lack a beak.

Marsh Hawk’s-beard is most typically found in constantly cool, damp, moist sites, such as near waterfalls, by upland streams, on wet, north-facing cliffs, and in narrow, shady ravines.

Good-King-Henry
Blitum bonus-henricus

An odd one to include here perhaps, but Good-King-Henrey is a prominent feature of the walk towards Hareshaw Linn, occurring in fields close to the car park.

This one forms clumps of large, triangular to arrow-shaped leaves, often with a slightly mealy surface beneath. The green flowers are small and inconspicuous, produced in dense spikes above the foliage, later developing into clusters of tiny fruits.

Betony
Betonica officinalis

Betony is an attractive perennial of grassland, woodland edges and heathy slopes. It forms a basal rosette of softly hairy, oval leaves with rounded teeth, from which rise square stems typical of the mint family. The bright purple flowers are crowded into a dense terminal spike, making the plant rather conspicuous when in bloom.

Yellow Pimpernel
Lysimachia nemorum

Yellow Pimpernel is a delicate creeping perennial of damp woodland, stream banks and shaded ground. Its slender, often rooting stems spread across the soil, bearing opposite, rounded leaves on long stalks.

The small, bright yellow flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils and look rather lovely in early summer.

Moschatel
Adoxa moschatellina

A small woodland perennial that appears early in spring on damp, shaded woodland floors. It forms patches of soft, deeply divided leaves from creeping rhizomes, often carpeting the ground before the tree canopy closes.

The tiny greenish flowers are arranged in a distinctive cube-like cluster, with four facing sideways and one on top, giving rise to the nickname “town-hall clock”. The flowers are faintly musky-scented, reflected in the species name moschatellina.

Wood Crane’s-bill
Geranium sylvaticum

Wood Crane’s-bill is a tall perennial of damp meadows, woodland edges and upland grassland. The stems carry deeply divided, palmate leaves and relatively large violet-purple flowers with darker veins and a pale centre. The fruits develop into the characteristic long “crane’s-bill” seed head typical of the genus.

Sanicle
Sanicula europaea

A woodland perennial typically found in shaded, base-rich woods and along hedge banks. It forms clumps of glossy, palmately lobed basal leaves from which arise slender stems bearing small, rounded heads of pinkish-white flowers.

Unlike most members of the carrot family, the flowers are arranged in tight umbels rather than open sprays. The fruits are covered in hooked bristles that aid dispersal by attaching to passing animals.

Common Cow-wheat
Melampyrum pratense

Common Cow-wheat is a slender annual of acidic woodland, heaths and moorland edges. Its narrow opposite leaves line the delicate stems, while the pale yellow tubular flowers are borne in the upper leaf axils, often accompanied by reddish-tinged bracts. The species is semi-parasitic, drawing nutrients from the roots of neighbouring plants, particularly grasses and shrubs.

Grasses & Sedges

Wood Melick
Melica uniflora

Melica uniflora is a graceful perennial grass of shaded deciduous woodland and hedge banks. Its slender stems carry a delicate, open panicle of drooping spikelets, each typically containing a single fertile floret. The broad, soft leaves and nodding inflorescence give it a distinctive appearance among woodland grasses.

While this little grass is difficult to miss when flowering in late spring, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot at other times of year.

Remote Sedge
Carex remota

Remote sedge is a slender sedge of damp woodland, shaded stream sides and wet ground. It forms loose tufts of narrow leaves, with thin flowering stems bearing widely spaced spikelets along the upper portion. This well-separated arrangement of spikelets gives the species its name and helps distinguish it from similar woodland sedges.

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Year of Ferns: Tunbridge Filmy-fern

My First Filmy-fern – 19 March

I’ve been rather forgetful of late and haven’t got round to writing one of these posts for a while, but I am, of course, still fern hunting.

On Friday, a rare shared day off gave Matt and me the perfect excuse for a short trip north in search of a plant I’ve wanted to see for many years: Tunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense.

This is a fern with very particular tastes. It depends on constant humidity and is highly vulnerable to drying out, growing only where cool, damp, shaded microclimates persist – deep rock fissures, caves, or permanently wet stone. Such conditions are in short supply in the North East, which goes some way to explaining its rarity here. By contrast, it is much more frequent in the humid Atlantic woodlands of western Scotland and parts of Cumbria. Even so, it does occur in a handful of quiet corners of our region.

As ever with rare species, I won’t be sharing precise details. Suffice it to say that, after a little searching, we were rewarded with a thriving colony. The plants here were confirmed as Tunbridge Filmy-fern by the irregularly toothed margins of the indusia, visible in the first image below.

Tunbridge Filmy-fern *Hymenophyllum tunbrigense*

When we think of ferns, we tend to picture the large, arching fronds of Dryopteris, rising in characteristic shuttlecocks from the woodland floor. Tunbridge Filmy-fern could scarcely look more different. At a glance, it could easily be mistaken for a moss or liverwort and overlooked entirely.

Look closer, however, and it is unmistakably a fern, and a rather beautiful one at that. The fronds are thin and delicate, twice-divided and almost translucent, with a subtle glaucous, bluish cast. That translucence comes from their structure: each frond is just a single cell thick, giving rise to the distinctive “filmy” appearance.

It is a quietly remarkable plant and a real treat to see at long last. Another species ticked off the botanical bucket list…

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	January, Newcastle
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	January, Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	January, Northumberland
#15 N/A	Dryopteris borreri morph. robusta	February, County Durham
#16 N/A	Dryopteris borreri forma foliosum	February, County Durham
#17 Greater Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. paleaceolobata	March, Newcastle
#18 Tunbridge Filmy-fern	Hymenophyllum tunbrigense	March, Northumberland

Urban Flora: Launch & Reflections

Wow, after more than five years of combing the streets of Newcastle, identifying plants and trying rather hard to piece together a legible book, The Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside is finally complete!

If you follow me on social media, you’ll know this has been quite a fun week, and one which has definitely surpassed the expectations of this slightly bewildered urban botanist. First, there was a lovely piece of coverage in the Journal, followed by a delightful short Country Diary entry from Susie White, and later that day, very welcome blogs from the Natural History Society of Northumbria and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Not a bad spot of coverage for what is, by my own admission, a rather niche little book.

The good news didn’t stop there. On Monday, I had the privilege of giving a talk at Newcastle University, officially launching the Flora for more than 100 NHSN members. A recording of this can be found below.

I am incredibly grateful to the authors, platforms and organisations mentioned above who have helped spread the word about my little passion project, and to all of the people and groups on social media who have shared it further (there have been rather a lot of you!). Because of you, it seems some people have actually been buying the book, which is both humbling and a little terrifying to see. Whether it ends up on a few dozen bookshelves or a few hundred (I am rather hoping for the latter), I am simply delighted that people might enjoy reading about Newcastle and its wild plants. There are rather a lot of them to contend with.

Now that things have cooled down a little, I wanted to use this opportunity, and this blog, to offer a few well-deserved thank yous to those who helped along the way. From a book perspective, John Bullar was an incredibly patient and helpful designer. Karl Egeland-Eriksen superbly filled the rather large gap in my knowledge that is geology, and several people, Charlotte, Ellie, Sacha and Matt, kindly helped with proofreading along the way. Then there was the photography, much of which can be attributed to Chris Barlow, who has helped enormously with documenting the city’s plants.

Truthfully, the Urban Flora owes a great deal to many people. To the recorders across Newcastle who shared records, to those who joined me on walks and surveys, and to the many people who encouraged me during my all too frequent wobbles, thank you. Many of these individuals are listed in the acknowledgements, but as it’s likely more people may read this post than see the physical book, I wanted to repeat my gratitude here.

Reflecting on it all, I am immensely proud of the project and the final result. There will undoubtedly be errors, issues and the odd typo (have I ever mentioned that I’m not a writer?), but more importantly I think I have achieved what I hoped to at the outset: to create something that landowners, conservation organisations and local groups can use to understand the plants on their land, and that local people might use to find and enjoy a wide selection of these for themselves. The data gathered will hopefully be put to good use, and perhaps some people will find it genuinely interesting as well.

All that said, that’s a wrap. My husband is certainly glad to have regained most of his weekends, and I will now have to contend with rather more free time now that it’s over. I’m sure I’ll find something else to occupy me…

If you are inspired to purchase a copy of the book, it is available now on Amazon and via the Natural History Society of Northumbria. Links to which are found below.

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Year of Ferns: A Rare Little Spleenwort

Asplenium x clermoniae – 26th January

On Sunday, a trip north into rural Northumberland provided a welcome opportunity to check in on one of the rarest and most intriguing ferns in North East England: Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort Asplenium × clermontiae – a hybrid I hadn’t seen since 2023, when I published a short blog about it here.

To cut a long story short, this is an exceedingly rare hybrid between Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria and Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens. On paper, it ought to be more widespread, given the abundance of its parent species, but this is very much not the case. In fact, it is currently known from just three individual plants across the entirety of the British Isles. The Northumberland plant has been known since the early 2000s and has been visited by many pteridologists over the years.

It is a rather unruly-looking fern, showing characteristics of both parents, and so far as this year’s pteridological challenge goes, an excellent one to notch up early on.

Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort *Asplenium x clermontiae*

A short distance away, another unassuming wall played host to a second rare little spleenwort, though not quite so rare as the species mentioned above. Rustyback Asplenium ceterach is common in many parts of the UK but decidedly scarce in the North East and, despite an abundance of seemingly suitable habitat, remains confined to a small number of quarries and walls across the region. I do wonder whether climate plays a part. In North Northumberland, it is a Rare Plant Register species, meaning it should be reported whenever encountered.

A lover of limestone rocks and lime-rich mortar, this species is easy to identify thanks to its thick, leathery, almost once-pinnate fronds and the dense covering of rust-coloured scales on the underside. The images below show one of two plants observed during a brief pit stop at a well-known site.

Another species down…

Running Total

Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…

#1 Wall-rue	Asplenium ruta-muraria	16 January, Newcastle
#2 Maidenhair Spleenwort	Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens	16 January, Newcastle
#3 Hart’s-tongue	Asplenium scolopendrium	16 January, Newcastle
#4 Black Spleenwort	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum	16 January, Newcastle
#5 Broad Buckler-fern	Dryopteris dilatata	17 January, Newcastle
#6 Male-fern	Dryopteris filix-mas	17 January, Newcastle
#7 Soft Shield-fern	Polystichum setiferum	17 January, Newcastle
#8 Japanese Lace Fern	Polystichum polyblepharum	17 January, Newcastle
#9 Hard Shield-fern	Polystichum aculeatum	23 January, Newcastle
#10 Hard Fern	Blechnum spicant	23 January, Newcastle
#11 Western Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis	23 January, Newcastle
#12 Borrer’s Scaly Male-fern	Dryopteris borreri	23 January, Newcastle
#13 Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort	Asplenium x clermontiae	26 January, Northumberland
#14 Rustyback	Asplenium ceterach	26 January, Northumberland

Ferns & Horsetails

Hard Shield-fernPolystichum aculeatum

Beech FernPhegopteris connectilis

Oak FernGymnocarpium dryopteris

PolypodyPolypodium vulgare

Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum

Great HorsetailEquisetum telmateia

Wildflowers

Wood StitchwortStellaria nemorum

Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis

Early-purple OrchidOrchis mascula

Mountain PansyViola lutea

Upland Enchanter’s-nightshadeCircaea x intermedia

Wood VetchErvilia sylvatica

Goldilocks ButtercupRanunculus auricomus

Bitter VetchLathyrus linifolius

Downy Currant Ribes spicatum

Fly HoneysuckleLonicera xylosteum

Yellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorum

Water AvensGeum rivale

Hybrid AvensGeum x intermedium

Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrageChrysosplenium oppositifolium

Wood Forget-me-notMyosotis sylvatica

Wood-sorrel Oxalis acetosella

SanicleSanicula europaea

Wood Crane’s-billGeranium sylvaticum

Common Cow-wheatMelampyrum pratense

BugleAjuga reptans

Intermediate Lady’s-mantle Alchemilla xanthochlora

Lords-and-Ladies Arum maculatum

Grasses & Sedges

Wood FescueDrymochloa sylvatica

Wood BarleyHordelymus europaeus

Wood MelickMelica uniflora

Giant FescueSchedonorus giganteus

Wood-sedgeCarex sylvatica

Remote SedgeCarex remota

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Armstrong Park

Benton Bank Extension

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Jesmond Vale Lane

Heaton Park

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A quick guide to some specialist woodland grasses

Wood Melick Melica uniflora

Mountain Melick Melica nutans

Wood Millet Milium effusum

Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica

Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus

Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus

Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa

False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum

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A Few Scarce Ferns – 26 April

An Unusual Escape – 27 April

Woodland Specialists – 5 May

Running Total

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Cupola Banks

Stawardpeel Wood

Plankey Mill & Briarwood Banks

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Adder’s-tongue – 17 April

Running Total

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Orchids

Lindisfarne HelleborineEpipactis sancta

Marsh HelleborineEpipactis palustris

Frog OrchidDactylorhiza viridis

Early Marsh-orchidDactylorhiza incarnata

Northern Marsh-orchidDactylorhiza purpurella

Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis

Coralroot OrchidCorallorhiza trifida

Common TwaybladeNeottia ovata

Common Spotted-orchidDactylorhiza fuchsii

Wildflowers

Hard Shield-fern
Polystichum aculeatum

Beech Fern
Phegopteris connectilis

Oak Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris

Polypody
Polypodium vulgare

Great Horsetail
Equisetum telmateia

Wood Stitchwort
Stellaria nemorum

Early-purple Orchid
Orchis mascula

Mountain Pansy
Viola lutea

Upland Enchanter’s-nightshade
Circaea x intermedia

Wood Vetch
Ervilia sylvatica

Goldilocks Buttercup
Ranunculus auricomus

Bitter Vetch
Lathyrus linifolius

Fly Honeysuckle
Lonicera xylosteum

Yellow Pimpernel
Lysimachia nemorum

Water Avens
Geum rivale

Hybrid Avens
Geum x intermedium

Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium

Wood Forget-me-not
Myosotis sylvatica

Sanicle
Sanicula europaea

Wood Crane’s-bill
Geranium sylvaticum

Common Cow-wheat
Melampyrum pratense

Bugle
Ajuga reptans

Wood Fescue
Drymochloa sylvatica

Wood Barley
Hordelymus europaeus

Wood Melick
Melica uniflora

Giant Fescue
Schedonorus giganteus

Wood-sedge
Carex sylvatica

Remote Sedge
Carex remota

Lindisfarne Helleborine
Epipactis sancta

Marsh Helleborine
Epipactis palustris

Frog Orchid
Dactylorhiza viridis

Early Marsh-orchid
Dactylorhiza incarnata

Northern Marsh-orchid
Dactylorhiza purpurella

Pyramidal Orchid
Anacamptis pyramidalis

Coralroot Orchid
Corallorhiza trifida

Common Twayblade
Neottia ovata

Common Spotted-orchid
Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Pirri-pirri-bur
Acaena novae-zelandiae

Purple Milk-vetch
Astragalus danicus

Carline Thistle
Carlina vulgaris

Seaside Centaury
Centaurium littorale

Autumn Gentian
Gentianella amarella subsp. septentrionalis

Henbane
Hyoscyamus niger

Common Sea-lavender
Limonium vulgare

Grass-of-Parnassus
Parnassia palustris

Rough Clover
Trifolium scabrum

Scots Lovage
Ligusticum scoticum

Round-leaved Wintergreen
Pyrola rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia

Bog Pimpernel
Lysimachia tenella

Dwarf Mallow
Malva neglecta

Common Butterwort
Pinguicula vulgaris

Tree-mallow
Malva arborea

Tree Lupin
Lupinus arboreus

Parsley Water-dropwort
Oenanthe lachenalii

Milk Thistle
Silybum marianum

Brookweed
Samolus valerandi

Hare’s-foot Clover
Trifolium arvense

Blue Fleabane
Erigeron acris

Hound’s-tongue
Cynoglossum officinale

Bugloss
Lycopsis arvensis

Marsh Pennywort
Hydrocotyle vulgaris

Common Broomrape
Orobanche minor

Small Adder’s-tongue
Ophioglossum azoricum

Variegated Horsetail
Equisetum variegatum

Lesser Clubmoss
Selaginella selaginoides

Sand Cat’s-tail
Phleum arenarium

Black Bog-rush
Schoenus nigricans

Flat-sedge
Blysmus compressus

Long-bracted Sedge
Carex extensa

Saltmarsh Rush
Juncus gerardii

Sea Club-rush
Bolboschoenus maritimus

Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis

Beech Fern
Phegopteris connectilis

Oak Fern
Gymnocarpium dryopteris

Green Spleenwort
Asplenium viride

Brittle Bladder-fern
Cystopteris fragilis

Polypody
Polypodium vulgare

Hard Shield-fern
Polystichum aculeatum

Lemon-scented Fern
Oreopteris limbosperma

Narrow Buckler-fern
Dryopteris carthusiana