Plants of Chesworth Farm
Over the years our records have shown that there is an incredible diversity of plants here: hundreds of different species from the common to the rare. The management regime maintains and increases this variety and new species pop up during most years.
Chesworth Farm’s ancient hedges are full of flowering plants. Indicators of the hedges’ age includes its diversity of “woody” plants making up the hedge itself and/or the species of flowering plants throughout its base. Some of these plants of the hedge-base include Dog’s Mercury, Bluebell and Primrose.
The open fields and field margins also add to the farm’s incredible diversity. Ranging from common grasses to bright and scented flower-heads.
The grasses include the hardy Perennial Rye Grass found in all the grassy paths and the flowing Yorkshire Fog of summer, but amongst these and in the more “open” areas are the many types of “bents”, Creeping and Common Bent for example. Then there are the tall Foxtails, Dog’s Tails and Cocksfoot. The Reed Sweet Grass, the Common Reed and Reedmace of our wetland areas and not to forget the endangered Cut Grass.
Cycling through the seasons are the bold umbellifers: Hogweed, Cow Parsley, Rough Chervil and the elegant Wild Angelica and throughout our wetter areas the Hemlock Water Dropwort. All these are so important in attracting a wide range of insects.
Dainty flowers of field margins include Forget-me-not, Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil, tall, finely-flowered Nipplewort or the spreading Herb Robert. Our wet areas make a great show of Water Mint, Peppermint and Gypsywort.
Then we have a range of St John’s Worts, plantains, buttercups, ragworts, willowherbs and sow-thistles. Dandelions are everywhere but be up early to see the flowering Goat’s-beard. Late in the season catch the purple flowered Knapweed or the dense yellow heads of Fleabane. And we must not forget the Creeping, Marsh and Spear Thistles along with Stinging Nettles and sticky Cleavers.
Brambles, Dog Rose and Rowan with their variety of berries provide winter food for our visiting birds.
Oaks and Ash trees tower over the hedges while Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Hazel make up the bulk of the base. Careful observation can find Spindle, Dogwood, Guelder Rose, and Field Maple. One of our larger trees is a hybrid Black Poplar while “true” Sussex-stock Black Poplars have been planted along our wet areas. Holly, Yew and Silver Birch are scattered throughout the boundaries.
