NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

Sorry Dylan, more premature reminiscences and more flowers... In June I happened to bump into local botanist Peter Wakeham on Park Downs. He told me about the time that he had been spending at Langley Vale Farm, surveying the plants in light of the Woodland Trusts purchase. My ears pricked up at its mention, as I had spent some time birding the area (from public footpaths) and had botanised some of the field margins over the years (seeing such rarities as Night-flowering Catchfly). The WT had opened up access to a great deal of the farm and his offer of a guided tour was eagerly taken up. We met on a swelteringly hot July 1st, which was the start of my visiting the farm on a regular basis. On that initial visit, Peter showed me Narrow-fruited Cornsalad and Cat-mint, both new species for me. A couple of weeks later I found myself at a bare, chalky field edge on the north-western side of the farm. One of the first species that I spied was a sizeable Venus's Looking-glass...

I was delighted to come across a single plant of Venus's Looking Glass (above) on the edge of Epsom Downs this morning. Chance plays a big part in finding such things, and I just happened to be wandering along the edge of a field that I rarely pass. An open, chalky corner got my attention and as always it was checked for so called 'arable weeds' - bingo! It has been recorded in the area before, but not for a number of years I believe. If there was ever a flowerhead that looks as if it had been designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, then this is it - Round-headed Rampion. It is a local plant of chalk grassland and we are lucky enough to have several places on Epsom and Walton Downs where it grows. We are currently experiencing a very good flowering on Epsom Downs. Areas of grassland that previously have been devoid of interest are proving to be well worth a look - I'm assuming that there has been a lessening of cutting and spraying, or maybe this observer ha...