Birdseye Primrose,
Kilnsey. Photo Christine Bell.
We first went to Kilnsey Park in 2001 and started making our list of species on the site. This year we thought we would return to see what changes if any would be on a new list. We aim to return later in the season for the later flowering plants. In mid-May the site was looking very splendid with Early Purple Orchids, Cowslips, Primroses and the hybrid False Oxlip. Just about half of the 150 recorded species in 2001 were noted on this visit, leaving quite a number yet to find. Of course in 2001 the Lady’s Slipper Orchid Cypripedium calceolus had not yet been planted. In the afternoon, we visited quite a different habitat.
Early Purple Orchid,
Kilnsey. Photo Christine Bell.
When Jean Above. Robinson came to talk to the Society about the Raikes Road Burial Site, we offered to do a botanical survey, which she welcomed. There were some interesting trees, Hornbeam Carpinus betulus and Holm Oak Quercus ilex in particular, but the ground cover was mainly coarse Grasses and Docks. So it was mainly green with odd splashes of colour provided by Red Campion Silene dioica and Welsh Poppy Meconopsis cambrica and some puzzling Pansies. However, as this is a work in progress we may return another year to see if the situation has changed.
Christine Bell.
