Wild Flowers at Tidgrove

"It was Keith Betton, the BTO Bird Recorder, who tipped me off that it would be worth me checking the wildflowers at Tidgrove. I soon managed to get permission to do a botanical survey there. Another botanist Sarah Ball, joined me on 7 July 2016 and we were soon delighted to find many uncommon arable wildflowers including Venus’s looking-glass, Dwarf Spurge (Nationally Vulnerable), Prickly Poppy (Nationally Endangered), Grey Field Speedwell, Small Toadflax and Dense-flowered Fumitory. However, best of all was leaves of what I thought was almost certainly Red Hemp-nettle, Galeopsis angustifolia. This plant is now classified as Nationally Critically Endangered, so it really needed confirmation when in flower. Sarah Ball and Sarah White visited on 22 Aug 2016 and they found numerous plants of Red Hemp-nettle in full flower, scattered in groups of up to 20 across one particular field. This species was once widespread in Hampshire, with records on my database from 78 sites, but since 2000 it has only been found at 18 Hampshire sites."

Tony Mundell,

BSBI North Hampshire Recorder

Red Hemp-nettle pictured right

Scroll down to see full plant species list at Tidgrove