Flora

General

Across the 2 reserves there are a wide range of terrestrial habitats types varying from bare rock through to mature woodland. Due to a lack of systematic management in the past the site has developed into the present attractive 'semi-wild' state that can be seen today.

This moasic of habitats not only adds to the amenity value for the local community, but also greatly enhances the conservation value of the site. To date over 120 species of native plants have been recorded on this relatively small area (not counting obvious garden escapees), these include approximately:

85 Species of Wild Flowers
20 Species of Trees and Shrubs
20 Species of Grass
3 Species of Ferns

Woodland

The majority of the woodland was planted in the late 1800's and consists mainly of Pedunculate (Common) Oak, which dominate the canopy. Many of these Oaks appear to have been coppiced approximately 40-50 years - this would coincide with the second world war, when timber would have been in short supply. Across both reserves there are scatted small planted areas of Ash, Scots Poine, Cherry and Poplar

Below the canopy, the sparce understorey/shrub layer contains mainly Broom, Hawthorn, Holly, Wild Cherry and Rowan with smaller amounts of Hazel and Elder - many of which appear to have re-generated naturally, despite the high levels of disturbance. There are also numerous mature Hawthorn throughout the woodland, many of which are remnants of the plantation's original boundary hedge.

The lower layers are comprised of a mosaic of bare ground (due to high levels of disturbance), deep leaf litter, Bramble thicket and areas of grass - Yorkshire Fog, Sheep's Fescue and Wavy Hair-grass, being the most common. Notable other plants found in the field layer include Bluebell, Foxglove and Wood Sage

The eastern edge of the site forms part of the boundary between the City and County of Nottingham and remnants of an double hedgerow are still visible on each side of the Sandy Lane bridleway: these may be some of the oldest trees on the site. Along the hedge bottom are Ramson, Hedge Woundwort and Garlic Mustard, amongst others.

Management

At present we are concentrating on increasing the horizontal and vertical structure of the woodland. Projects to date, of which many are on-going, have included:-

Moving self-set seedlings from near the bases of larger trees to more favourable sites.
Pruning small trees to promote strong, straight growth.
Weeding seedlings to reduce competition from fast growing vegetation (grasses).
Removal of damaged/unsafe branches from the older Oaks.
Creation of habitat stacks using the the removed branches.
Introduction of selected trees to increase species diversity.
Thinning of Bramble thickets.

We also work with Broxtowe Borough Council in reducing the height of the trees near the summit of the site and restored the view over west Nottingham.

Scrub

Between the woodland and the grassland, across the site, are sizeable area of very dense naturally regenerated scrub. Broom is the dominant species throughout this area due to the sandy free draining soils. Dog Rose is aslo very prevelant, which is a remnant to the areas former use as a rose nursery

Other species found in this area are Elder, Gorse, Hawthorn, Bramble and Pedunculate Oak (some of which are remnants of the original plantation).

The dense trees and shrubs allow very little light through to the lower layers resulting in sparse vegetation at ground level, especially in the areas dominated by Broom and Gorse. However, beneath the Hawthorn thickets, species such as Common Chickweed, Lesser Celandine, Foxglove and Bluebell can be found along with numerous grass species that are found elsewhere on the site.

Due to the free draining nature of the soils, the site often becomes very dry, especially in late summer. This causes some of the vegetation to become tinder-dry, especially the grasses, Broom and Gorse. As such there are several small fires a year - some deliberately lit.

Management of the scrub is intentionally minimal, as we are trying to maintain the area as a 'sanctuary' for wildlife. The main focus of our attention is to limit access, especially during the breeding season. This is achieved by using vegetation (such as Bramble), cut from elsewhere on the site as part of our management projects, to block the many feint desire lines leading into the scrub.

The only real regular active vegetaion management undertaken is the removal of burnt dead shrubs. Ideally they are left in-situ to limit disturbance and access whilst the surrounding vegetation regrows, and then removed in the following year.

We have also created a few 'experimental clearings' deep within the scrub in order to see what species will regenerate once the dominant broom has been removed. The information gained from this will be used to plan any future management, if any is felt necessary.

Rough Grassland

Across both reserves are small areas of rough grassland and mixed scrub. The main species present in the scrub are occasional Broom, dense Bramble and Raspberry and a small thicket of introduced Ornamental Cherry (cultivars). There is also a sizeable dense stands of Bracken scattered throughout.

The rest of this area is grassland with a dense rank sward, with the dominant grasses being Perennial Ryegrass and Cocksfoot. Other floral species present in the field layer are Cow parsley, Hogweed, White Dead Nettle, Spear and Creeping Thistle and Curled Dock.

Management

The main deisre is to control and hopefully reduce nutrient levels, the spread of 'undesirable species' and enhance access by restoring the network of surfaced paths within this area. Projects to date, of which many are on-going, have included:-

Control of scrub encroachment, restricting any shrubs and trees to their present extent.
Removal of washed-down sand and encroaching vegetation from footpaths, and resurfacing where necessary.
Control of Nettle encroachment.
Control of Bracken and Raspberry encroachment
Introduction of a mowing regime and removal of cut vegetation in order to reduce nutrient levels and dense thatch layer.

Grassland

At the top of the site are a couple of large area of semi-improved grassland, which was once part of Bankfield Farm.

These sizeable areas of grassland have a dense sward, comprised of Cocksfoot, Common bent, Perennial Ryegrass, Hairy Brome, False Oat-grass, Wavy Hair-grass among many others.

There are also numerous species of herbs in the field layer including Cow parsley, Meadow Buttercup, Ribwort Plantain, Greater Plantain, Common Ragwort, Perforate St John's-wort Hawkweed and Red, White and Bladder Campion, along with many others.

Around the perimeter, adjoining the housing, there are numerous large overgrown hummocks of accumulated garden rubbish, dumped by residents rubbish over the years. This, along with the high levels of dog faeces, has enabled dense stands of Nettle and Rosebay Willowherb to dominate in a small number of areas.

Management of these areas of grassland has been predominantly through the implementation of a mowing regime. Working in close partnership with Broxtowe Borough Council, the area is mown once a year, in early-mid September, and all cuttings are then removed from the site. Some small areas are deliberately left uncut to provide cover and over-wintering sites for many of the invertebrates present in the grassland.

This will slowly reduce nutrient levels available to the vegetation and hopefully allow more characteristic sandstone species to thrive. Also, raking up the cut material removes some of the deep thatch layer that has built up over the years of neglect, allowing more seeds to reach the soil level, and hopefully germinate.

Other management tasks involve control of invasive species, such as Rosebay Willowherb and Nettle - once the plants have flowered, they are cut down/pulled up to prevent them from setting seed. A sizeable section on the Sandy Lane Open Space LNR has been restored to more typical grassland.

To allow easier access across the Alexandrina Plantation, the rough path has been widened surface through external funding to create a circular wheelchair friendly route across this section of grassland.

Grassland (with Bracken)

These are areas of open grassland areas where lack of management in the past has enabled a dense stand of Bracken to become dominant.

Over the years a thick layer of partially decomposed fern 'mulch' has accumulated that serves to prevent other seeds reaching the soil layer to germinate, and so other herb species are few and far between.

From late spring through to late autumn the dense shading from the Bracken severely restricts competition from other herb species that are already present.

However, in early spring numerous Bluebells are able to flower and seed before the first 'fiddleheads' unfurl and the dense canopy closes over, shading out most other vegetation.

Despite the lack of light and space, several tall grass species are able to compete with the Bracken, with Yorkshire Fog, Cocksfoot, Tufted Hair-grass and False Oat-grass being common.

Management in this area was initially been aimed at reduction and control of the Bracken stand. This involved bashing/cutting the stems twice a year - in June and August. To date we have reduced both the height and density of the stand, which has presented the grasses and herbs with more opportunity to compete.

Experiments wereundertaken within this compartment to ascertain the best way to deal with the thick mulch layer in future projects, once the Bracken has been brought under control.

Amenity Grassland

This section is a small area of improved amenity grassland, lying adjacent to Thoresby Road, with Perennial Ryegrass dominating the sward.

In springtime, large amounts of planted Daffodils form a colourful display. This area is mown several times a year by Broxtowe Borough Council, as part of their road verge management policy, and so few other species of herbs are able to become fully established.

Those found throughout the year include low-growing species such as daisy, Creeping Buttercup, Dandelion, Ribwort Plantain and White Clover.

Management As this area is mown several times a year by Broxtowe Council direct management by the Friends is minimal.

Rock Outcrops

Although bare rock in itself may not be thought of as a habitat, it is important in that it allows specialist species to colonise the rockface, small pockets within the rock and the shallow soils surrounding the outcrop.

This is especially true on the north facing slopes which are shaded by trees, where lack of direct sunlight makes the rock slightly cooler and damper.

Lichens are able to grow on the bare rockface and grasses, mosses and herbs (such as Herb Robert and Common Cat's-ear) colonise the small pockets and ledges where sand and soil has accumulated.

Slightly further back from the outcrop, where there are very shallow soils is a dense carpet of moss with Sheep's Sorrel and Heath Bedstraw.

Management of these outcrops is minimal and normally involves removal of graffiti and accumulated litter, as the outcrops are a popular meeting point with local teenagers.

Broxtowe Council installed two benches at the summit outcrop, so that visitors can rest whilst savouring the extensive view over western Nottingham.

Other management indirectly concerned with the outcrops is the periodic management of the surrounding trees to ensure that the views are maintained.

The View From The 'Summit' Outcrop

For a full listing of all plants recorded on the site to-date. Use the links above to go to the desired section.
It is hoped that other groups such as mosses and fungi will be added in the near future

Herb Species List

This page lists all the Herb species identified on the site to-date. Hopefully this list will grow over time as other species are discovered or begin to colonise.

Each species is categorised with both its common and scientific name, along with a 'frequency' based on the standard D.A.F.O.R rating. This gives a guide to the incidence of each species throughout the site as either being Dominant, Abundant, Frequent, Occasional or Rare. Please note that these ratings are only relevant to the site, and a species denoted as rare in this list is not necessarily a rarity.

Family/Common Name	Scientific Name	Frequency
Buttercup Family
Creeping Buttercup	Ranunculus repens	occasional
Meadow Buttercup	Ranunculus acris	occasional
Lesser Celandine	Ranunculus ficaria	occasional
Poppy Family
Common Poppy	Papaver rhoeas	rare
Long-headed Poppy	Papaver dubium	rare
Opium Poppy	Papaver somniferum	rare
Cabbage Family
Hedge Mustard	Sisymbrium officinale	occasional
Wavy Bitter-cress	Cardamine flexuoso	frequent
Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower)	Cardamine pratensis	rare
Garlic Mustard	Alliaria petiollata	frequent
Honesty	Lunaria annua	occasional
Shepherd's Purse	Capsella bursa-pastoris	occasional
Horse-radish	Armoracia rusticana	occasional
St John's-wort Family
Perforate St John's-wort	Hypericum perforatum	rare
Violet family
Dog Violet	Viola riviniana	rare
Wild Pansy	Viola tricolor	rare
Campion Family
White Campion	Silene alba	occasional
Red Campion	Silene dioica	occasional
Bladder Campion	Silene vulgaris	rare
Common Chickweed	Stellaria media	frequent
Sand Spurrey	Spergularia rubra	rare
Geranium Family
Herb-Robert	Geranium robertianum	occasional
Long Stalked Cranes-bill	Geranium columbinum	rare
Dove's-foot Crane's-bill	Geranium molle	rare
Pea Family
Restharrow	Ononis repens	rare
White Clover	Trifolium repens	occasional
Common Vetch	Vicia sativa	occasional
Hairy Tare	Vicia hirsuta	occasional
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	rare
Rose Family
Bramble	Rubus fruticosus agg	abundant
Raspberry	Rubus idaeus	abundant
Tormentil	Potentila erecta	rare
Wood Avens	Geum urbanum	occasional
Willowherb Family
Broad-leaved Willowherb	Epilobium montanum	occasional
Great Willowherb	Epilobium hirsutum	rare
Rosebay Willowherb	Chamaenerion angustifolium	abundant
Nettle Family
Common Nettle	Urtica diocia	abundant
Gourd Family
White Bryony	Bryonia dioica	rare
Ivy Family
Ivy	Hedra helix	occasional
Carrot Family
Cow Parsley	Anthriscus sylvestris	abundant
Pignut	Conopodium majus	rare
Ground-elder	Aegopodium podagraria	occasional
Hogweed	Heraacleum sphondylium	frequent
Wild Parsnip	Pastinaca sativa	rare
Dock Family
Broad-leaved Dock	Rumex obtusifolius	occasional
Curled Dock	Rumex crispus	occasional
Common Sorrel	Rumex acetosa	occasional
Sheep's Sorrel	Rumex acetosella	occasional
Knotgrass	Polygonum aviculare	occasional
Heath Family
Heather (Ling)	Calluna vulgaris	rare
Bell Heather	Erica cinerea	rare
Primrose Family
Scarlet Pimpernel	Anagallis arvensis	rare
Bindweed Family
Field Bindweed	Convolvulus arvensis	frequent
Hedge Bindweed	Calystegia sepium	frequent
Nightshade Family
Bittersweet	Solanum dulcamara	rare
Figwort Family
Foxglove	Digitalis purpurea	frequent
Germander Speedwell	Veronica chamaedrys	rare
Common Field Speedwell	Veronica persica	rare
Ivy-leaved Speedwell	Veronica hederifolia	occasional
Labiate (Mint) Family
Red Dead-nettle	Lamium purpureum	occasional
White Dead-nettle	Lamium album	frequent
Common Hemp-nettle	Galeopsis tetrahit	rare
Hedge Woundwort	Stachys sylvatica	occasional
Betony	Betonica Officinalis	rare
Wood Sage	Teucrium scorodonia	rare
Borage Family
Wood Forget-me-not	Myosotis sylvatica	occasional
Green Alkanet	Pentaglottis sempervirens	rare
Rough Comfrey	Symphytum asperum	rare
Plantain Family
Ribwort Plantain	Plantago lanceolata	occasional
Greater Plantain	Plantago major	occasional
Honeysuckle Family
Honeysuckle	Lonicera periclymenum	occasional
Bedstraw Family
Heath Bedstraw	Galium saxatile	rare
Cleavers	Galium aparine	abundant
Ladies Bedstraw	Galium verum	rare
Daisy Family
Common Ragwort	Senecio jacobaea	frequent
Groundsel	Senecio vulgaris	rare
Goldenrod	Solidago virgaurea	rare
Feverfew	Chrysanthemum parthenium	rare
Daisy	Bellis perennis	occasional
Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	rare
Scentless Mayweed	Tripleurospermum maritimum	rare
Pineappleweed	Matricaria matricarioides	rare
Mugwort	Artemisia vulgaris	rare
Spear Thistle	Cirsium vulgare	occasional
Creeping Thistle	Cirsium arvense	occasional
Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale agg	frequent
Prickly Lettuce	Lactuca serriola	rare
Common Cat's-ear	Hypochoeris radicata	occasional
Nipplewort	Lapsana communis	occasional
Smooth Hawk's-beard	Crepis capillaris	occasional
Hawkweed	Hieracium umbellatum	occasional
Smooth Sow-thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	rare
Lily Family
Grape Hyacinth	Muscari atlanticum	occasional
Bluebell	Hyacinthoides non-scriptus	abundant
Ramsons	Allium ursinum	rare

Tree and Shrub Species List

This page lists all the Tree and Shrub species identified on the site to-date. Hopefully this list will grow over time as other species are discovered or begin to colonise.

If the Common Name is GREEN, this signifies that there is a photograph of that species in our library: click the link to view the relevant photo and click anywhere image to close it.

Family/Common Name	Scientific Name	Frequency
Pine Family
Scots Pine	Pinus sylvestris	rare
Pea Family
Common Gorse	Ulex europaeus	frequent
Western Gorse	Ulex gallii	rare
Broom	Sarothamnus scoparius	abundant
Rose Family
Rowan	Sorbus aucuparia	frequent
Wild Cherry	Prunus avium	frequent
Blackthorn	Prunus spinosa	rare
Crab Apple	malus sylvestris	rare
Domestic Apple	malus domestica	rare
Hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	frequent
Dog Rose	Rosa canina agg	occasional
Currant Family
Red Currant	Ribes sylvestre	rare
Holly Family
Holly	Ilex aquifolium	occasional
Beech Family
Pedunculate Oak	Quercus robur	abundant
Beech	Fagus sylvatica	rare
Hazel Family
Hazel	Corylus avellana	occasional
Maple Family
Sycamore	Acer pseudoplatanus	occasional
Horse-chestnut Family
Horse-chestnut	Aesculus hippocastanum	rare
Birch Family
Silver Birch	Betula pendula	rare
Olive Family
Common Ash	Fraxinus excelsior	rare
Honeysuckle Family
Elder	Sambucus nigra	occasional

Grass and Fern Species List

This page lists all the Grass and Fern species identified on the site to-date. Hopefully this list will grow over time as other species are discovered or begin to colonise.