Plants in woodland. Ancient woodland

http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/wildlife/factfiles/flowers/bluebell.htm
Calendar of what's happening in nature.

Some of the woodland plants that are now flowering (13.5.2010)
Leopardsbane

Bluebells


Forget me not (mysotis)
Lesser celandines
Fernscomfrey

Apparently there are a few ways to tell if woodland is ancient,:-

1. If it is shown on early maps,

2.If it is irregular shape & not a rectangle as with modern tree planting because it is easier to fence.

3.Woodland on slopes was not easy to clear or farm, so it got left where it was.

4.Native primroses are paler yellow & native bluebells hang to one side.

5. Existence of ancient hollow way (an old track pasing through the middle of the wood.

All of the above are evident in the valley of what is called "Hidden valley" on old local maps.

yellow archangel

scarlet pimpernel

Orange hawkweed near "Aero"

3 kinds of orchid:-
Early spotted, common spotted pyramid?