Roman Woods and Oakwood

Field meeting reports

Meeting date: 20 May 2006

(Leader: Arthur Hoare)

Unseasonal lows rolling in from the Atlantic, newspapers talking of a ‘monsoon weekend’… yet somehow this joint meeting with our Surrey confrères escaped all but the merest sprinkle, at the beginning as Arthur marshalled his troops.  Mud in Roman Woods: we slipped past a profusion of good sylvan species, including Adoxa, Galium odoratum  (Woodruff), Luzula forsteri  (Southern Woodrush), Milium effusum (Wood Millet), while individuals with their eyes not scouring the ground for herbaceous specimens and footholds managed to recognise both Hawthorn species and their hybrid.  Lunch near or indeed inside the Scarlett Arms (I recall with fondness the Harvey’s Sussex that Sophie so kindly bought me).  The afternoon was spent in Surrey, happily rambling in the woods that surround the church of Oakwood.  Trees were high on the agenda, with Rod demonstrating Quercus x rosacea and our Surrey leaders auditing the Sorbus torminalis (Wild Service Tree).  The finale was a warm welcome from the owners of a delightful garden ablaze with Azaleas, whose lawn was dotted with spikes of Orchis morio (Green-winged Orchid).