Moulsecoomb Forest Garden, Brighton

Field meeting reports
Picture of Sanicula europaea (Sanicle)
Sanicula europaea (Sanicle) in woodland near Moulescoomb Forest Garden. Photo: Helen Proctor

Meeting dates: 12 April and 6 July 2019

(Leader: Rachel Bicker)

Our first field meeting of the year was led by Rachel Bicker, an ecologist, volunteer from Brighton University, and trustee of the Moulsecoomb Forest Garden in Brighton. Rachel gave us an introduction to the site, which is run by the Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Wildlife Project, a registered charity which provides educational qualifications and volunteer experience for those with learning difficulties. Rachel had organised a range of community wildlife activities at the site throughout the summer, to compile a database of species found here and also to help with writing a new management plan. The two SBRS meetings formed an important part of this biodiversity assessment.

The site is on quite a steep chalk slope and mostly comprising organic allotments, but with some small ponds, an educational area, an outdoor clay oven, beehives, a bee garden, a straw bale eco-cabin and a compost loo.

We explored the allotments where numerous weedy species are respected as wild flowers. A plant of Valeriana officinalis (Common Valerian) occurred at the top of the site as well as Origanum vulgare (Marjoram). After an optional vegetarian lunch, we walked uphill through secondary woodland noting Sanicula europaea (Sanicle) by the path. Further on, a small area of chalk grassland, also managed by the Moulsecoomb Forest Garden, displayed scattered clumps of Primula veris (Cowslip).

Picture of botanists at Moulescoomb Forest Garden
In the woods. Photo: Helen Proctor

On 6th July, six members attended and were again welcomed by Rachel Bicker. Most of the day was spent looking at the allotment gardens which, despite having been weeded regularly, still had common weeds of cultivation. Allotment weeds included  Valerianella carinata (Keeled-fruited Cornsalad) and more interesting species such as Kickxia elatine (Sharp-leaved Fluellen), and Fumaria densiflora (Dense-flowered Fumitory). Some members thought they had made a mistake after keying out Scrophularia auriculata (Water Figwort) until it was confirmed and pointed out to them that, despite its name, this species is quite at home on dry chalk soils. The greenhouses hosted a different assemblage of garden escapes while the bee garden had species such as Scabiosa colombaria (Small Scabious) and Centaurea scabiosa (Greater Knapweed). On the chalk grassland site, we found Linum catharticum (Fairy Flax), Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid), Cotoneaster lacteus (Late Cotoneaster), and the hybrid between Galium album (Hedge Bedstraw), and G. verum (Ladies’ Bedstraw). There was also a small patch of Mentha x smithiana (Tall Mint), probably an allotment escape. Although the day didn’t result in any unusual finds it provided an opportunity for newer members to practise their identification skills and use of keys with the recently published flower guides by David Streeter and Francis Rose. The Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Wildlife Project was very pleased with the outcome as, over the two meetings, SBRS members recorded a total of 230 higher plants and 33 bryophytes.