A botanical tour of Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserves

The March meeting of the Blyth Valley and Southwold Wildlife Group was given a taste of spring as Steve Aylward, from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, treated us to a round tour of our nature reserves.

Suffolk is fortunate in having a wide range of soil types, and therefore of plant habitats. Some of the meadows have soil that has been untouched for hundreds of years, giving them a rich variety of flora. At Martins’ Meadow, fritillaries, early purple orchids and cowslips carpet the floor in spring, and varieties of grass, such as the delicate quaking grass, add contrast. There are old fruit and nut trees, with new Suffolk varieties added to replace fallen timber. Winks Meadow is another exceptional site for orchids. By contrast, woodland areas, such as Bradfield Woods, offer primroses and oxlips, dog violets and wild garlic, and the rare, crested cow-wheat. Our own Reydon Woods is lucky in that the old coppices weren’t bull-dozed away when the conifers were planted, leaving the dormant seeds to re-populate the woods once given the chance.

The marshes offer further diversity, and it is often the ditches that are most plant rich. The common bladderwort traps tiny insects for nourishment, and frogsbit and water soldier abound. Taller species like ragged robin and marsh pea add stretches of colour.

The valley fens are different again, with low nutrient levels encouraging other insectivores such as the lovely round-leaved sundew, although you might need to get close to the ground to appreciate its beauty! In the east, the heathlands offer heather, foxgloves and purple milk vetch in abundance. The Saltings and shingle reserves support sea campion, and succulents like stonecrop. Lastly, Steve talked about the new reserve of Martlesham Wilds, which is being left completely alone to re-wild, the only interference being some light grazing. It will be interesting to watch it change over the years.

The beautiful photographs were evidence of the wonderful variety of flora to be found in our county, and they encouraged us to look more carefully at the plants beneath our feet.

Our next meeting is back in the Southwold Arts Centre, Cumberland Road IP18 6JP on Thursday, 9th April at 7.30pm. Our brief AGM will be followed by refreshments and a short film, A Suffolk River by Canoe, featuring Paul Heiney. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Contact us at swtblythvalley@gmail.com.

Penny Mansfield