The New Year Plant Hunt is a national scheme, organised by the BSBI (Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland, see bsbi.org/new-year-plant-hunt). Suitable for beginners and experts, they are a great way to get to see some wild flowers and brighten up your winter! We have organised a New Year Plant Hunt at Natural Surroundings each year since 2015 and they have developed into very sociable events with just a hint of competativeness. The next 'hunt' will take place January 2026, meeting at 10.30 am for a walk around our grounds and the nearby estate (maximum 3 hours). There is no charge and no need to book.
New Year Plant Hunt 2 January 2025: The Results
After a run of mild weather, albeit rather wet and windy at times, it came as a shock to be faced with a heavy fall of sleet on the morning of 2nd January. Fortunately, the skies cleared in time for the start of our Plant Hunt and it stayed dry for the rest of the day, although it was rather cold. After a strole around the gardens and woods at Natural Surroundings we headed down the valley to Glandford whare a careful search of the walls and the rough parking area around 'The Barns' turned up a good few species in flower, as we as a surprisingly large number of orchid rosettes in the grass - probably Bee Orchids, but time will tell! In the end we recorded at total of 47 species in flower - not one of our best totals but not bad considering the lack of suitable weedy fields this year.
New Year Plant Hunt 2 January 2024: The Results
We started the day in relatively light rain, and a gentle walk around the gardens produced the first 16 species, all of the ‘weeds’.
Green Alkanet
Caper Spurge
Petty Spurge
White Dead-nettle
Winter Heliotrope
Primrose
Field Scabious
Bilbao Fleabane
Daisy
Annual Meadow Grass
Red Campion
Hazel
Dog’s Mercury
Common Field Speedwell
Yarrow
Gorse
After a break for a drink beside the wood burner, an intrepid three continued the hunt, although the rain became steadily heavier - at least it was calm and mild. A careful search in a nearby arable field paid dividends, although the most interesting species there, Corn Parsley, was not in flower.
Blue Fleabane
Common Ragwort
Groundsel
Smooth Sowthistle
Common Mouse-ear
Shepherd’s Purse
Dandelio
Dwarf Spurge
Grey Field Speedwell
Field Pansy
Scentless Mayweed
Field Madder
Cocks Foot
Ivy-leaved Toadflax
Simon alone completed the walk with a little time in the yard at Manor Farm. Despite recent building work this was still a good spot, and brought the total up to a reasonable 48 species of wild-growing plant in flower.
Red Dead-nettle
Annual Mercury
Pineappleweed
Wild Radish
Guernsey Fleabane
Oxeye Daisy
Musk Thistle
Dovesfoot Cranesbill
Common Fumitory
Common Chickweed
Smooth Hawksbeard
Black Mustard
Common Mallow
Canadian Fleabane
Hairy Bittercress
Small Nettle
Pellitory-of-the-Wall
Slender Sandwort