Downland
The Cholderton Estate sits on the
chalk underlying much of Wiltshire and north Hampshire, and its
flora is largely dictated by that geology. Until the middle of
the 19th century this landscape was almost entirely downland sheepwalks,
with a flora that had been maintained by grazing for centuries.
By the late 20th century much of
the original downland flora of the Estate had disappeared, apart
from an area overlooking the A303 trunk road and isolated pockets
elsewhere. As the Estate began to make active moves towards downland
restoration, it became clear that much more had survived than
could have been predicted. As tree and shrub cover was removed,
dormant ‘seed banks’ began to germinate, and now many
restored areas have a rich and diverse chalkland flora. Some assistance
has been given, with the manual spreading of seeds such as cowslips,
and the addition of plant ‘plugs’.
The chalk downland is full of milkwort
and horseshoe vetch in the spring. In summer the pasture is dominated
by birds foot trefoil and three species of purple knapweed, as
well as field fleawort, dropwort and sainfoin. There is also a
scattering of orchids – common spotted, fragrant, pyramidal
and frog.
Hedges
Celandine makes a contrast with
the bare wood of the winter hedge. As spring advances so too do
the climbing tendrils of bryony and wild hop and soon Oregon grape,
wayfaring tree and wild crab burst into flower, followed by a
multitude of the delicate pink and white blooms of wild briar.
Many of the hedge bottoms are lined with violets, cow parsley
and Jack-by-the-hedge. In summer knapweed grow in purple clumps
and bramble flowers turn into a berry laden autumn: blackberries
and buckthorn fruit with bullace, plum fruit dusted in talcum
white, pigeon blood spindle splitting to scarlet and white hidden
seeds. Cascades of sloes plump and purple, wither to a crinkled
ripeness in winter to feast the marauding flocks of redwing and
fieldfares hungry after their oceanic adventures – crossing
from the high arctic to here.
Woodland
The woods are shady and sunlit
or dappled with moving shadow. Many environments merge in one
place, damp with ferns and early purple orchids. Dark hazel grows
with toothwort and common twayblade, and under the high beeches
are white helliborine and birds nest orchid.
A few woodlands on the Estate have
native bluebell, solomons seal, wood anemone and woodruff.
Arable weeds
Arable land can have its own special
flora, and the ‘gentle’ farming regime practised at
Cholderton throughout the 20th century ensured that many now rare
arable 'weeds' survived. That richness is now being further encouraged
by grant-aid, and some fields have as many as 76 plant species.
The introduction of organic farming will almost certainly lead
to further increases in plant diversity.
The arable fields hold populations
of the rare blood red prickly poppy and the crimson rough poppy.
Red hemp nettle, very attractive to bees, occurs on some of the
heavier fields. Other interesting arable weeds include corn gromwell,
field penny cress, Venus looking glass, round and sharp leaved
fluellen and many other more common species.
Cornflowers are now spreading in
the absence of herbicides and it is hoped that pheasant eye Adonis
annua may appear, given the favourable conditions for its survival.
The seed of both these plants can remain viable for decades before
germinating when conditions are right.
Strips down the edges of fields
have been left in a cultivated condition to foster arable weeds.
This has been very successful, and there are now spectacular shows
of flowers every summer which are viewed on a regular basis by
interested botanists ad others.
Brome Grasses
Brome grasses are generally regarded
as persistent and troublesome weeds of agriculture. Barren brome
is a short very aggressive annual grass that rapidly colonises
suitable habitat – particularly arable fields which it can
quickly dominate. However, several bromes formerly associated
with agriculture have become very rare:
