WOODLAND PLANTS

Photo: Wild garlic.

Photo:Wild Cyclamen

Photo: Young fern.

Photo: Woodland aconite.

Photo: Bluebell.

(Click on title for link to chase Organics)

Woodland areas are looking fresh at the moment. All the new buds are bursting and the woodland floor is alive with colour. If you’re lucky enough to have an area of natural woodland it’s time to get in there and do any routine maintenance. If there are paths then they can be cleared of broken branches and any brambles that look as though they will encroach later in the season can be removed. Look out for any sharp branches pointing out towards the path that might catch people as they walk too. These want taking out as well. If there is hazel in the wood then get coppicing. Hazel benefit by being chopped back, it promotes healthy new growth and lengthens the lifespan of the tree. It also will let a bit of light into the wood; this will increase the amount of plants that will grow there. Chances are if the woodland is maintained there will be quite a diversity of plants that have naturalised. Wild garlic is quite prolific around here and if you happen to tread on any they smell wonderful (if you like garlic). Ivy does really well too, tolerating total shade. Contrary to popular belief, ivy doesn’t kill the trees when it grows up them either. The thick growth is a haven for wildlife. The only time that the ivy will adversely affect the tree is when the tree dies naturally; the weight of the ivy will bring the tree down earlier. Another plant that actually lives off the tree is the mistletoe. Next year, after the Christmas kissing has finished, try pushing the seed into cracks in the bark on horizontal branches. They stand a good chance of growing.

If you think the woodland could do with a bit more colour or ground cover, here are a few suggestions. Before I do though, I must stress that all these plants are available from commercial growers, which means that there is absolutely no need to pinch them from the wild. To start with if there is an area that needs a bit of green, there are seed mixes of shade tolerant grass. There is also a woodland mix for flowering plants that will give a riot of colour from spring to early summer. These are both available from Chase organics. They do a mail order catalogue too.

Here are more plants that will naturalise in the woodland:

Betony: Red flowers from July to September
Bluebell: Familiar blue-violet flowers from April to June.
Campion: Red and also white flowers from April to June.
Cyclamen: Choose your own flowering time. There are winter, spring and summer varieties – They grow brilliantly under trees
Ferns: Can give all year colour if the ground is damp enough. There are hundreds to choose from.
Foxglove: Pink, purple and the lesser seen white flowers from July to September. Watch out if there are young children about as the leaves are deadly poisonous.
Honeysuckle: Great climber, the naturalised plant has yellow flowers from June to September.
Primrose: Yellow flowers from February to May.
Sweet violet: Blue/ purple flowers in April.


There are loads of other plants that can tolerate shade, most of which will usually be found in the garden such as Hostas, Eleagnus, Hellebores, busy lizzy, certain bamboos etc. These could all be used to good effect around the edge of the wood. I wouldn’t recommend using rhododendrons though. These shrubs are all right when they are in the garden, but if left unchecked in a wood they can take over, cutting out all the light to the woodland floor.


Horticultural.