Last week D and I went on a walk around Castle Bromwich Historic Parkland partly because it is a lovely local place to walk and partly to look for some new plants for this year's 2026 Wild Plant Challenge.
The parkland is a Local Nature Reserve, and once part of the Earl of Bradford's estate and now part of the Castle Bromwich Conservation Area.
The last resident of the Bradford family at Castle Bromwich Hall was Lady Ida Bradford (1848-1936) who was the widow of George Bridgeman, 4th Earl of Bradford.
The parkland is known locally as Lady Bradford's and a few years ago restoration work was carried to improve paths and access to the reserve. The LNR consists of grassland, woodland, wetland and ponds.
The woodland contained quite a few areas where there were bluebells.
During the walk we managed to add quite a few new species to this year's plant list where the challenge is to see 100 different wild plants, trees or ferns. Bryophytes and Lichens are not included in the challenge which is a relief really as I find them hard to id!
Dock
White Dead Nettle
Bramble
Horse Chestnut
Yew
Greater Reedmace (or Bulrush)
Herb Robert or as D calls it Stinking Robert! We have this taking over pots at home!
Two Umbellifers - I am still working on the identity of these. I need to go through some wild flower books with D. Some umbellifers I can identify but not all!
Bluebells - I am pretty sure from the drooping heads they were native bluebells and not the horrid Spanish variety.
Ribwort Plantain
D took some photos of a Blue Tit investigating a nest box.
Common Comfrey - hopefully a wild plant and not a garden escapee!!!
A lovely display of tulips by the entrance to the car parks with an Orange Tip butterfly nearby.
It was a lovely walk and we really had ought to do it more often although I seem to remember saying this last year and we only visited twice! It will be worth visiting next month as from last year's blog post I notice we saw Pignut, one of the Buttercup species and Ox-eye Daisies there.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera and those marked by *D taken by my son with the Canon SX50 HS bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
14 comments:
Oh, how lovely. You found lots of wild plants. Love the carved owl. We have lots of Herb Robert growing here and there across the garden. I call it that stinky plant too, although we have some Feverfew and that is quite smelly too. Saw some Red Campion today amongst the Bluebells on our walk around the lakes at Westport. Hope you can identify the umbellifers:)
Thanks Rosie. I loved the carved owl too. We have Feverfew but I didn't realise it was smelly. Lovely to see Red Campion I haven't seen any in flower yet. We used to have a lot at the top of the garden. Still haven't tried id with the umbellifers!
Masses of Herb Robert here too! I agree, native not Spanish Bluebells, and I ran the umbel through my lens. It identified it as Sweet Cicely, but I disagree. My initial thought was Cow Parsley {aka Queen Anne's Lace} but Lens said it could also be that or even Hemlock! tbh, it's still a bit on the small side to get a good look, but with Hemlock thrown in the mix of options it's proof positive that we must always be careful!
Thanks so much Debbie. and for plant id help. Heck Hemlock!!!!!! I don't think the leaves are right for that though. Hopefully if we return next month the flowers might be out more. I don't think either were Cow Parsley - the leaves didn't look right and I agree with you I don't think Sweet Cicely. I need to sit down with David and some flower id guides and have a proper look at them. I think they are two species but not completely sure. I have some of those horridly hard to identify plants with small white flowers in the garden to id too!
It is wonderful that you and D were able to spot so many species for your 2026 Wild Plant Challenge during your walk through Castle Bromwich. Identifying umbellifers can be a real test of patience, so consulting your wild flower books together sounds like a productive way to spend an afternoon. The native bluebells and the sighting of the Blue Tit investigating the nest box add such a lovely touch to a day in the parkland. It is easy to see why you would want to return next month for the ox-eye daisies and pignut. You are welcome to take a look at the latest entry I have written for the blog.
What a good selection, RR. I keep hoping our wild garden here will produce some new wildflower species! Herb Robert is taking over in places, but I think it helps to attract some of the blue butterflies.
Thanks so much Caroline. I didn't know that about Herb Robert and some of the blue butterflies. We also have a lot of Shining Cranesbill taking over pots - so another new species even if it is a bit of a nuisance!
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. Think I have identified one umbellifer - a cow parsley which I should have recognised. Hope to return next month as it is a lovely place to walk.
Well done with the quest for 100 plants this year. I have Herb Robert coming up everywhere here so have to keep on top of it. Mind you, the same could be said for my Aquilegias . . .
Thanks so much BB. Herb Robert does tend to spread :( I wish I still had some Aquilegias as I seem tohave lost them all :(
That looks like a lovely place to spend time in - and you must go back more often! It should be interesting in both May and June for more wildflowers. What number are you up to now?
Love those owls!
Thanks Mandy. It is a lovely place to walk you could be anywhere if you ignore the roar of traffic on the M6 nearby and the planes going over to land at the airport! The owls are great aren't they? 34 species seen and identified atm. There are quite a few plants growing wild in the garden to photo and id. Many those little plants with tiny white flowers which I find so hard to id! We ought to do our usual yearly walk at Brueton Park NR as we could add quite a few there and I think wild garlic which is found there is starting to flower now.
A very beautiful park, beautiful trees and wild plants. In my homeland, Croatia, there are several protected national parks and nature parks in which efforts are made to preserve the natural conditions for the life of indigenous plant and animal species, and in cities we have many beautifully landscaped parks for citizens to walk and relax in the greenery.
Thanks so much. It is a lovely place to walk. Your protected national parks and landscaped parks in cities sound wonderul.
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