Ratby, Ferndale Park
Selected Wild Place / Other Wild Places / Public Rights of Way / VC55 boundary
Access is from the bottom of Ferndale Drive, or from the footpath on Lockley Close. The SUD also has an access from Church Ponds Close.
Public open space
The recent community survey seeking resident’s views about Ferndale Park revealed ‘nature’ as the highest priority. Ratby Parish Council is keen to do what it can to help nature recovery across all of the parish and is starting with Ferndale Park.
During 2025, parts of the mown grass will be allowed to grow as a meadow and NatureSpot will monitor the wildflowers, grasses and visiting wildlife. Over time, additional wildflowers will be introduced, native trees and shrubs will be planted, parts of the brook will be widened and a nature trail established.
These new wildlife habitats will offer Park visitors more opportunities to have contact with nature and will provide vital new homes for a wide range of wildlife.
Site species count:
Though much of the Park is mown grass, part is now being managed as meadow grassland. There is good wildlife habitat around the periphery, plus there are a number of scattered planted trees. The sustainable urban drainage (SUD) area, created to help store flood water, is a real wildlife gem and has even been designated as a Local Wildlife Site. The large but shallow pond is surrounded by a wildflower meadow, seeded onto the clay dug from the hole. Mature shrubs and trees enclose the whole site. In between the SUD and the main park is a further wildflower meadow and small stream runs between this meadow and the formal park, adding further habitat interest.
The boundary hedge and scrub areas are great areas to see House Sparrows - now a red-listed bird due to a dramatic population crash.
The wildflower meadow has a good stand of Meadow Cranesbill with Black Knapweed and Oxeye Daisy. The hedges in this area include Buckthorn, Hawthorn and Field Maple. Many of the trees in the park support good colonies of lichens on their trunks and branches.
The SUD pond supports breeding frogs and numerous aquatic insects. Common Reed covers much of the pond area. The wildflower meadow around it includes Common Fleabane, Betony, Black Knapweed, Purple Loosestrife, Quaking Grass and Cowslips in the Spring. Animal life abounds in this meadow, including Meadow Brown, Large and Small Skipper butterflies, Six-spot Burnet Moth, Meadow Grasshopper and Long-winged Conehead to name just a few.
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