This verge is being managed to benefit wildlife. This shaded grassland supports a range of grasses, wildflowers and other wildlife. Here are some of the species found here. To see a full list and get up to date with the verge project, visit NatureSpot's Wild Place feature page for this verge. Click on any header to visit the NatureSpot page for that species to find out more.
Silver Birch
This lovely tree was one of the first colonise Britain after the last ice-age. It is a good coloniser and able to grow on poor soils. Lots of insects rely on Silver Birch so it is an excellent wildlife tree.It grows to 30m but has a light canopy allowing other plants to grow beneath.
How to ID: Silvery-white bark. Pendulous branches. Triangular/diamond-shaped leaves. Many catkins producing lots of seeds.
Where to see it: Widely planted. Naturally appears on wasteland and open ground.
Similar species: Downy Birch is similar though generally found in the uplands. It has fine hairs on the twigs.
Cow Parsley
These tall white umbrella-like flowers are a familiar sight in May. Sometimes called 'keck' in Leicestershire.
How to ID: Strongly divided leaves. Large plant to 1.5m. Flowers in 'umbels', held aloft in May.
Where to see it: Woodland, hedges, verges. Likes nutrient-rich soil.
Similar species: Hogweed is the other very common white umbellifer. Upright Hedge-Parsley looks similar but flowers later in the year.
Wood Avens
Also called Herb Bennet, the yellow flowers turn into spectacular red seed-heads with long hooks to snag any passing animal (or human!).
How to ID: To 70cm, yellow flowers with 5 petals. 3-lobed leaves with toothed edges. Hairy stems. Very prickly seed-heads.
Where to see it: Woodlands, hedges, shady places.
Similar species: None.
Chrysoteuchia culmella
These common moths are conjurers - flying in plain sight then 'disappearing'. They land on grass stalks and hug the stem with folded wings so are hard to see.
How to ID: Body length 12mm. Usually resting on plant stems. Wings with two angled cross-lines and a metallic golden fringe.
Where to see it: Any uncut grassland.
Similar species: There are several other 'grass moths' but all with different wing patterns.
Yorkshire-fog
A very soft grass - covered in fine hairs (its scientific name 'lanatus' means woolly). Supposedly named because from a distance the flowering grass looks like low-lying smoke, such as that from Yorkshire factories.
How to ID: Stems soft and hairy. The flowers have a pink tinge when fresh, getting more straw-coloured with age. Base of the stems have red stripes.
Where to see it: Most grassland habitats.
Similar species: Creeping Soft-grass has similar flowers but hairless stems (apart from the hairy joints).
Meadow Foxtail
An early flowering grass with finger-like flower-heads, growing to 1m. A common sight in most meadows.
How to ID: Flowers April-June. Cylindrical flowers (to 10cm) which can be flushed purple.
Where to see it: Meadows and verges.
Similar species: Timothy flowers from June and has tiny horned florets.
Cock's-foot
Perhaps the most recognisable of all our grasses with the clumpy flowers on short but spread stalks. It likes nutrient-rich soil so can become dominant in certain conditions.
How to ID: A tall grass (to 1m) with tussocky leaves that are greyish green. Stalks are flattened. The flower-head is unique.
Where to see it: Meadows and verges.
Similar species: None.
