Woodland wonders brightening the forest floor

A new book sheds light on the wealth of wildflowers in our woods. Charlie Elder learns more from author Alan Waterman about the special species blooming as the days grow shorter

As summer wild flowers begin to fade and run to seed along hedgerows and verges, in grasslands and woodlands, there is still plenty of colour to look out for over the weeks ahead.

With a change of season around the corner, a number of species come into their own, brightening the forest floor, and these delightful autumn blooms are among those described in a new book, Woodland

Wild Flowers – Through the Seasons.

The book details more than 170 woodland flowers and explains how to identify them, where and when they bloom, their traditional healing remedies, edible parts – and poisonous plants to avoid.

Author Alan Waterman lives on the edge of the

Forest of Dean and manages a small deciduous woodland for wild flowers and botanical diversity. As director of a Field Study Centre, he has taken thousands of students and keen amateurs on woodland natural history walks and Woodland Wild Flowers – Through the Seasons, published by Merlin Unwin Books, represents his life’s work conveying the joy and fascination of our wild woodland plants to the general public.

Of the season ahead, he says that while there are not many shade-tolerant woodland plants which flower in the latter months of the year, those that do bring pleasure in abundance.

“A few come into flower in September, but while you will still get flowers in bloom during October and November, none actually start to flower in those months. Of the true woodland species, it is only Sowbread – also called Wild Cyclamen – and Meadow Saffron – Autumn Crocus – that are found in the heart of the woods. There are others, such as Water Pepper, found on the edges of woods or, as in the case of Heather, in open heath woodlands,” he says. “However, by the beginning of November, the first hints of the next year may already be making their appearance. Depending on the weather, one or two Primroses may start to flower. As the hazel bushes lose their golden leaves, next year’s male catkins are already there. They are small and green but very visible and some may elongate and turn yellow with pollen even before the end of the year.

“In the same way as the first flowers of the year are important for overwintering insects, especially bees, so too are these final flowers of the yearly cycle, especially Hemp Agrimony, Ploughman’s Spikenard, Heather and Goldenrod. If one walks past a woodland wall covered with Ivy, its flowers will now be alive with insects and one can hear it buzzing.”

On the facing page, Alan describes a few of the species featured in the book to look out for over the coming months.

Woodland Wild Flowers Through The Seasons is published by Merlin Unwin Books, priced £20, and stocked or available to order by local bookshops.