2024 County Report for Northamptonshire

Alyson Freeman, Brian Laney

We started off in February with a Snowdrop Hunt, and got a few more locations for naturalised plants.

In April the Flora Group visited Barnack Hills and Holes NNR, always a rewarding place to visit with plenty of Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque Flower); even a  couple of Antennaria dioica (Mountain Everlasting) were spotted.

In May we went to Wakerley Woods, where we managed to lose half the party! All was well though, and a good time had by all.

Our June visit was to Barford Wood and Meadows, well hidden away so not easy to find. We spent a long time pondering over a Potentilla, settling on Potentilla anglica (Trailing Tormentil) in the end. Brian Laney spotted a few plants of Aira caryophyllea  (Silver Hair-grass), a rare plant in the county.

We had a look at the village of Warmington and surrounds in July, with a few rare species turning up, including Dittrichia graveolens (Stinking Fleabane) by a very busy road!

August saw a trip to Upton Country Park and an industrial estate. I didn’t get to this one and never did get to hear what was found!

Recorders visited a good number of monads with very few records, really useful.

We finished off the year with our New Year Plant Hunt at Desborough, with a respectable score of 38 plants in flower.

We now have our most recent Rare Plant Register (2022) on the DDb, thanks to some assistance from Sam.