A list of the plants found in the Millennium Field since it was started in 2000 .
The mixture of plants is continually changing, starting with arable weeds and gradually being colonised by longer lasting plants. It will end up as a wood, but I shall not live to see that !
PLANTS FOUND GROWING IN AND AROUND DOVE CLOSE
The Millenium Field was a small arable field of heavy clay until the year 2000. It was then flattened with a harrow and left to grow whatever would grow. Later in 2000 it was planted with a mixture of young trees at regular spacings, with open rides and a clear area under national grid power lines. At first arable weeds dominated but gradually perennial plants have taken over. A few patches were cultivated in 2001 and “wild flowers” grown (oxeye daisy, campion etc.) but these are now hard to find. Paths were mown at intervals and these now have a different flora from the unmown areas (far more dandelions and daisies, for example).
First listed June 20th, 2001
Next check March 25th 2002 Additions, July 2003 TOTAL at July 2003, 103 species
| Scientific Name | English Name | First found | Remarks |
| FORBS | flowering plants but not grasses | ||
| Centaurea scabiosa | Greater Knapweed | March 2002 | one plant, top near hedge |
| Centranthus ruber | Red Valerian | June 2001 | only one, white flowers. Red one, 2003 |
| Cerastium holosteoides | Mouse Ear (chickweed) | May 2003 | few on paths |
| Chamaenerion angustifolium | Fireweed or Rosebay Willowherb | March 2002 | spreading in 2003 |
| Cirsium arvense | Creeping Thistle | June 2001 | patches. slight decrease in 2003 |
| Cirsium vulgare | Spear Thistle | June 2001 | scattered, being weeded out |
| Convolvulus arvensis | Small / field Bindweed | June 2001 | |
| Crataegus monogyna | Hawthorn | June 2001 | |
| Dipsacus fullonum | Teasel | June 2001 | |
| Epilobium hirsutum | Great Willowherb | June 2001 | |
| Epilobium montanum | Broad Leaved Willowherb | June 2001 | |
| Epilobium parviflorum | Hoary Willowherb | June 2003 | |
| Epilobium palustre | Marsh Willowherb | June 2003 | |
| Fraxinus excelsior | Ash | June 2001 | planted but seedlings near top hedge |
| Galium aparine | Goosegrass or Cleavers | March 2002 | top hedge |
| Galium mollugo | Hedge Bedstraw | June 2003 | in the planted patches |
| Geranium dissectum | Cut-leaved Cranesbill | June 2001 | |
| Geranium pyrenaicum | Hedgerow Cranesbill | June 2003 | |
| Hedera helix | Ivy | June 2001 | |
| Heracleum sphondylium | Hogweed | June 2001 | |
| Hypericum hirsutum | Hairy St John's Wort | June 2003 | close to top hedge |
| Lactuca serriola | Prickly Lettuce | July 2003 | close to planted trees |
| Lamium album | White Deadnettle | June 2001 | |
| Lamium purpureum | Red Deadnettle | March 2002 |
|
| Lapsana communis | Nipplewort | June 2001 | |
| Matricaria matricarioides | Pineapple weed | June 2001 | pathway by gate |
| Myosotis arvensis | Field Forget-me-not | June 2001 | decreasing |
| Papaver rhoeas | Common or Field Poppy | June 2001 | now rare |
| Picris echioides | Prickly Ox-Tongue | July 2003 | scattered. mostly next to trees |
| Plantago major | Broad Leaved Plantain | June 2001 | mostly paths near gate |
| Polygonum aviculare | Knotgrass | June 2001 | path near gate |
| Polygonum convolvulus | Black bindweed | June 2001 | very few, round trees |
| Polygonum persicaria | Redshank | June 2003 | weed in cultivated patches |
| Primula veris | Cowslip | March 2002 | planted |
| Prunella vulgaris | Self Heal | June 2003 | in paths, mostly top of field |
| Prunus cerasus (or avium?) | Cherry | planted is it bird cherry? | |
| Prunus spinosa | Sloe / Blackthorn | June 2001 | suckers from hedges |
| Quercus robur | Pedunculate Oak | planted | |
| Ranunculus bulbosus | Bulbous buttercup | March 2002 | only one seen |
| Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup | June 2001 | wet patches and in shade of hedge |
| Rosa canina | Dog Rose | June 2001 | in hedge |
| Rubus fruticosus | Blackberry | June 2001 | several varieties |
| Rumex crispus | Curled dock | June 2001 |
|
| Rumex obtusifolius | Broadleaved Dock | June 2001 | |
| Salix caprea | Goat Willow | June 2003 | only one, centre of field |
| Sambucus nigra | Elder | June 2001 | |
| Senecio jacobea | Ragwort | June 2001 | increasing |
| Senecio vulgaris | Groundsel | June 2001 | very few, not seen in 2003 |
| Sinapis arvensis | Charlock | June 2001 | decreasing |
| Solanum dulcamara | Woody nightshade or bittersweet | June 2001 | |
| Sonchus arvensis | Field Milk Thistle | July 2003 | one patch by wide path |
| Sonchus asper | Prickly Sow Thistle | June 2001 | |
| Sonchus oleraceus | Smooth Sow Thistle | June 2001 | |
| Stachys sylvatica | Hedge Woundwort | June 2001 | getting commoner in 2003 |
| Stellaria holostea | Stitchwort | March 2002 | patch in roadside hedgebank |
| Taraxacum officinale | Dandelion | June 2001 | many near gate and all paths |
| Torilis japonica | Hedge Parsley | June 2001 |
|
| Tragopogon pratensis | Goat's Beard | June 2003 | one plant |
| Trifolium repens | White Clover | June 2001 | uncommon |
| Tripleurospermum maritimum | Scentless Mayweed | June 2001 | decreasing |
| Tussilago farfara | Colts foot | March 2002 | big patches in wet areas |
| Ulmus procera | Elm | June 2001 | |
| Urtica dioica | Stinging Nettle | June 2001 | increasing by stream |
| Veronica chamaedrys | Germander Speedwell | June 2001 | |
| FERN RELATIVES | |||
| Equisetum | Horsetail | June 2001 | many fertile shoots March 2002 |
| no ferns found yet | |||
| GRASSES |
|||
| Alopecurus myosuroides | Black Grass | June 2001 | very common at first, now rarer |
| Agropyron repens | Couch Grass or twitch | June 2001 | patches increasing |
| Agrostis stolonifera | Bents | June 2001 | |
| Bromus mollis | Lop Grass | June 2001 | all over, especially shorter areas |
| Bromus sterilis | Sterile brome | June 2001 | patches near planted trees |
| Calamagrostis epigejos | Wood Small Reed or Bush Grass | June 2003 | few |
| Cynosurus cristatus | Crested Dog's tail | June 2003 | very few on main path |
| Phleum bertolonii | smaller cat's Tail | June 2003 | a few on main path |
| Poa annua | Annual Meadow Grass | ||
| Poa pratensis | Smooth (Stalk) Meadow Grass | June 2001 | |
| Poa trivialis | Rough (stalk) Meadow Grass | June 2001 | |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cocksfoot | June 2001 | a few tufts |
| Lolium perenne | Rye Grass | June 2001 | paths and by gate |
| Festuca rubra | Red Fescue | June 2001 | scattered, shorter areas and paths |
| Arrhenatherum elatius | False Oat Grass | June 2001 | hedgebank |
| Holcus lanatus | Yorkshire Fog | June 2001 | |
| Avena fatua | Wild Oats | June 2001 | decreasing – was common the first year |
| Hordeum secalinum | Meadow barley grass | June 2001 | very few, on shorter grass at top |
| Hordeum murinum | Wall barley grass | June 2001 | only by the gate |
| Carex pendula | pendulous sedge | June 2001 | very few, scattered singly, can get big |
| Juncus | rush | March 2002 | only one plant |
LIST OF THE TREES PLANTED IN THE FIELD Listed May 2002
Ash Fraxinus excelsior also seedlings in many places
Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur several varieties with leaf and colour variations
Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus some already in flower, May '02
Field Maple Acer campestre Leaf, bark and colour variations
Cherry – not sure which kind Prunus (avium, padus, cerasus ?) most likely Bird cherry, P.avium
Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Not many
Hazel Corylus avellana mostly near top hedge
Dogwood Cornus sanguinea row near the pylon wires
Rowan / Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia planted mostly near centre
NOT ALL SPECIES HAVE BEEN LABELLED IN THE FIELD,
SO YOU MAY HAVE TO SEARCH IF YOU WISH TO CHECK.
SOME WILL HAVE FINISHED OR NOT YET STARTED TO FLOWER, SO YOU CANNOT FIND ALL OF THEM AT ANY ONE TIME.