We had a visit from a lovely gentleman and group of specialist botanists at Ross Bay earlier in the year. They were keen to establish the extent of biodiversity of the plants, wild flowers in and around our farm counting and identifying the various species. They also matched them with their geographical status across the UK to see if there were any surprising results. Here are some of their findings.
Plant Life at Ross Bay
Scarce Species Found Locally
It was encouraging to see that we had some locally scarce and also threatened species growing locally. These included juniper, wild onion and ransoms (wild garlic) which are more commonly in the shade of wild forests. Rock samphire, was also found and is not normally found so far north. All these species must love our local ecosystem, the great weather and nutrient rich fertile land.
Some plant and wild flower species are indigenous to the coastal regions such as the wonderfully named ‘Sea mouse-ear chickweed’, ‘Danish scurvy grass’ and ‘Parsley water dropwort’. Others intriguingly named species can be found commonly across the UK countryside such as Round-leaved crowfoot, Pignut and Procumbent pearlwort. How many of the plant names below can you recognise and identify?
How Does Biodiversity Affect Us?
This wonderful array of bio diverse plant species also help encourage an equally diverse range of wildlife in and around our area too which we see day to day. This allows animal life and plant life to live happy and healthy lives. Biodiversity also provides aesthetic and cultural value to our lives too, it has been shown to increase our mental well-being. These are one of the reasons why so many guests love coming to Ross Bay Retreat.
The list below show what was found here and about at Ross Bay by the team of botanists.
Plant Life Findings at Ross Bay
| Common name | Scientific name | County Status | Comments |
| Yarrow | Achillea millefolium | Common | |
| Creeping bent | Agrostis stolinfera | Common | |
| Silver hairgrass | Aira caryophyllea | Common | |
| Early hairgrass | Aira praecox | Common | |
| Ramsons, wild garlic | Allium ursinum | Common | |
| Wild onion | Allium vineale | Locally scarce | |
| Meadow foxtail | Alopecurus pratensis | Common | |
| Sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | Common | |
| Kidney vetch | Anthyllis vulneraria | Coastal only | |
| Thrift, sea pink | Armeria maritima | Coastal only | |
| Sea aster | Aster tripolium | Coastal only | |
| Purple milk vetch | Astragulus danicus | Coastal only | Predominantly East coast of UK, few West coast sites |
| Daisy | Bellis perennis | Common | |
| Sea beet | Beta maritima | Coastal only | |
| Soft brome (grass) | Bromus hordaceus | Uncommon | |
| Heather | Calluna vulgaris | Common | |
| Harebell | Campanula rotundifolia | Common | |
| Wavy bittercress | Cardamine flexuosa | Common | |
| Hairy bittercress | Cardamine hirsuta | Common | |
| Cuckooflower | Cardamine pratensis | Common | |
| Spring sedge | Carex caryophylllea | Common | |
| Distant sedge | Carex distans | Coastal only | |
| Brown sedge | Carex disticha | Uncommon | |
| Glaucous sedge | Carex flacca | Common | |
| Common sedge | Carex nigra | Common | |
| Carnation sedge | Carex panicea | Common | |
| Common knapweed | Centaurea nigra | Common | |
| Sea mouse-ear chickweed | Cerastium diffusum | Coastal only | |
| Common mouse-ear chickweed | Cerastium fontanum | Common | |
| Sticky mouse-ear chickweed | Cerastium glomeratum | Common | |
| Creeping thistle | Cirsium arvense | Common | |
| Marsh thistle | Cirsium palustre | Common | |
| Spear thistle | Cirsium vulgare | Common | |
| Danish scurvygrass | Cochlearia danica | Scarce, coastal | |
| Common scurvygrass | Cochlearia officinalis | Common | |
| Pignut | Conopodium majus | Common | |
| Sea kale | Crambe maritima | Coastal only | Close to its northern limit in the UK |
| Hawthron | Crataegus monogyna | Common | |
| Rock samphire | Crithmum maritimum | Scarce, coastal only | At its northern limit in the UK |
| Crested dog’stail (grass) | Cynosurus cristatus | Common | |
| Broom | Cytiscus scoparius | Common | |
| Cock’sfoot (grass) | Dactylis glomerata | Common | |
| Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | Common | |
| Field horsetail | Equisetum arvense | Common | |
| Bel heather | Erica cinerea | Common | |
| Eyebright | Euphrasia agg. | Common | |
| Sheep’s fescue (grass) | Festuca ovina | Common | |
| Red fescue (grass) | Festuca rubra | Common | |
| Lesser celandine | Ficaria verna | Common | |
| Meadowsweet | Filipendula ulmaria | Common | |
| Cleavers, goosegrass | Galium aparine | Common | |
| Heath bedstraw | Galium saxatile | Common | |
| Lady’s bedstraw | Galium verum | Common | |
| Dyer’s greenweed | Genista tinctoria | Uncommon | Indicates nutrient rich, almost neutral, soils |
| Cut-leaved cranesbill | Geranium dissectum | Common | |
| Dove’sfoot cranesbill | Geranium molle | Common | |
| Herb robert | Geranium robertianum | Common | |
| Sea milkwort | Glaux maritima | Common | |
| Common rockrose | Helianthemum nummularia | Common | Indicates nutrient rich, almost neutral, soils |
| Ivy | Hedera helix | Common | |
| Hogweed | Heracleum sphondyleum | Common | |
| Yorkshire fog (grass) | Holcus lanatus | Common | |
| Bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta | Common | |
| Cat’s-ear | Hypochaeris radicata | Common | |
| Yellow flag iris | Iris pseudacorus | Common | |
| Sheep’sbit | Jasione montana | Uncommon | Mainly coastal |
| Sharp-flowered rush | Juncus acutiflorus | Common | |
| Saltmarsh rush | Juncus gerardii | Coastal only | |
| Sea rush | Juncus maritimus | Coastal only | |
| Juniper | Juniper communis | Scarce | Locally threatened, with decreasing numbers |
| Bitter vetch | Lathyrus linifolius | Common | |
| Common bird’sfoot trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Common | |
| Greater bird’sfoot trefoil | Lotus pedunculatus | Common | |
| Field woodrush | Luzula campestre | Common | |
| Purple moorgrass | Molinia caerulea | Common | |
| Blinks | Montia fontana | Common | |
| Watercress | Nasturtium officinalis | Common | |
| Hemlock water dropwort | Oenanthe crocata | Common | |
| Parsley water dropwort | Oenanthe lachenalii | Coastal only | |
| Restharrow | Ononis repens | Common | |
| Bird’s foot | Ornithopus perpusillus | Uncommon | |
| Amphibious bistort | Persicaria amphibia | Common | |
| Reed canary-grass | Phalaris arundinacea | Common | |
| Mouse-ear | Pilosella officinalis | Common | |
| Buck’shorn plantain | Plantago coronopus | Coastal only | |
| Ribwort plantain | Plantago lanceolata | Common | |
| Greater plantain | Plantago major | Common | |
| Sea plantain | Plantago maritima | Coastal only | |
| Annual meadow grass | Poa annua | Common | |
| Heath milkwort | Polygala serpyllifolia | Common | |
| Polypodt (fern) | Polypodium vulgare | Common | |
| Silverweed | Potentilla anserina | Common | |
| Tormentil | Potentilla erecta | Common | |
| Self-heal | Prunella vulgaris | Common | |
| Sloe, blackthorn | Prunus spinosa | Common | |
| Bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | Common | |
| Meadow buttercup | Ranunculus acris | Common | |
| Bulbous buttercup | Ranunculus bulbosus | Common | |
| Round-leaved crowfoot | Ranunculus omiophyllus | Common | |
| Creeping buttercup | Ranunculus repens | Common | |
| Sea radish | Raphanus maritimus | Coastal only | |
| Burnet rose | Rosa spinosissima | Uncommon | |
| Raspberry | Rubus idaeus | Common | |
| Common sorrel | Rumex acetosa | Common | |
| Sheep’s sorrel | Rumex acetosella | Common | |
| Curled dock | Rumex crispus | Common | |
| Procumbent pearlwort | Sagina procumbens | Common | |
| Spring squill | Scilla verna | Coastal only | Western coasts mainly |
| Autumn hawkbit | Scorzoneroides autumnalis | Common | |
| English stonecrop | Sedum anglicum | Common | |
| Ragwort | Senecio jacobaea | Common | |
| Heath groundsel | Senecia sylvatica | Common | |
| Sea campion | Silene uniflora | Coastal only | |
| Goldenrod | Solidago virgaurea | Common | |
| Perennial sowthistle | Sonchus arvensis | Common | |
| Prickly sowthistle | Sonchus asper | Common | |
| Smooth sowthistle | Sonchus oleraceus | Common | |
| Bog stitchwort | Stellaria alsine | Common | |
| Common chickweed | Stellaria media | Common | |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum agg. | Common | |
| Wood sage | Teucrium scorodonia | Common | |
| Thyme | Thymus polytrichus | Common | Nutrient-rich soils indicator |
| Lesser trefoil | Trifolium dubium | Common | |
| White clover | Trifolium repens | Common | |
| Sea arrowgrass | Triglochin maritimum | Coastal only | |
| Common gorse | Ulex europaeus | Common | |
| Western gorse | Ulex gallii | Uncommon | Close to its northern limit in UK |
| Nettle | Urtica dioica | Common | |
| Common cornsalad | Valerianella locusta | Common | |
| Green field speedwell | Veronica agrestis | Common | |
| Brooklime | Veronica beccabunga | Common | |
| Heath speedwell | Veronica officinalis | Common | |
| Common field speedwell | Veronica persica | Common | |
| Heath dog violet | Viola canina | Common | |
| Common dog violet | Viola riviniana | Common |
