Blagrove Common
One of the finest areas of marshy grassland in Hertfordshire. It is at its best in late spring when it is carpetted with orchids.
Blagrove Common is one of the few remaining areas of unimproved marshy grassland on poorly drained boulder clay. It is bisected by a stream and varies in wetness from marshy grassland to dry neutral grassland.
The marshy areas are dominated by rushes and tufted hairs grass. Amongst these large numbers of early marsh, southern marsh and common spotted orchids and a variety of their hybrids can be found.
The grasslands have been maintained for several centuries by grazing. This form of management ensures that some species, such as orchids, survive instead of allowing the more vigorous grasses to out compete all other species. Traditional grazing on wet areas also produces muddy, trampled areas which are an important micro-habitat for some plants and invertebrates.
The drier areas of the common support meadow fox tail grasses, common cat's ear and common sorrel among many other species.
Summer
As part of the management of the common a task was held at the end of June cutting and raking rushes and thistles. This helps reduce the cover of the rushes and allows other wildflowers to spread, such as orchids.
The longhorn cattle returned in mid July, there are 6 of them grazing the common. They do an excellent job of eating the coarse vegetation that can dominate the wet grassland and this allows grasses and flowers such as water mint and meadowsweet to become established.
At this time of year the common is alive with butterflies on a warm day. Search the thistles that border the grassland for species such as comma, peacock, red admiral, large skipper, large white, gatekepper and small copper.
Swallows can sometimes be seen perched on the wires that are over the common and buzzards may be seen drifting high overhead. Spotted flycatchers have bred on the reserve this year and can be seen hunting around the paddocks and woodland edge that border the common.
