Autumn/Winter
There have been a number of management tasks held at Blagrove throughout the summer months and into the autumn, cutting and raking rushes and thistles. This aims to reduce the dominance of the rushes and allow other flowers and grasses to grow. Due to the dry weather improving access more rush have been cut than in previous years.
A new boardwalk has been installed at the entrance to the common to improve access for visitors and the small footbridge over the drainage ditch has been replaced, again allowing visitors safe access across the common.
The common is also being grazed by 5 longhorn cattle. Grazing helps reduce the vigour of some plant species and creates a varied sward, again helping to improve the floristic diversity of the reserve. When visiting with dogs please be aware of the cattle and keep them under control at all times.
Blagrove is a very good reserve for orchids, which can be seen flowering from late spring into early summer. It is hoped that with the combination of grazing and cutting rushes that these and other species typical of wet grassland can spread.
Butterflies such as meadow brown, small copper, red admiral and comma can all be seen over the next few months, try searching the large bramble patches which border the common.
