Groombridge verge is going to be blooming marvellous!

On a chilly February Saturday morning where else would you rather be than shuffling up and down a muddy verge next to a busy road??? Ok, it doesn’t sound much fun but our keen band of volunteers really did get pretty excited about the range of plants we found when we undertook the latest survey as part of our ‘wild verge’ project trial studying the plantlife in the patch of grass between Station Road and Newton Willows. For those who don’t know this project, a collaboration between ‘Wild Groombridge’ and the parish council, is aiming to find out exactly what is already growing in this area before deciding how best to improve the diversity and quantity of plants on this little patch of potential meadow in the middle of the village.

We combed the area, dutifully sticking to our assigned strips of turf and sending every find off for identification. In just under an hour there were 60 spots including common species such as daisies and dandelions but also species that most of us would recognise but might not be able to put a name to such as cuckoo pint and common mouse ear.

Our next verge survey will be on 18th March when we will return to the same spot to see what else is emerging as spring gets fully underway. come along and join us if you are able; the more the merrier!