The Higher Plants of Hylands Park
Recorders : K.J.Adams, Alec Bull, M.W.Hanson, the late Stan Hudgell,
Tim Pyner, G. Smith, G. Wilkinson, S. Wilkinson
Records : 2000 - 2003
Because of the diversity of habitat at Hylands, including ancient woodland, old grasslands and still
and running fresh water, a remarkable 436 species of vascular plant were recorded here between
2000 and 2003. I do not liave full lists from other Essex parks for comparison, but the list for
Moccas Park, Herefordshire (a national nature reserve) which is a much smaller, earlier and heavily-
grazed park, has only 259 recorded species. I suspect that the current limited grazing by deer and
no domestic livestock has at least made it easier to record plants at Hylands, although some of the
mown grasslands, particularly those surrounding the formal gardens area, I suspect are fairly species-
rich, but difficult to survey because of the constant mowing.
Despite the good number of plant taxa recorded, no spectacular rarities liave turned-up. I suspect
that this is, in part, due to much of the park being created out of an ordinary' 18th century farmed
landscape. The majority of the plants we see today are direct descendants of those that occurred
here in the Georgian period.
It is not possible to provide an annotated checklist of all the taxa recorded for reasons of space. The
check-lists below are selected from the more interesting, notable or indicator species (but include
some of the more mundane as well!). They are listed by habitat.
Ancient Woodland
The principal ancient woodland area is South Wood, covering approximately 30 acres. It sits, at
least in part, on chalky boulder clay which gives a calcareous feel to the flora. It is a coppice with
standards. The standard trees include Oak. Ash, Hornbeam and Field Maple, the coppice stools,
Hornbeam, Ash and Elm. There are very old Elm stools on the western edge of the wood and
ancient ash in the south-eastern sector. There is noticeable sycamore invasion in places. Smaller
areas of ancient woodland include Writtle Wood. Lightfoot Spring, the Tower and Lower Belts and
a small part of the formal gardens. Wild Serv ice tree is characteristic of some of these locations.
Trees and Shrubs recorded from ancient woodland
Acer campestre Crataegus monogyna Quercus robur
Carpinus betulus Euonymus europaeus Sorbus torminalis
Cornus sanguinea Fraxinus excelsior Taxus baccata
Corylus avellana Ilex aquifolium Ulmus glabra
Crataegus laevigata Malus sylvestris Viburnum opulus
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Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park