 Grass Snakes |
Water Voles |
Frogs |
| Newts |
Dragonflies |
Hedgehogs |
| Deer |
Butterflies  |
Other Animals |
Originally a grazing meadow (or "pightle") associated with the Kings Head public house, Wash Meadow was purchased in October 2004 and is now managed as a Private Nature Reserve, following guidelines provided by Suffolk Wildlife Trust. In 2006 it gained runner-up spot in a competition organised by the East Anglian Daily Times for "Wildflower Project of the Year", and since 2015 it has been the official butterfly recording site for the area. A grand total of 27 different species have been spotted so far, with at least 20 appearing each year. The meadow provides pleasure and interest throughout each season but is perhaps at its best in early summer when cow-parsley shimmers over the buttercups with speedwell and clovers below.
The 1-acre area is divided into four plots by mown paths. Each plot supports different flora and so is treated slightly differently. The initial hope was that mowing or scything of the whole meadow could be undertaken at least once a year, to avoid an overgrowth of grass which can choke the flowers, but the effort involved in doing this and the sheer volume of hay generated eventually made this impractical. A different management strategy was thus evolved, involving localised action as required to remove invasive species while allowing the bulk of the area to develop naturally. While this has resulted in the disappearance of some species of flora which require short grassland, it has encouraged others. The positions of the paths are moved slightly each year though, and it is very noticeable that this does definitely improve the diversity of the flora. Indeed, a count made in 2019 showed that the meadow supports 36 species of trees & shrubs, over 100 varieties of flowering plants and numerous grasses. In addition, not mowing has retained cover for field mice & voles and has been beneficial for several butterfly species, retaining important food plants such as nettle & thistle and preserving larvae over-wintering at different levels on the tall grass stems.
The centre of the meadow is dominated by a mature Walnut, and the surrounding hedges have grown into mature trees - mainly Ash, Hawthorn, Field Maple, Hazel & Sycamore - with an understory of Dogwood, Wild Privet, Dog Rose & Bramble. A programme of tree planting has added about two new trees a year including native Black Poplar from cuttings taken at Hines Barn, Holm Oak from local acorns, Almond, Sweet Chestnut, Holly, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Alder Buckthorn, Oak, Lime & Wayfarer; additional Hawthorn, Field Maple, Walnut & Hazel saplings have also been placed round the field boundaries. The remains of felled trees have been left around the margins to provide habitat for wildlife. Squirrels cavort in the tall trees, pheasants rest in the long grass, butterflies swoop & dance, and the local muntjac deer is often seen crossing from Hill House to Sunnyside Farm. In short, it's an idyllic spot.
Click here for pictures of the Meadow at various stages of its development through the years, and in different seasons. Then, once you've perused the "overview", have a closer look at the residents! The links below take you to pages displaying pictures of some of the wildlife we've seen.
| Grass Snakes |
Water Voles |
Frogs |
| Newts |
Dragonflies |
Hedgehogs |
| Deer |
Butterflies |
Other Animals |