One of the botanical specialities of Gloucestershire is the British native Meadow Saffron, Colchicum autumnale. It is not confined to this county, but is perhaps most abundant here. I know of and have heard of several sites, but somehow had never seen it in flower until last week when I passed a roadside population lower down this valley and noticed it was in bloom. As it is on a bend this is not a very convenient place to stop, so I decided to look for flowers elsewhere. In the past Colchicum autumnale was an abundant meadow plant, but most old meadows have been destroyed by ploughing. Indeed, I have heard of a meadow near here where the topsoil was deliberately scraped off to remove the colchicums, lest they poison stock - although all the evidence suggests that domestic animals avoid the growing plant and the dried leaves are harmless. In consequence the Colchicum survives mostly in woodland, but only ancient woodland, i.e. where woodland has persisted for several centuries. Most of the woods round here were originally planted by H.J. Elwes in the 1890s, and can be told by the preponderance of beech or other 'exotic' species, and the depauperate understorey. They were planted on bare fields in an attempt to generate at least a long-term income from the rather lean soils of this area. A few patches of ancient woodland survive on the estate, however, although they have also often been augmented by other trees, and have always been managed as a timber and fuelwood resource - ancient woodland does not imply 'old growth'. It is the continuity that matters. As such they are an important refuge for many interesting plants, such as Helleborus occidentalis and Paris quadrifolia, and are carpeted by bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in spring. The trees are mostly ash (Fraxinus excelsior) with a few oaks, and hazel (Corylus avellana) in the understorey. The tract of woodland to which I went yesterday has had a major session of timber extraction and understorey clearance in the past few years, leaving surving trees to thicken up and the understorey to redevelop in the traditional English management tradition. This opening of the canopy has had an immediate effect on the vegetation. Most attractively, it has enabled the tuft-foeming grass Deschampsia caespitosa, much beloved of modern garden landscapers, to flourish, and this was decorating considerable areas with its golden plumes. Much less pleasantly, the brambles (Rubus 'fruticosus' ) have 'taken off' covering the ground in a vicious tangle. As I was wearing shorts and trainers my legs and ankles were lacerated. But it is amongst the brambles that the colchicums were flowering, just getting going with their first flowers. They are a warm pink, with a trace of tesselation and really very lovely in their setting. I saw no sign of variation, but will return later in the week, suitably clad, to see if any is visible among a larger number of flowering plants. Larger, brighter species and cultivars of Colchicum have a more deserving place in gardens, but I doubt any of the season will give the same pleasure as these wildlings in their wood. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Garden Manager, Colesbourne Gardens Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP Website: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/