Puzzling Plants: An Introduction to Common Grasses

Course tutor: James Common

Course length: 5x weekly field trips, June 2026. Please check the program below.

Course structure: Five field sessions at different locations

Course cost: £50 NHSN Members / £60 Non-Members

Grasses can seem daunting, with countless species waiting to be discovered across the North East. Despite this, on a typical walk, you are only likely to encounter around 40 of them. This field course introduces the identification of common, familiar grasses found in meadows, woods and urban spaces. We’ll learn to recognise distinctive families, untangle confusing groups, and discover what grasses can reveal about specific habitats, from ancient woodland to neutral grassland. With the help of cultivated specimens, we’ll also explore a few rarer but distinctive species worth looking out for across the region.

Throughout the programme, we’ll study a wide range of lowland grasses across four key habitats: urban areas, industrial land, neutral grassland and ancient woodland. Using simplified guides free of unnecessary jargon, we’ll practice identifying abundant species and explore how grasses help define their environments. By the end, participants can expect to have encountered around 40 of the most abundant grass species, and perhaps a few unusual ones too.

In the event of poor weather, every effort will be made to reschedule any missed sessions.

This course will include:

• Key identification features of common grasses
• An introduction to a few more specialised grasses
• Tips on distinguishing distinctive species and more complicated groups
• Hands-on development of practical botanical skills in the field.

Accessibility

While several sites are accessible by public transport, some trips will require personal transport. Parking is available at or close to all sites. These field courses are designed to be chatty, friendly, and informal. They should suit both intermediate botanists keen to develop their skills and explore new locations, as well as enthusiasts looking to deepen their understanding of the region’s flora.

Please note that a full course programme, including meeting points and key species to look for, will be shared before the course commences.

• Iris Brickfield Park, Heaton - Thursday 4 June, 10am-12.30pm
• Pottery Bank, Walker - Thursday 11 June, 10am-12.30pm
• Plessy Woods, Bedlington - Thursday 18 June, 11am-1.30pm
• Havannah Nature Reserve, nr Dinnington - Thursday 25 June, 11am-1.30pm
• Gosforth Nature Reserve, Gosforth - Thursday 2 July, 11am-1.30pm

Questions (and identification queries) are welcome at any time by emailing [email protected].

Please read the terms and conditions for NHSN education courses before booking.

Recommended Equipment:

A hand lens, if you have one and stout walking boots.

About the tutor:

James works as Senior Naturalist at NHSN. Outside of work, he is a passionate wildlife recorder with a focus on botany and invertebrates. As a botanist, he is a joint BSBI Vice-County Recorder for North Northumberland and an iRecord verifier for South Northumberland.

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