I watched a TV programme presented by Chris Packham. It was about the amount of wildlife that a normal suburban garden sustains throughout the year. Very interesting. One of the most interesting parts of the programme was when he looked at the top of plant pot. He was looking with an expert at the top of the soil in a plant pot. To me it looked like it was covered in moss. Probably to you too. The expert said there was a least 5 and probably more different kinds of mosses and lichens there. Which perhaps just goes to show two things. One is that much of what we blindly lump together is actually quite different. Secondly I’m crap at telling mosses and lichens apart.
Which is where this guide comes in handy. I recently acquired a rather glossy information eight page leaflet that identified these types of growths. I would have never guessed that there were so many different lichens. Nor that churchyards would have been the perfect place to spot them. The leaflet was so good that I thought I’d circulate it here. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.
It is maybe something that local schools could use as a topic or it could become a the basis of a future walk, either organised or simply by yourself. Whatever enjoy the chance to educate yourself about this little known part of the natural world. Never again will you, unlike me, say, ‘Oh that’s just moss’. I hang my head in shame.
Pete Lowden is a member of the Friends of Hull General Cemetery committee which is committed to reclaiming the cemetery and returning it back to a community resource.
Fascinating stuff!
Yes Bill, there really are a great many lichens etc. I’ve never bothered to examine the ones closely in HGC but this guide might prompt me to do so.
Wonderful post Pete, never knew there were so many thank you for all the slides on then.
I know!! Who knew? I can never again say, ‘Oh, it’s just moss’