Question: What time of year do you run the courses?

Answer: We run the course from the beginning of April to the end of September. This gives us the opportunity to see a wide range of plant species.

Question: Do I need any previous plant identification experience?

Answer: No. This course is suitable for complete beginners through to those wishing to improve their existing knowledge.

Question: What plants will we see on the day?

Answer: This varies depending on the season, weather and woodland conditions. Every course offers slightly different learning opportunities.

Question: Is the course classroom based or outdoors?

Answer: The course takes place outdoors within our woodland, allowing you to learn directly from living examples.

Question: Will I learn how to identify trees as well as plants?

Answer: The primary focus is woodland flora, although tree species and their influence on woodland habitats will be discussed.

Question: What should I bring?

Answer: Sturdy footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, a notebook and a camera if you wish to record species encountered during the day.

Question: Can this help me manage my own woodland?

Answer: Yes. We discuss how woodland management practices such as coppicing can influence ground flora and overall woodland biodiversity.

Question: Where do you run your courses?

Answer: All of our woodland based courses are run in our own piece of ancient woodland , nr the village of Clanfield in Hampshire close to the A3 and A272.

Question: Is food provided?

Answer: No, we do not provide food; however, tea and coffee are available throughout the day.

Question: Are your courses beginner friendly?

Answer: Yes, all our courses are beginner friendly, we aim to tailor our course to the person joining us to make it a truly unique experience

Question: Do I need previous experience?

Answer: No, we always aim to teach from the ground up, so no previous experience is needed on any of our courses

Question: Are the courses suitable for older attendees?

yes, we aim to carter for all ages. Some of our more physical course may require some adaptation but with notice this can be catered for. While we try and make access for all possible this has to be tempered with the natural state of the woodland so it may not be ideal for manual wheelchairs or mobility scooters. We can arrange disable accessible course space for our leather work courses by prior arrangement.

Question: Can teenagers attend?

Answer: Yes, although those under 18 require an adult to attend for insurance and safeguarding purposes

Question: What happens if it rains?

Answer: While we try to carry on as much as possible sadly sometimes rain and wind do stop play for safety reasons, because our woodland causes are run in the great outdoors the weather can affect how and if we are able to run, gale force winds and trees are not a good combination, if we have to postpone a course we will try and give as much notice as possible and arrange an alternative date.

Question: Can I buy gift vouchers?

Answer: Yes, we regularly send out gift vouchers to participants where a relative wishes to give a gift. Please use our contact us page to ask for more details.

Question: Is there parking on site?

Answer: yes, generally park course attendees in an area just of the road as access to our work and training area is by 4x4 only. For our leather work course over road parking is available

Question: Can I take photos during the course?

Answer: yes, we encourage our participants to take photo’s and share the love on social media, the only time this may change is if there are safeguarding issues with under 18’s present.

Question: Are tools and materials included?

Answer: Yes, we provide all tools and materials for our courses although if you have you own tools you are welcome to bring them along.

Question: Where can I stay?

Answer: There are a good number of local hotels and b and b’s in the area for which we can give you detail on application.

Question: What should I wear?

Answer: Please wear sturdy outdoor clothing suitable for the weather and strong footwear. Avoid loose clothing, jewellery, or anything that could become caught in machinery.

Woodland Flora - learn to identify woodland plants

Woodland Flora & Wildflower Identification

Have you ever walked through a woodland and wondered what stories the plants beneath your feet could tell? From carpets of bluebells and wood anemones to the subtle clues left by ancient woodland indicator species, this practical Woodland Flora course will help you see the woodland in a completely new way.

Join us in our own Grown in Britain certified woodland in Hampshire and learn how to identify common woodland plants, understand what they reveal about woodland history and management, and gain the confidence to explore the natural world with a more knowledgeable eye.

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for:

Woodland owners and managers
Conservation volunteers
Wildlife enthusiasts
Walkers and countryside lovers
Students of ecology and conservation
Anyone wanting to improve their plant identification skills

No previous botanical knowledge is required.

This Woodland Flora course is ideal for everyone who wants to get more out of woodland walks, works in or owns a wood and wants to find out more about the flowers present.

A walk in the woods is a great way to exercise but most people totally miss the magic of the different species of woodland plants and trees. This course is designed to help you:

Identify woodland flora in Little Hyden woods
Find how this changes with coppice cycles and management.
Discuss how soil and other variables will affect flora in a wood.
Where you are likely to find them
How to at least find which family unknown flowers belong to.

During the course you will learn:

How to identify common woodland flowers and plants
Ancient woodland indicator species and what they tell us
How woodland management affects ground flora
The influence of soil type, light levels and woodland structure
Plant families and the key features used in identification
Seasonal changes within woodland ecosystems
Basic botanical recording techniques
How to use field guides and identification keys

Learn in a Working Woodland

Unlike classroom-based courses, this training takes place within our own actively managed woodland in the South Downs.

Over more than 20 years we have been restoring, managing and monitoring woodland habitats. This provides a unique opportunity to see how coppicing, woodland management and conservation practices influence the woodland flora around us.

You’ll learn from real examples rather than photographs and presentations alone.

Just some of the Species You May Encounter

Depending on the season we may see:

Bluebell
Wood Anemone
Primrose
Lesser Celandine
Dog’s Mercury
Wild Garlic
Common Violet
Other Ancient woodland indicator species

Every course is slightly different as the woodland changes throughout the year.

Your course questions answered

Question: How much does the course cost?
Answer: £70
Question: What time of year do you run the courses?
Answer: We run the course from the beginning of April to the end of September. This gives us the opportunity to see a wide range of plant species.
Question: Do I need any previous plant identification experience?
Answer: No. This course is suitable for complete beginners through to those wishing to improve their existing knowledge.
Question: What plants will we see on the day?
Answer: This varies depending on the season, weather and woodland conditions. Every course offers slightly different learning opportunities.
Question: Is the course classroom based or outdoors?
Answer: The course takes place outdoors within our woodland, allowing you to learn directly from living examples.
Question: Will I learn how to identify trees as well as plants?
Answer: The primary focus is woodland flora, although tree species and their influence on woodland habitats will be discussed.
Question: What should I bring?
Answer: Sturdy footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, a notebook and a camera if you wish to record species encountered during the day.
Question: Can this help me manage my own woodland?
Answer: Yes. We discuss how woodland management practices such as coppicing can influence ground flora and overall woodland biodiversity.

General course questions

Question: Where do you run your courses?
Answer: All of our woodland based courses are run in our own piece of ancient woodland, nr the village of Clanfield in Hampshire close to the A3 and A272.
Question: Is food provided?
Answer: No, we do not provide food; however, tea and coffee are available throughout the day.
Question: Are your courses beginner friendly?
Answer: Yes, all our courses are beginner friendly, we aim to tailor our course to the person joining us to make it a truly unique experience
Question: Do I need previous experience?
Answer: No, we always aim to teach from the ground up, so no previous experience is needed on any of our courses
Question: Are the courses suitable for older attendees?
yes, we aim to carter for all ages. Some of our more physical course may require some adaptation but with notice this can be catered for. While we try and make access for all possible this has to be tempered with the natural state of the woodland so it may not be ideal for manual wheelchairs or mobility scooters. We can arrange disable accessible course space for our leather work courses by prior arrangement.
Question: Can teenagers attend?
Answer: Yes, although those under 18 require an adult to attend for insurance and safeguarding purposes
Question: What happens if it rains?
Answer: While we try to carry on as much as possible sadly sometimes rain and wind do stop play for safety reasons, because our woodland causes are run in the great outdoors the weather can affect how and if we are able to run, gale force winds and trees are not a good combination, if we have to postpone a course we will try and give as much notice as possible and arrange an alternative date.
Question: Can I buy gift vouchers?
Answer: Yes, we regularly send out gift vouchers to participants where a relative wishes to give a gift. Please use our contact us page to ask for more details.
Question: Is there parking on site?
Answer: yes, generally park course attendees in an area just of the road as access to our work and training area is by 4x4 only.

For our leather work course over road parking is available
Question: Can I take photos during the course?
Answer: yes, we encourage our participants to take photo’s and share the love on social media, the only time this may change is if there are safeguarding issues with under 18’s present.
Question: Are tools and materials included?
Answer: Yes, we provide all tools and materials for our courses although if you have you own tools you are welcome to bring them along.
Question: Where can I stay?
Answer: There are a good number of local hotels and b and b’s in the area for which we can give you detail on application.
Question: What should I wear?
Answer: Please wear sturdy outdoor clothing suitable for the weather and strong footwear. Avoid loose clothing, jewellery, or anything that could become caught in machinery.

About the Instructor

This course is taught by Chris Westcott, one of the founders of Three Copse Woodland Products. Chris has a lifetime of plant identification knowledge and over 20 years she has owned our woodland has carried out regular plant surveys as part of our practical woodland management. This has allowed us to adjust our management to better enhance the the biodiversity of the woodland.

You may also be interested in our other courses