Wildflower Day

 

 

Hawk's-beard - Aetheorhiza bulbosa

Borage!

You can use these pretty blue flowers as a nice garnish in a ice cold jug of Pimms or the flowers can be frozen into your ice cubes to add a dash of colour and interest. The flowers and leaves are edible and taste a little like cucumber. Please do not pick or eat plants that you cannot safely identify!

Flowers, Toads, Geese and Ducklings...

 Arriving home after work I took my customary walk around the pond and meadow to see what was new, what was coming into bloom and what was perhaps going over and turning to seed. The fist thing to greet me on the pond were two wild greylag geese that had dropped in unannounced. This was a fist and although the thought of geese fouling up the pond water was nor to my liking, I was however gratified that they found my pond to be attractive enough to drop in on. As if the geese were not enough excitement, my attention quickly turned to a mother mallard who was chaperoning no less than 12 of her ducklings around the pond. 

Toadtally liking this chap!

While checking out the emergent flowers on the meadow walk I was blessed to encounter this toad who was clearly making the most of the feeding opportunities in the meadow.

Further on in the walk I identified a few more wild flowers that have made a grand flowering  entrance into the meadow landscape.

SANFOIN

SCARLET CLOVER

OXEYE DAISY

FIELD PENNYCRESS 

RAGGED ROBIN

Coltsfoot

 

This cheery Coltsfoot is pretty much the only wildflower I could find that was in full bloom in the meadow; no sign of the leaves which lends the plant it's name; these will appear later. The appearance of the flowers before the leaves is why this plant  is also known as 'son before father', hinting at  the seemingly strange order of the plants emergence. Historically, the plant was used for its alleged medicinal properties, however in more recent times the plant was found to contain toxins potentially damaging to the liver so should not be consumed. Simply enjoy its cheery disposition on a cold March day.