BSBI Garden Wildflower Hunt - 2nd Survey

It's two weeks since I did the first BSBI Garden Wildflower Hunt. Then I found 48 wild flowers (including trees, grasses and ferns).  Since then, the weather has been fine and dry, causing the Spring to race forward.

English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

In my first survey, the Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) were just beginning to come out. Now they are fully out and some are beginning to fade before we have even reached May.

Bugle (Ajuga repans) and Thyme leaved speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia)

I haven't been mowing the grass on the slope so the previously inconspicuous wisps of Thyme leaved speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) have filled the grass with tiny white flowers.

Hairy-footed flower bee on Bugle (Ajuga repans) 

After some indecision, I decided that our Bugle (Ajuga repans) was a wild plant rather than the darker-leaved garden variety that we introduced. As you can see from the photo is popular with bees.

Cuckoo flowers (Cardamine pratensis)

A number of spring flowers such as Cuckoo flowers (Cardamine pratensis) and Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) had gone from tight buds to full flower.

Field Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis)

The Field Forget-me-nots (Myosotis arvensis) had progressed even faster, going from insignificant bunches of leaves to full flower in just a fortnight.

Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica)

Other plants that had made dramatic progress in the two weeks included Welsh Poppies (Meconopsis cambrica), whose ancestors came from seeds given to us by a neighbour.

Grasses and Sedges

I also found a number of grasses including Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) and Meadow Foxtail (Meadow foxtail).

Combining my two counts, I found 65 wildflowers of which:

• 50 probably occurred naturally in our garden
• 15 were sown or planted.

BSBI Garden Wildflower Hunt

It is just a few short weeks since my last post. When we were trimming the old trees in Lime Tree Avenue, the COVID19 crisis was casting shadows across the spring. Over the last few weeks, the situation escalated. I'm very lucky that I can work at home. Even so, I am very scared of bringing the virus home with the shopping and worn out with juggling work, learning how to be effective as part of a scattered team and getting the essentials into the house. On the other hand, I have been heartened by the community response and that of our incredible "key workers" from too many roles to mention.

Setting up for the hunt

The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland has responded to the situation by launching the #GardenWildFlowerHunt - so on Good Friday, I searched our garden for both the classic spring wild flowers and the weeds that I keep meaning to pull up. It was lovely to switch off the anxiety and focus on finding and identifying wildflowers.

Good Friday Grass (Luzula campestris)

I started by looking at the rather mossy patch of grass at the front of the house.  I found Dandelions and Catsear, as well as Field Wood Rush (Luzula campestris), otherwise known as Good Friday Grass.

Silver Birch ((Betula pendula)

I suffer from hayfever and so can't help noticing that the Silver Birch trees (Betula pendula) are flowering and shedding golden pollen.

Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa)

At the Birch's feet, there are lovely dainty Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa). Most of them are pure white but there was just one plant with pink backs to its petals and a very delicate pink flush on its face.

Primroses (Primula vulgaris) and Dog Violets (Viola riviniana)

Primroses (Primula vulgaris) occur naturally in our garden but I have added to them to get a decent "ribbon" flowing down the slope. The photo shows them mixed up with naturally occurring Dog Violets (Viola riviniana).

Cowslips (Primula veris)

Over the years, we have introduced some of the showier wild flowers. Mum scattered cowslip (Primula veris) seeds about 30 years ago and they have been romping round the garden ever since. The BSBI form allows introduced wildflowers to be marked as such.

Honesty (Lunaria annua)

Last year I made a contribution of my own by scattering Honesty (Lunaria annua) near Dad's old leaf bin.

Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia)

I found various "weeds" too such as the Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) pictured, dandelions and many more.

English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

Even though we are less than two weeks into April, the Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are already beginning to flower.  I have to check carefully for hybrids with the Spanish bluebell but I think that I have eliminated the few interlopers.

In total, I found 48 species of wildflower of which:

• 38 almost certainly got to our garden under their own steam
• 10 were sown or planted.