Several of these sites on the right were highlighted for me by Hen - all I can say is a HUGE thank you, as they are all excellent resources. Some I was aware of, but the post code plants . . . well, I have my summer mapped out. I downloaded ELEVEN pages of plants which had been recorded in my part of Carmarthenshire. Many I already knew and had seen, quite a few I know and haven't seen, and some are totally new to me. I shall sit down with my all-encompassing Marjorie Blamey/Christopher Grey* botanical book this afternoon and extend my knowledge. I intend to try and put ticks beside most of these this summer . . . (*The Illustrated Flora of Britain and Northern Europe).
A lovely photo of Meadowsweet and Purple Loosestrife. Many thanks to contributors on Creative Commons for these photos.
Bovey, what a wonderful - and helpful - post. I immediately searched my own post-code area and was amazed at the enormous diversity of plants therein. It also reminded me of the time 50 years ago when first married and a near elderly lady, knowing I was keen on wild plants, would take me on lengthy hikes notebook in hand, plus McClintock & Fitter (I think that was a Collins Field Guide), which I still use). Now you have set me on a quest !! (And oh that beautiful photo at the top of your blog; I feel it is a view I know but maybe it is one we have driven past, or similar.)
ReplyDeleteThank Hen, rather than me Ann,as she put me onto it. After sleeping poorly, I have been cwtched up on the sofa this afternoon, watching the racing and noting on my ELEVEN pages of local flowers, which ones I have definitely seen in WALES - which is not at all the same as the ones I have seen country-wide . . . McClintock & Fitter . . . my plant bible was the Observer's book of Wild Flowers firstly, and Keble-Martin in my teens.
ReplyDeleteThe view at the top is on a lane near Llandeusant, on the last stretch of the journey to Llyn-y-Fan-Fach, a walk we regularly take (in summer!) - though not on a day like today, with sideways rain sicne breakfast time.
Last summer we climbed to the top of the ridge, which is something I have wanted to do for 20 years. It was worth the wait.
I love meadowsweet, I haven't seen it around here( though that doesn't mean it doesn't grow here!) but there's a lot of it in the area around our house in Lancashire, that's where I first saw it growing wild and had to look it up to discover what it was. Must definitely try the postcode site too.
ReplyDeleteI've just looked - there are hundreds of them!! That's this summer's project then, trying to track them all down.
ReplyDeleteAh-hah. Good innit?! There are plants I've never even thought to look for. Roll on summer!
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ReplyDeleteI've not managed to find every plant on my postcode list yet, but they do say that some of the plants may not be growing where, historically, they once did. Makes it even more interesting! It's great to see what's definitely native and what's garden-worthy too!
I'm so pleased you like it, I got obsessed by it when i first came across it!
hen
xx
In my part of the world, some view purple loosestrife as an invasive plant because it takes over wherever it appears, but the honey folks think it is great for the bees.
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