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  • Oregano – Origanum vulgare

    Oregano – (Origanum vulgare, family: Lamiaceae). From the mint family and one of the most popular culinary herbs, especially in Southern Mediterranean, Greek and Turkish dishes. This can be cultivated but here seen growing wild adorning the summer meadow. A surprise that needs to be protected from the masses, as it could easily be trampled if care is not taken.

    In colder climates it grows as an annual but in wormer areas it is a perennial. Given the warmer climate is moving further north these days the Oregano plant is comfortable in more northerly regions. That’s good news for pizza lovers across the north of Europe and beyond.

    Oregano - Organum vulgare

  • Spear Thistle – Cirsium vulgare

    Spear Thistle – (Cirsium vulgare, family: Asteraceae), also known as Common Thistle. This tall flowering biennial plant has a very distinct shape and is commonly accepted as the ‘flower of Scotland’. Considered by many people to be a weed and certainly be called so if you get a prick from its spear shaped thorny leaves. One of the types of plant that was said to proliferate outside the ‘garden of eden’.

    In flower it is one of the best nectar providers in the UK and loved by the pollinators. Native to most of Europe, Western Asia but also naturalised in many other parts of the world it is part of the large Asteraceae or daisy family.

    Once the flowers have died back it produces a woolly seed head that gives further visual interest but also acts as an efficient seed dispersal mechanism used by many plants, shrubs and trees.

    Spear Thistle - Cirsium vulgare
    Spear Thistle - Cirsium vulgare

  • Jersey Tiger Moth – Euplagia quadripunctaria

    Jersey Tiger Moth – (Euplagia quadripunctaria, family:Erebidae). Also known as Spanish flag, are a striking moth to see, given many moths are quite dull in colouration. They inhabit most of Eastern Europe from the Baltic’s down through the Caucuses to Iran and beyond. But the common name comes from its frequent visits to the Channel Islands of the UK.

    This black and white moth has striking orange underwings that become apparent in flight making it a real sight to behold in the world of moths,

    Euplagia quadripunctaria - Jersey Tiger Moth
  • Gazania or African Daisy – Vibrant Hot Colours

    Gazania or African Daisies are bold, bright flowers with hot colours that are suited to sunny, dry climates. Although being in the same family, they are a different genus to Osteospermum plants that are also commonly referred to as African Daisies. These plants are drought tolerant and like to have full sun to be at their best. Being in the shade will make the flowers close and may then grow thin taller stems unable to support the large flower head.

    Gazania African Daisy 12

    Rank

    Genus

    Names

    Scientific name:

    Gazania

    Common Names:

    African Daisy, Treasure Flower

    Genus:

    Gazania

    Family:

    Asteraceae

    Related Plants:

    Aster, Daisy, Sunflower

    Growing Conditions

    Position:

    full sun

    Soil Type:

    sandy, loamy

    Soil pH:

    weak-acid, neutral, weak-alkaline

    Moisture:

    dry, well drained

  • Speckled Wood Butterfly – Amazing Aerobatics

    The speckled wood butterfly can be seen showing off its amazing aerobatic skills as they flit about the woodlands in such mesmerising displays. It’s hard to catch them in a moment of still to get a good image, especially once the day has warmed up and they are active.

    They range between various shades of brown and orange with patches of yellow, orange and cream. They have some that look like targets with a bullseye. Given the fall in numbers of many species of butterflies, as reported in the Big Butterfly Count, it is good to see them in such numbers this year.

    speckled wood butterfly - Pararge aegeria

  • Persian Cornflower – Vibrant Colour & Stunning Form

    The Persian Cornflower in its cultivated form has a striking colour and a beautiful shape. Vivid pink and opens very similar to a thistle shape. Some have a white or cream centre, but in this particular cultivar the centre carries the main colour.

    Persian Cornflower not your average Daisy

    As part of the Asteraceae family, one of the largest, it resembles so many other members. However, this is likely best classified as a Psephellus dealbatus and not Centaurea. The plant is native from Turkey and up through the Caucasus but introduced to much of Northern Europe.

    This plant loves full sun in nutrient-poor but well-drained soil. This makes the plant ideal for a cross between border, cottage garden or pseudo mediterranean  garden that is not too hot or dry. Definitely more impressive than the common cornflower.

    Psephellus dealbatus - Persian Cornflower