Hemp-agrimony – (Eupatorium cannabinum, family: Asteraceae), also known as holy rope. This tall hemp-like flowering perennial plant certainly makes an attractive sight but is also a favourite with the butterflies. Native to most of Europe, NW Africa and Central Asia it is part of the large Asteraceae or daisy family.
Although called a ‘hemp’ and the Latin name suggests a link to the Cannabis plants they are not closely related and not used in the same way. They do have a history of medicinal use as anti-inflammatory and for healing wounds. Otherwise an attractive flowering plant.
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.
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.
The six-spot burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) has been a welcome sight, as seen here on a Scabious in the grass meadow. This moth is common throughout Europe away from the extremes and is busy during the daytime feeding and mating. It plays a crucial role in the pollination of plants that has a wider impact on the production of food.
Its striking appearance of metallic green-blue wings, and six vivid red spot, serves as a warning to predators of its toxicity. It stores cyanogenic compounds as a defence, that it has taken from its host plants.
Their presence in numbers is a sign of a health ecosystem, as long as they are in balance and not overwhelming the system. A useful insect to study as they are easy to spot and active in the daytime. They also typify the lifecycle that highlights the basic biological concepts such as metamorphosis, plant-insect interactions, and chemical defense mechanisms
Achillea or Yarrow is a species of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as the daisy family. It has many small flowers in a cluster at the top of a thin stalk arising from the base plant and extending high towards the sunlight. It is a native, common wild flower but has many species and cultivars to expand on the basic wild variety.
The name Achillea is from Greek mythology as the leaves were used to treat the wounds of Achilles’ Soldiers. It has many other common names that relate to its medicinal use to heal wounds and stop blood flow.
Achillea or Yarrow, when not in the wild, is a tall flowering plant used in borders of cottage or wildlife gardens. Due to its height and slender form it can compete for space and thrive alongside its neighbours. It best sits mid border and provides clusters of small colourful flowers, tightly packed and resilient. Without neighbouring plants to help it may need support to keep it up and looking its best.
In the natural form the flowers are usually white and clusters as a tightly packed head at the top of the rising stem. There is now a wide variety of colours, from deep reds and pinks through orange, yellow and white. Easy to grow perennial that will keep spreading over time.
The leaves are fern like or feathered, frilly or hairy, and mainly come from the base but also interspaced up the main shoot that holds the flower head at the top. These leaves are often aromatic and edible in small quantities.
Achillea or Yarrows are very tolerant border perennials that can do well in most situations but don’t like heavy, wet soil. They are native to more temperate climates of the Northern Hemisphere.
There are more than 1000 named species, sub-species, or varieties assigned to the genus of Achillea. Two popular species are the Achillea millefolium, common yarrow, and the Achillea ptarmica, sneezewort. Generally, the millefolium has smaller and more tightly packed flower heads, whilst the ptarmica has larger more openly spread flower heads.
Achillea is a good plant to consider for not only its form and long flowering colourful displays, it is very attractive to insects that promote a wider pollination to improve biodiversity, but also has medicinal healing properties that have long been used to treat many different ailments.
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.
Oxeye daisy is now everywhere. It grows in abundance on the roadside verges, river banks, parks and any grassy areas that suit. They prefer a sunny location with well drained soil, and that means they will be at home on any south facing embankment, proliferating at the expense of most other flowers. Still a welcome site that cheers up the green landscape, or brown as it is becoming at the moment.
Leucanthemum vulgare or Oxeye daisy are part of the Asteraceaefamily with the typical daisy like flower head of white petals with a bright yellow central disc. This disc contains many nectar filled flowers that attract bees, butterflies and many other insects. So, good for the biodiversity, as long as they don’t completely dominate an area.
