Geraldine
Martian Member
Having read the 'Jays' thread with interest, as in this little corner of Kent we have comparatively few oaks or Jays, it occurred to me that a brief description of local area's flora at different times of year might be a helpful addition to the national or international record. In this way, where someone who is interested in, for example, birds and moths, is visiting an area only covered by someone interested in birds and rocks, if they knew the local flora at a specific time, they could estimate what the possibilities are for their specific fields of interest.
1st October 2003
As we drove through Kent yesterday, I was struck by the quantity of Old Man's Beard (Clematis Vitalba) covering the hedgerows this year. It is mostly now at the white fluffy seed head stage, and shows up beautifully against the dark Hawthorn bushes with their very heavy covering of dark red berries. Rowan also seems extra laden with berries this year. (Cold winter ahead?)
We don’t have much autumnal leaf-colour change yet, except in the horse-chestnut trees, which are turning rust and gold, and showing prickly ‘conker’ cases.
The sloes, wild blackberries and rose-hips and elderberries are all showing in good quantities, but I haven’t seen much evidence of cob-nuts this year yet. That may be just that I’m not in the right places! In other parts of Kent acorns appear plentiful.
Conifers (I’m sorry I don’t know varieties) seem to be doing particularly well this year, looking very lush, whereas deciduous trees are showing distress in many areas as a result of the dry summer, with leaves drooping and then falling, not doing the usual autumn changes. (I thought that conifers had comparatively shallow root systems, so why are they seemingly less affected?)
Ivy is falling in great green ‘waterfalls’ down the banks, and growing lush around trees and over walls, covered in green-ball flower heads. Stinging nettles, (but seemingly fewer than previous years?) ferns (frond and harts tongue, sorry don’t know varieties) seem quite lush and green.
Haven’t seen much Woody Nightshade this year, and no deadly Nightshade. Is it too early for these berries? I thought they were usually out by now.
Very good year for amazingly big sunflowers in gardens, now mostly at seed head stage, especially so near the coasts, also good year for Pampas Grasses.
Quite plentiful Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort?) in flower, although very tall and spindly. Dark red sorrel seeds, and St John’s wort quite plentiful.
Big white convolvulus flowers doing well, looking wonderful!
Wild Buddleia seems to be attempting to take over the world, good news for Peacock butterflies and Red Admirals, among others. Flowers mostly brown now.
Cow Parsley skeletons show heavily in all the verges, seeds mostly gone already.
Fruit trees of course, especially apples, (well, this is Kent!), and crab apples doing well.
I’ve noticed a lot of Yellow horned poppies this year too.
Kent yesterday seemed full of Lapwings and Kestrels, and Pigeons doing peregrine impressions!
And last night I noticed Fieldfares in the park. And a kingfisher was fishing on the pond, so maybe Dover Council has got the pond balanced at last!!!
1st October 2003
As we drove through Kent yesterday, I was struck by the quantity of Old Man's Beard (Clematis Vitalba) covering the hedgerows this year. It is mostly now at the white fluffy seed head stage, and shows up beautifully against the dark Hawthorn bushes with their very heavy covering of dark red berries. Rowan also seems extra laden with berries this year. (Cold winter ahead?)
We don’t have much autumnal leaf-colour change yet, except in the horse-chestnut trees, which are turning rust and gold, and showing prickly ‘conker’ cases.
The sloes, wild blackberries and rose-hips and elderberries are all showing in good quantities, but I haven’t seen much evidence of cob-nuts this year yet. That may be just that I’m not in the right places! In other parts of Kent acorns appear plentiful.
Conifers (I’m sorry I don’t know varieties) seem to be doing particularly well this year, looking very lush, whereas deciduous trees are showing distress in many areas as a result of the dry summer, with leaves drooping and then falling, not doing the usual autumn changes. (I thought that conifers had comparatively shallow root systems, so why are they seemingly less affected?)
Ivy is falling in great green ‘waterfalls’ down the banks, and growing lush around trees and over walls, covered in green-ball flower heads. Stinging nettles, (but seemingly fewer than previous years?) ferns (frond and harts tongue, sorry don’t know varieties) seem quite lush and green.
Haven’t seen much Woody Nightshade this year, and no deadly Nightshade. Is it too early for these berries? I thought they were usually out by now.
Very good year for amazingly big sunflowers in gardens, now mostly at seed head stage, especially so near the coasts, also good year for Pampas Grasses.
Quite plentiful Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort?) in flower, although very tall and spindly. Dark red sorrel seeds, and St John’s wort quite plentiful.
Big white convolvulus flowers doing well, looking wonderful!
Wild Buddleia seems to be attempting to take over the world, good news for Peacock butterflies and Red Admirals, among others. Flowers mostly brown now.
Cow Parsley skeletons show heavily in all the verges, seeds mostly gone already.
Fruit trees of course, especially apples, (well, this is Kent!), and crab apples doing well.
I’ve noticed a lot of Yellow horned poppies this year too.
Kent yesterday seemed full of Lapwings and Kestrels, and Pigeons doing peregrine impressions!
And last night I noticed Fieldfares in the park. And a kingfisher was fishing on the pond, so maybe Dover Council has got the pond balanced at last!!!
