I plan to walk local footparths noting the wild flowers in bloom in the order I see them. Do let me know if you find any others I can add.
1.The granite tramway from Pottery Pond to the entrance of Challabrook Farm.
April 2024.
Green Alkanet (first time, it is much more widespread in Bovey Tracey now), Forget-me-Not, Groundsel (not out this early last year, Lesser Celandine, Dandelion, Strawberry, Primrose, Shining Crane’s-bill, Cornflower garden escape, Early Meadow-grass, Cow Parsley, Shepherd’s Purse, Daisy, Herb Robert, Wild Garlic, Common Chickweeed, Cuckoo-pint, Strawberry, Three-cornered Leek, Garlic Mustard,,Cherry Laurel, Spanish Bluebell, Stitchwort, Daffodils either planted or garden escapes, Early Dog-violet, Spring Squill garden escape, Early Purple Orchid, Dog’s Mercury, Wood Sedge.
August 2023.
Buddleia, Monbretia, Wall Lettuce, Herb Robert, Groundsel, Black Medick, Honeysuckle, Herb Bennet, Wikl Strawberry, Dandelion, Hemp Agrimony, Orange Hawkweed, Cyclamen-probably a garden escape, Wahlenbergia, Bindweed, Nettle, Green Alkanet, Purple Toadflax, Water-pepper, Meadowsweet, Rosebay Willowherb, Broad- leaveed Willowherb, Common Bistort, Nipplewort, Spear-leaved Orache, Lanceolate plantain, Red Dead-nettle.
September 2023.
Herb Bennet, Wall Lettuce, Smooth Sow-thistle, Wood Dock, Allseed. Broad-leaved Willowherb, Herb Robert, Dandelion, Daisy, Common Cat’s-ear, Wahlenbergia, Hedghe Bindweed, Hogweed, Nettle, Common Orache, Cyclamen (probably a garden escape), Monbretia, Common Chickweed, Nipplewort, Purple Toadflax, Common Bistort, Blackberry.
November 2023.
Smooth Sow-thistle, Herb Robert, Daisy, Wahlenbergia, Holly, Purple Toadflax, Blackberry. Not very many plants in flower. I wonder how many will be in flower for our contribution to the nation-wide the New Year Hunt.
December 2023
Winter Heliotrope, Dandelion, Wahlenbergia, Annual Meadow Grass, Lesser Celandine, Ivy, Holly, Gorse, Honesty, Red Dead-nettle, Daisy, Rgwort, mexican Fleabane, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Common Cat’s -ear.
2. Challabrook footpath from Chapple Farm entrance to Monks Way/Avenue Road
April 2024.
Shining Crane’s-bill, Creeping Buttercup, Hairy Bitter-cress, Dandelion, Red Dead-nettle, Stitchwort, Common Field-speedwell, Groundsel, Common Fumitory (earlier than 2003), Cuckoo-pint, Blackthorn, Grondsel, Sticky Mouse-ear, Alexanders (this is the second year I have seen them here and they are now more widespread in the area), Garlic Mustard, Daisy, Spanish Bluebell, Yellow Archangel, Annual Meadow- grass, Smooth Sow-thistle, Lanceolate Plantain, Common Gorse, Cuckooflower – first year on this site, Germander Speedwell, Three-cornered Leek, Winter-cress, Lesser Celandine, Herb Robert, Honesty- the first time on this site and I have noticed it appearing elsewhere this year, Lesser Chicklweed.
August 2023.
Corn mint, Thistle, Wall Lettuce, Bindweed, Hedge Bedstraw, Nettle, Field Bindweed, Sea Bindweed, Groundsel, Red Dead- nettler, Yarrow, Rough Chervil, Honeysuckle, Whire Clover, Lesser Stitchwort, Cut- leaved Crane’s-bill, Nipplewort, Water-pepper, Dandelion, Common Mouse- ear, Red Clover, Tormentil, Oxe- eye Daisy, Spear-leaved Orache, Common Bistort, Common Bird’s-foot- Trefoil, Common Poppy, Knapweed, Ribwort Plantain, Sea Bindweed.
September 2023.
The hedges had just been cut. Common Cat’s-ear, Ivy, Hedge bedstraw, Red Dead-nettle, Dandelion, White Clover, Prickly Sow-thistle, Yarrow, Wild Radish, Ragwort, Chickory (I ahve not seen this here before, perhaps brought in with building material) , Scentless Mayweed, Oxeye Daisy, Common Bistort, Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Red Clover, Creeping Buttercup, Marsh Willowherb, Smooth Sow-thistle, Knapweed, Daisy, Sea Bindweed, Cyclamen (garden escape).
3. Footpath from Indio Road to Bovey Bridge
April 2024
Dandelion, Daisy, Daffodil (garden escape). Spanish Bluebell, Herb Robert, Primrose, Blackthorn, Germander Speedwell, Lesser Celandine, Red Dead-nettle, White Dead-nettle, Cow Parsley, Alexanders, Round-leaved Crane’s-bill, Groundsel, Shepherd’s -purse, Stitchwort, Annual meadow- grass, Mexican Fleabane, Green Alkanet, and Garlic Mustard which I did not see in 2023. No Early Dog- violet which I had in 2003.
August 2023.
Daisy, Wild Strawberry, Dandelion, Yarrow, Hawkweed, Prickly Sow- thistle, Field Bindweed, Smooth Sow-thistle, Rough Chervil, Sea Bindweed, White Dead-nettle, Blackberry, Groundsel, Mexican Fleabane, Broad-leaved Everlasting pea, Cyclamen probably a garden escape, Herb Robert, Groundsel, Broad- leaved Willowherb, Red Campion, Foxglove, Meadow Buttercup, Wood Sage, Creeping Buttercup, Meadow Crane’s- bill.
September 2023.
Diasy, Yarrow, Strawberry, Marsh Thistle, Herb Robert, Cyclamen (garden escape), Common Orache, Broad-leaved Willowherb, Herb Bennet, Common Cat’s-ear, Blackberry, Dandelion, White Dead-nettle, Nettle, Hedge Bindweed, Ivy, Groundsel, Mexican Fleabane, Elder in the car-park which I have never before seen flowering so late in the year.
New Year Plant Hunt 2023/4
This is an annual nation-wide event. I have been recording the wild flowers in bloom in Bovey Tracey for the last five years, and they are added to the national database by the Botanical Society of the British isles. This year the hunt copld take place over a few days which made it easier choosing a fine day.