The last of the Wood Anemone are going over now and the celandine is hanging in there. The Ladysmock or cuckoo flower, pictured above, (named as it blooms when the cuckoo traditionally returns to our shores) has gone from strength to strength.
A good number of wild flowers bloomed this month - just posting these before I run out of April, (it's been a busy month)!
campion |
forget-me-not |
greater stitchwort |
yellow archangel with carder bee |
bugle |
cow parsley |
garlic mustard |
ground ivy |
Some wild flowers can be tricky to identify from others that look similar, so I've included these in pairs for comparison
Bluebells
native bluebells |
spanish bluebell |
Our native bluebell has thinner leaves and the flowers hang from one side of the stem only. The spanish bluebell has wider leaves and the flowers hang from all around the stem.
Speedwells
wood speedwell |
field speedwell |
There are a number of speedwells but here are the two flowering in my wild garden.
The flowers of Wood speedwell are a lilac colour and delicately hang from longer stems above the leaves, (which are relatively large)
The flowers of field speedwell are a mid blue colour and the flowers are close to the leaves, which are more compact.
Strawberries
wild strawberry |
barren strawberry |
The difference between wild and barren strawberry can be clearly seen in the petals.
Each plant has five petals. Wild strawberry petals touch each other but the barren stawberry petals have a gap between them.
Wild strawberry produces tiny deliciously edible fruits, whereas the barren strawberry doesn't seem to produce noticeable fruits.
Cowslips
cowslip |
red cowslip (hybrid) |
Ok, you wouldn't mistake these for each other due to the colour but I put these two into a comparison, to show the similarity.
This year has been a great year for cowslips. Travelling locally and in Oxfordshire earlier this month, the verges have seen huge swathes of the lovely native bloom.
I understand the red cowslip is likely a hybrid of cowslip and primula but is no less lovely. This year is the first time we've seen this plant here in the garden. Just the one but maybe more next year..?
The trees in bloom this month.
apple blossom |
hawthorn blossom |
lilac blossom |
rowan blossom |
It may have been a mast, (or bumper) year for fruit last year but our bramley, pictured, is pumping out the blossom this year too!
The hawthorn seems a little early - this is the plant know as may blossom.
Lilac perfumes the garden beautifully, whilst the rowan berries, (which can be orange or red in colour) are beloved by our wild birds.
What caught my eye at the end of this month.
knotgrass leaf beetle on native bluebell leaves |
ivy berries remaining late april |
This colourful little beetle is the Knotgrass leaf beetle. It was happily nestled amongst the native bluebell leaves.
Another thing I noticed is that we still have Ivy berries remaining. These usually fruit between November and January and are a staple for lots of wildlife.
I can't remember spotting ivy berries in April before but perhaps this indicates how mild the winter was this year..?