Hoary

An unexpectedly nice walk this morning.  It looked as if we were not going to get a walk at all as we ate breakfast.  The clouds gathered and the rain started to fall and things didn't look promising, but then it began to brighten, so we sallied forth.  Off around Shipley Park, across to Head House Farm and back via the old West Hallam Colliery site.  One thing caught my eye more than anything else this morning.  A large, very green, white-flowered plant.

Having consulted my books, I think it's called Hoary Cress (Lepidium draba), a member of the Crucifer - or cabbage - family.

It is a Southern European species and was first introduced to this country in about 1809 having come in among the hay-filled mattresses of soldiers returning from the 'Walcheren Campaign' when Britain was at war with France and Holland.