Pink

Today, I thought we would have something to brighten up an otherwise, dull day.  On our recent walks around Shipley Park, we have been fortunate to find some rather beautiful flowers.  Among these, two stand out, not because they have particularly large or showy flowers, but because they have a gorgeous pink colour - not a colour we see too much of around here with the majority of yellows and whites.
First, a diminutive flower blooming in open clusters on top of bright green stems in dry grassland and woodland rides hereabouts.  The Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea).

This little plant is part of the Gentian family and has various medicinal uses.  There are a couple of useful Sterols (a sub-group of Steroids) present, including brassicasterol and stigmasterol.  The latter of these has been sited as being useful in the treatment of various cancers such as breast, colon and prostate.

It has also been used in treating various gastric and liver diseases.
Next, a member of the Pea family, the Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea (Lathyrus latifolius).

There is just one patch of this plant growing by the footpath near Head House Farm, in the shade of a Hawthorn bush.  But what a glorious sight it makes.  A scrambling plant as most peas are, we have tried in past years to collect a few seeds and grow some in the garden.  This year, we have been successful (so far) and have five, small but healthy seedlings in a pot on our patio.  Lets hope they come to be as lovely as these.