Loose

Following a much cooler and cloudy weekend, things have started to clear again this morning and the increasing humidity tells of storms to come.  So we set out for a walk this morning around Osborne's Pond.  Around the water's edge, several stands of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

Gorgeous, tall spikes of pinkish purple flowers stood out against the water, surrounded by Hemp Agrimony, Blackberry and small Ash and Sycamore saplings.  But it was the Purple Loosestrife which caught the eye.

Further on and we started to climb Shipley Hill and another bright flower stood out against the hedgerow.  Unrelated to the Purple Loosestrife, despite it's name, the Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) is every bit as eye-catching.  Native to most of Eurasia, it is fairly common in damp places, a habit which it shares with the Purple Loosestrife.