Odds and Ends

As Malcolm and I have had other things to do over the weekend, I thought I would post a few photographs from our walks over the previous days.
The warm, sunny weather of the earlier part of the week, resulted in a high pollen count and the main culprits were the grasses, which are in full flower at the moment.  This is one of the most common in these parts and goes by the name of Cock's Foot (Dactylis glomerata).  A close look at the flowers, reveals a plethora of pollen-carrying anthers.

Along the footpaths and scrubby, woodland edges, a well-known member of the Geranium family, makes a lovely show.  Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) is a rather untidy plant, but its scrambling stems are covered with gorgeous little pink flowers and along with the reddish tint to its stems and some of its leaves, it makes an attractive plant.

Growing beside Osborne's Pond, a non native member of the Plantain family can be found flowering bravely. The small, 'snapdragon - like' flowers belong to Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis).  Commonly found growing in walls, paving and anywhere hot dry, it is no surprise that it is a native of the Mediterranean parts of Europe.

Back to the natives and a tall, reddish stemmed plant with a familiar flower on top.  Formidably spiky, the Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre) is common in wet fields and meadows with its stems often reaching high above the surrounding grasses.  Its flowers are particularly attractive to insects.