As usual there are a lot of events planned over the midsummer period; for further information see the Events page on this website:

Saturday 15 June:  Plant Survey, West Norwood Cemetery, 11 a.m. – c.1 p.m., continuing our long-term survey of plants growing on the site, beginners welcome; booking unnecessary.

Report:  As c.15 people turned up it was decided to split into two groups, with Amanda Tuke taking the people who ‘could recognise common plants’, and Roy Vickery taking the absolute beginners.  Although no startling discoveries were made, and the weather was unsettled, it appeared that people enjoyed themselves.

Wednesday 19 June:   Prison Bank Wild Flower Hunt, Wandsworth Common, 7.oo p.m.; booking essential.

Report:  13 people gathered and spent an hour discussing some of the plants growing on the Bank, the weather being good as is traditional for this event.  Mention of the bases of white clover, Trifolium repens, flowers being sucked to obtain nectar, prompted one participant to recall that she  as a child in Scotland she did this ‘all the time’.  Another said that the same could be done with fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica, flowers, while a third recalled sucking violet, Viola odorata, flowers in Cornwall, ‘they come early when there’s nothing else around’.

‘Thank you so much to Roy for a walk which Gilly and I thought was marvellous.  Gilly noted that we saw at least 41 different species.’

Thursday 20 June:  Midsummer Wild Flower Hunt, Brockwell Park, 7.00 p.m., all welcome.  Fully booked.

Report:  About 24 people turned up on a pleasant summer evening to see how many wild plants could be found in flower.  The first of these was large bindweed, Calystegia silvatica, and we were shown how when the base of its flowers are squeezed its petals pop off – ‘granny jump out of bed’ – and the last was yarrow, Achillea millefolium.  Rather unwisely the leader decided to follow the route of the Winter Plant Hunt, held on 1 January, but whereas we only found 26 plants in flower then, we found 47 in June, consequently the event, scheduled to last for an hour, lasted for 90 minutes.  However, most people stayed to the end, and seem to have enjoyed themselves.

Friday 21 June:  Exploring our Flora, Unigate Wood Local Nature Reserve, Streatham, 7.00 p.m.; booking essential.  Postponed; now scheduled for 25 July, starting at 2.30 p.m.

Saturday 22 June:  Wild Flowers and their Folklore, two walks in Brompton Cemetery.

Report:  Although the threatened rain failed to arrive, these walks were poorly attended with only three people turning up for the first walk, and five for the second.  However people appeared their 45 minute strolls around the northeast corner of the Cemetery and discussing some of the plants found there.

Image: common vetch, Vicia sativa, Wandsworth Common, 19 June 2024.