Three Wild Flower Hunts coming up as contributions to the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland’s New Year Plant Hunt (see https:/bsbi.org/new-year-plant-hunt):

Monday 30 December 2024:  Brompton  Cemetery.

Report:  Although 22 people had booked, only six turned up (five more than last year) to spend a cool, but occasionally sunny, 90 minutes wandering around and trying to find plants in flower.  Once we became used to the fact that most of the white on the ground was bird droppings rather than flowers, we were able to focus more carefully, and ended up recording 29 species in flower (up from 18 last year).  These included along with the inevitable green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens),  celandine (Ficaria verna), eastern sowbread (Cyclamen coum) and primrose (Primula vulgaris).

For a fuller report, and a brief analysis of the results,  see Roy Vickery, ‘The hunt for winter colour’, Friends of Brompton Cemetery Magazine, 82: 4-6, Spring 2025.

‘I enjoyed looking at  all the plants and also learned a lot.’

Tuesday 31 December 2024:  Tooting Common.

Report: 16 people gathered in breezy but not unpleasant weather to spend 90 minutes strolling around the Common, trying to find wild plants in blossom.  In all 27 such plants were found, including three non-native shrubs which have survived for many years without encouragement:  arrowwood (Viburnum x bodnantense), laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) and winter-flowering honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima).

‘A very interesting and well-attended walk.’

Wednesday 1 January 2025:  Brockwell Park.

Report:  Despite a dire weather forecast, c. 16 people gathered and were able to spend an enjoyable hour wandering around before heavy rain arrived.  As usual we began by walking around Brockwell Hall, where we expect to make a productive start, but due to building work we could find very little there this year.  Nearby neglected shrub beds raised the usual question: should the survivors be considered cultivated or wild?  We settled for counting them as wild.  In all we were able to find 32 species in flower; the average for this site, which has been visited since 2017, being 27.

‘And very enjoyable it was too – until the downpour.’

All starting at 11 a.m. and continuing for c.90 minutes; all welcome, for details see the Events page on this website.

Images:  upper, primrose, a plant which is doing well in London at present, Brompton Cemetery; lower, dame’s violet (Hesperis matronalis), an unexpected find in Brockwell Park.

Updated 13 January 2025.