Events planned for the remainder of March; for details see the Events page of this website:

Wednesday 19:  Springtime Wild Flower Walk, Brompton Cemetery, starting at 2 p.m.

Report:  c.18 people turned up on a warm and sunny afternoon, when many of the spring flowers – daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus), primroses (Primula vulgaris) and sweet violet (Viola odorata) were at their best – to spend an enjoyable hour wandering around the northern part of the Cemetery.

‘It wasn’t long enough, I would have liked it to have been longer.’

Thursday 20:  Signs of Spring? walk, Woodfield Pavilion, Tooting Common, starting at 11 a.m.

Report:  Eight people, including one baby, assembled on a bright, warm and sunny morning to walk around the perimeter of Woodfield and discussing the plants seen there, including the green-leaved form of Italian lords-and-ladies (Arum italicum ssp. neglectum) and the native lords-and-ladies (Arum maculatum), most plants of which lacked spotted – ‘maculate’ – leaves.

‘I really enjoyed the walk, the sun, and his cool  explanation on the flowers and plants yesterday,  thanks so much.  Look forward to the next walk on 17 April.’

Saturday 22:  plant survey, West Norwood Cemetery, starting at 10.00 a.m.

Report:  13 people, ranging from those who were (we hope) starting their botanical journey to those with considerable expertise assembled to see what we could find in flower.  Although participants’ expertise varied, all were united in their enthusiasm.  We found two speedwells – ivy-leaved (Veronica hederifolia) and common field (Veronica persica) in flower, and were confused by some yellowish leaves, but later we found more typical material and decided that these belonged to not yet flowering thyme-leaved speedwell (Veronica serphyllifolia).  We had hoped to try and come to grips with the three species of violet which have been recorded in the Cemetery, but were only able to find one, common dog-violet (Viola riviniana).  After 90 minutes we decided to call it a day, but we look forward to gathering again in May.

Saturday 22: Spring Wild Flower Walk, Tooting Common, starting at 2.00 p.m.

Report:  Six people joined the leader for a gentle stroll across the Common concentrating mainly on plants which were flowering.  Thus we were able to compare and contrast blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera), and enjoy the golden-yellow male flowers of goat willow (Salix caprea) and a variety of other species before concluding by examining the colony of coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) which persists beside the Lake.

‘Very interesting.’

Images:  upper, cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera), native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia, but now widely naturalized in Britain, one of the plants enjoyed on the Signs of Spring? walk, 20 March; middle, sharing knowledge in West Norwood Cemetery, 22 March; lower, beside the Lake, Tooting Common, 22 March, © Peter Ramell.