Head scratching......

While taking lots of snaps of Primroses and Sea Ivory in the grounds of St Nicholas' kirk in Holm, I bumped into a clump of Roseroot next to a headstone. So what's so special about that? Roseroot is often met with in gardens and somebody connected with the Mair family no doubt will have planted it in memory. Well that sounds like the logical answer but, it is just about the only 'planted' flower in the kirkyard.and the setting, just to one side of the stone and in a scoured hollow, appears odd.

Clapham, Tutin and Warburg describe its habitat as such - Crevices of mountain rocks, ascending to 3850 feet and on sea cliffs in W.Scotland and Ireland.

The Atlas says much the same - perennial herb which grows on seacliffs and in mountains in rock crevices and on moist ledges. Although descending to sea level in N.W. Britain and Ireland, it is usually found above 300m (my italics). This plant is just a few metres above sea level.

Here are some unambiguous plants in their accepted habitat - the sea cliffs of Hoy - these particular plants are at Ha Wick down towards Wastlee Moor and Melsetter

So is the plant in St Nicholas' kirkyard wild or tame???