Wood Anenomes in flower

Three weeks later than last year and appreciated all the more.

 

The yellowing of the woodland floor

We are a little way behind 2012's flowerings. My diary for that year tells me that on 12th April there were Wood Anenomes in flower at Binscarth and Bluebells in Gyre. It also mentions baby Rooks in the 'willows' in Kirkwall. I visited Binscarth and Gyre on 15th April 2013 - no sign of Wood Anenomes, no sign of Bluebells and still no sound of baby Rooks in Kirkwall. The Snowdrops in both woodlands had turned but at last the woodland floor was changing colour - the brown earth was now spangled with the chrome yellow Lesser Celandine stars and in Binscarth the more subtle lemon-yellows of the understated Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage.

 

 

 

 

 

An unprepossessing survivor to brighten up the days of spring - Sticky Mousear

It may be that you've never seen this little plant. It's not the most obvious of flowers but it tries its hardest to brighten up the dullest bits of concrete or tarmac at a time when we have a dearth of spring-time flowers. I don't know how it survives in Kirkwall; by July there are the little tell-tale marks on the pavements of the town where the Council spot sprayer has been. Maybe because it's an early flowerer, it can get away with the mid-summer treatment by which time it's flowers and greenery have vanished. I don't think you can find it everywhere in Kirkwall - it seems to be choosy - but try having a look at car parks especially where the kerb meets the tarmac. Arguably the best display I've seen recently has been at the Rendall Doocot car park although there is a bright and vivid line in Great Western Road (see below).