wildflower – Page 4 – BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking

June 29th – I’m loving the orchids this year – they seem to have been becoming steadily more profuse over the past few years. I make no apology for repeatedly featuring them, for they are remarkable flowers, and this year they face a herculean struggle to avoid the rigid, inflexible Canal & River Trust mowing schedule, which has seen many fine blooms wiped out.

They’re only here for a short few weeks. Keep your eye out for that flash of vivid purple in the grass – there are several different varieties locally. This one is near Pier Street Bridge in Brownhills.

June 16th – A remarkable year for wildflowers, and the lupins in particular have been spectacular. At the wasteland at the bottom of Bentley Mill Way between Darlaston and Pleck they’re blending with gorse and other wildflowers to bring a welcome splash of colour in unexpected places.

The downy seed pods are fascinating too.

June 9th – So many great wildflowers at the moment, but the one I always adore is birds foot trefoil, or egg and bacon. Here growing at the canalside in Pleck, such a beautiful, bright yellow on a dull morning.

A joy to the heart.

June 1st – Nearby on Clayhanger Common, beautiful, fragrant hot pink dog roses, looking scruffily beautiful in the rain.

On days like this, you take the beauty where and when you find it. And these are a delight.

May 20th – I’m intrigued by these deep yellow poppies, which seem very, very early and somewhat unusual. They’re growing in dense undergrowth near the Black Cock Bridge in Walsall Wood, and were so bright they caught my eye as I rode past.

Are they indigenous, or garden escapees? Whatever they are, they’re beautiful.

April 17th – Another harbinger of spring: bluebells. First I’ve seen this year, spotted under a hedgerow in Shelfield. OK, they’re imported Spanish ones rather than the more traditional English variety, but they’re coming… and in the same patch, a few white ones for good measure.

Great to see.

August 4th – I ought to know what this is; I can’t remember and the book is in elsewhere. The nettle-ish leaves have me confused. It’s a lovely shade of purple and one single instance (that I’ve found) is in bloom by the canal at Birchills.

Susan, help!

July 27th – On Clayhanger Common, there is a thriving population of teasels. A spiky, spiny, purple, prehistoric-looking plant, our ancestors used the dried seed heads to tease wool and fabric.

Some of these plants – once a very rare sight in these parts – are six feet tall now and in rude health. A fine symbol of the biodiversity and health of the common here – which only 35 years ago was a polluted, barren and filthy refuse tip.

July 14th – South Wigston station, where sadly some Philistine has been out with a brush-cutter and mown the interesting flowers back from the walkway.

However, the sweet peas growing in the centre of my favourite patch of wilding are keeping the bees busy.

There’s always something to cheer, here…

June 26th – Work is a lot busier this week than I expected, and I /was/ keeping on top of things… until today, when I left my camera at work. I’d spotted these cute little violet flowers on a verge near Telford Railway Station and have no idea what they are, but they’re quite small.

Sadly, as I left my camera behind, it mean 365days got behind, too…