The weather forecast for our event threatened heavy rain in the afternoon. Not to be deterred, people came along and met up at the Abbey. Members of the Monday Group had planned to demonstrate two projects close to the Abbey; dry stone walling and installing a new bench by the middle pond. This required transporting a very heavy oak bench to the middle pond and replacing the rotted seat, which could have been there 20+ years.
The Abbey was open for visitors and quite a number of people came during the afternoon. Tea, coffee and some excellent cakes were available too.
A small group (see photo) set off for the Wild Flower Hunt to see and identify what species were in flower around the area.
We walked up Beauchief Drive looking along the hedge bottoms. Garlic Mustard, Dog’s Mercury and Cow Parsley were very prolific and a joy to see, also an excellent patch of Sweet Woodruff. There were several clumps of Arum lilies, more commonly known as Lords and Ladies or Cuckoo Pint, and one patch was flowering. Bluebells were abundant in Gulleys Wood and a number of patches of Wood Anemone and Lesser Celendine could be seen. The Wild Garlic along the edge of the wood was in full flower. We then went to Gulleys Wood Meadow and unexpectedly found a few pignut plants flowering and a lovely patch of Greater Stitchwort. Bluebells were also in flower in the meadow and have now spread over a wider area away from the woodland edge, and a few meadow Buttercups too. At the Nature Park Green Alkanet and Comfrey were in full flower under the hedge by the entrance and a huge patch of Colt’s-foot in the inside car park had gone over to seed! Barren strawberries were found along the side of the central path. We were pleased to see that the Crab Apple tree planted in memory of Brian Green was in full flower; perhaps there will be some fruit to collect later in the year.
It was a very enjoyable afternoon and there had been plenty to see.
This is a list of the species in flower and those identified but not flowering:
Cow Parsley Garlic Mustard Dog’s Mercury Common Nettle White Dead Nettle Herb Robert Cleavers Dandelion Herb Bennett Ground Ivy Common Mouse Ear Lords and Ladies | Species Flowering: Forget-me-not Ribwort Plantain Bluebell Ramsons (Wild Garlic) Wood Anemone Lesser Celendine Tufted Vetch Barren Strawberry Blackthorn Colts-foot Comfrey Green Alkanet | Oxeye Daisy Buttercup Pignut Yellow Archangel Greater Stitchwort Purple Dead Nettle Bush Vetch Crab Apple Ribwort Plantain Sorrel Groundsel Shepherd’s Purse | Species identified not in flower: Holly (in bud) Ivy Hedge Bindweed Burdock Red Clover Ladies Mantle Yarrow Black Knapweed Rosebay Willowherb Great Willowherb Raspberry Hogweed Silverweed |