3rd April 2009
Off south to the Somerset coast today, specifically Sand Point, where the target plant was a dainty little crucifer;
Hutchinsia (
Hornungia petraea), a speciality of the limestone of the south-west and one that's turning into a bit of a bogey species having missed it several times already at the Avon Gorge
Needless to say, on that front I failed again
It was far from a total disaster, though; Sand Point's a great area for exploration and a walk along to the end of the Point produced
Early Forget-me-not (
Myosotis ramosissima) in the rabbit-nibbled turf, lots of
Common Scurvy-grass (
Cochlearia officinalis) (both new finds for the photo files
), as well as a fine range of garden escapes.
The
Mediterranean Spurge (
Euphorbia characias) that made a spectacular show behind the toilets in the NT car park is a well-known relic, apparently, from an old tea garden here in the 1930's; where the hell the patch of
Campernelle Jonquils (
Narcissus x odorus) half-way along the point came from, though, is anyone's guess
Small bushes of
Lauristinus (
Viburnum tinus) &
Sweet Bay (
Laurus nobilis) were probably bird-sown, whereas the few plants of
Spring Snowflake (
Leucojum aestivum) were probably garden chuck-outs
Heading back along the coast road towards Weston-super-Mare, a clump of
Primrose-peerless (
Narcissus x medioluteus) was another newie, and the patch of
Spring Starflowers (
Ipheion uniflorum) on the roadside bank stood out like a sore thumb
(
Spring Starflower, Ipheion uniflorum)
Explorations of Weston sea-front turned up a few more surprises, in the form of
Great Forget-me-not (
Brunnera macrophylla),
Golden Alison (
Alyssum saxatile) & a rather bedraggled
Bunch-flowered Narcissus (
Narcissus tazetta), all garden escapes, with quite a few small plants amongst the sandy grass; more
Early Forget-me-not (
Myosotis ramosissima), some mouse-ears I'm still struggling to get my head around & a few specimens of
Springbeauty (
Claytonia perfoliata).
(
Great Forget-me-not, Brunnera macrophylla)
(
Golden Alison, Alyssum saxatile)
(
Springbeauty, Claytonia perfoliata)
Finally, a little further around the coast at Uphill, I finished the day off with one final new tick, the eighth of a productive trip;
Daisybush,
Olearia x haastii, was half-hidden amongst some
Stern's Cotoneaster (
Cotoneaster sternanus) and, not in flower, really looked a bit of a state