stock and speedwell ID?

[diggleken]

Growing at the riverbank yesterday were these two,
1/ on the bank, a type of stock I think, looks like garden stock, but no gardens within half a mile - smells wonderful!
2/ nearly in the water - either water speedwell or brooklime are my thoughts. Red stems and brown spike-tipped fleshy leaves.
Any help appreciated please.
Cheers
Ken

[IanS]

Brooklime, no idea on the other though!

[davidbr]

The "stock" is Dame's-violet (Hesperis matronalis)

[diggleken]

Many thanks Ian and David.
I didnt realise Dames violet grew quite so high, to 2-3ft (as these are), and I suspect what threw me was it was on a sloping bank, so appeared much taller, in the rough grass too!
On looking closer at Brooklime, it is described as sprawing in Collins, which this was (and I didnt say that) - so thats another learning point for me to help differentiate from water speedwell.
Thanks again.
Ken

[IanS]

Ah yes Dame's Violet! I've got that growing in my back garden!!

[davidbr]

It's a plant I've seen a fair bit of this spring - there was a magnificent patch the other day at Priddy Mineries, in Somerset, where I was looking for Alpine Penny-cress.

A very attractive plant, definitely - I've never seen it much in gardens, so I suppose it's one of those old cottage-garden species that are going out of fashion these days

[IanS]

I bought it a few years ago as a pot plant. It was supposed to be a native sp. but isn't. Pretty plant and smells wonderful though!

[Hedera]

Definitely an old plant, brings back memories. It sometimes has pinkish flowers as well, and the scent in the evening attracts moths.

[KeenTeen17]

I got quite confused on how to ID between Dames Violet and Cuckooflower in my early years of botanising. Now its pretty simple because the leaves are all different. Its a nice plant to find and the colour variation is great