Plants from a Pastel Palette In the case of these subtle treasures, small is definitely beautiful. And whilst they may not be big and bold individually, they can be truly eye catching if you stumble across a patch of them in bloom.
T
ake speedwell for example. This Flowering around the same time – April cheerful blue flower was traditionally to June - is greater stitchwort. This pretty associated with speeding travellers perennial sports white, daisy-like petals on their way and pops up in a variety of above leaves resembling grass stalks. The locations, including roadsides individual flowers only have Nature’s less and other grassy places. A five petals but each one is low-growing, creeping plant, showy specimens cut almost in half down the you’ll need a beady eye to middle, giving it the starry bring a gentle spot the darker blue lines appearance reflected in its etched from the middle to rainbow of colours Latin name, Stellaria holostea. the outer edge of its petals In some places it goes by to the Bowland and the white dot, or “cat’sthe name of “poppers” - a eye”, in the centre. landscape. You may clue to the sound of its In the main we find seed pods as they ripen have to hunker germander speedwell in and fire out the seeds down to get a good Bowland but the group is a within. Greater stitchwort large one with several sub look at them but, is also a valuable source species – some of which of springtime nectar for if you do, you’ll are very rare - so you pollinators and the food discover a world of may also spot heath and source of the twin-spot thyme-leaved speedwell, shade, shape and carpet moth. or perhaps brooklime in pattern. damper habitats. Look out for germander speedwell from late spring to early summer, although you could well come across this lovely family later in the year too.
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