Has anyone else been doing the Plantlife, Great British Wild Flower hunt? It’s a great way to learn to identify more flowers, and you can download a spotting sheet, or use an app on your phone.
I think my favourite find was this ivy leaved toadflax that really was showing the way!
This year there seemed to be red dead nettle almost everywhere, so a great year for the bees who love this plant. White dead nettle was less common, but I spotted some lovely ones on the banks outside Bishopstone church, where they mixed with both blue and pink forget me nots.
white dead nettle
forget me nots
Sometimes mistaken for forget me not, is green alkanet which is a larger plant with small blue flowers, also very popular with bees. There was plenty of this in Avondale Road and Blatchington Hill amongst other places.
bee on green alkanet
The humble herb robert can often be seen popping up in cracks in the pavements and twittens so no surprise that the first one I spotted was in the alleyway by the allotments.
Ground ivy is another plant that bees buzz happily round.
ground ivy
This month the bluebells finally arrived, a glorious sight in wooded areas and gardens. At the side of the path in Alfriston Road, I spotted a few that smelled and looked like true English bluebells. The bees were quite happy with the Spanish/hybrid ones too! Did you know that half of the world’s bluebells are in the UK. More interesting facts about bluebells from the National Trust here
You normally get a great show of cowslips on the steep path to Seaford Head, but the first ones I spotted this year were in a great sunny mass at Poverty Bottom, near Norton. What a wonderful show.
cowslip
If you haven’t had time to walk round Seaford looking for flowers, perhaps you have been growing your grass longer for “No Mow May?” If so I’d be amazed if you didn’t at least have daisies and dandelions in your lawn. Such common flowers, but so delightful and so useful too. When was the last time you made a daisy chain? Have you tried making dandelion tea or dandelion syrup? Simple pleasures, that give connections to nature which can be so important for our mood and mental health. I’m loving the dandelion verges like this one in Nursery Close!
dandelions
My total tally for Seaford, is so far 17 out of 24, though I’m still looking out for the rest! Can you do better?
Also look out for the Wildlife Trusts’ “30 days wild” encouraging us all to do one wild thing each day throughout the month of June! That’s 30 simple, fun and exciting Random Acts of Wildness. Why not choose to look closer into your verge or lawn at the flowers and creatures that hide there. Do let us know what you spot, we would love to know!