6th May 2020

Germander speedwell

Today I had a look at the Crazy Golf area because it hasn't been mown for a while and was showing quite a few wildflowers. Amongst the usual Daisies and Dandelions there was a scattering of Cow-parsley, a few Wild garlic, Red dead-nettle, Thyme-leaved speedwell and Wood avens, and an early-flowering grass, Meadow foxtail. A notable find was a couple of Early meadow-grass plants at the base of the Red oak. As its name suggests, it flowers early. It's also similar to the very much more common Annual meadow-grass and so easily missed. Nothing to look at, but it's rarely seen in this quarter of London.
The nicest one to see, however, was a small patch of Germander speedwell near the fence beside the brook. This delightful bright blue flower is quite common amongst the neglected lawns of the high-rise estates uphill in Wandsworth. It prefers the sandy soils of the Black Park gravels, that also underlie the flat top of the Common. Sadly, there, it's been lost since sheep grazing ceased 100 years ago.

If mowing stays away there will soon also be flowers of two little Crane's-bills: Small-flowered and Dove's-foot, Yarrow, Thistles and Cat's-ear. I doubt the mowers will stay off long enough for Autumn hawkbit to show!