The earliest
signs of spring
Ten intrepid people braved the cold
and rain on Sunday 9 February to look for signs of spring
in the Oaks Park, Carshalton. Gwyneth Fookes led us
around the park, where we recorded thirty different
plants in flower, or at least in bud and showing colour.
These included wild flowers, wild and planted shrubs, and
flowers planted in the grass and in the formal beds in
the park.
| Annual
Meadow-grass |
Poa
annua |
Wild
flower |
| Barberry |
Berberis cultivar |
Planted shrub |
| Box (buds) |
Buxus
sempervirens |
Planted shrub |
| Cherry Plum |
Prunus
cerasifera |
Wild shrub |
| Cherry Laurel
(buds) |
Prunus
laurocerasus |
Planted shrub |
| Common
Field-speedwell |
Veronica
persica |
Wild flower |
| Cornelian-cherry |
Cornus mas |
Planted tree |
| Crocus
(yellow) |
Crocus cultivar |
Planted
flower |
| Crocus
(purple) |
Crocus
tommasinianus |
Planted
flower |
| Dandelion |
Taraxacum
officinale |
Wild flower |
| Daffodil
(buds) |
Narcissus cultivar |
Planted
flower |
| Daisy |
Bellis
perennis |
Wild flower |
| Daisy
(cultivated double) |
Bellis sp |
Planted
flower |
| Groundsel |
Senecio
vulgaris |
Wild flower |
| Hairy
Bittercress |
Cardamine
hirsuta |
Wild flower |
| Hazel |
Corylus
avellana |
Wild or
planted shrub |
| Holly |
Ilex
aquifolium |
Wild or
planted shrub |
| Kerria |
Kerria
japonica |
Planted shrub |
| Mexican
Orange |
Choisya
ternata |
Planted shrub |
| Oregon-grape |
Mahonia cultivar |
Planted shrub |
| Perennial
Candytuft |
Iberis
sempervirens |
Planted
flower |
| Persian
Ironwood |
Parrotia
persica |
Planted tree |
| Polyanthus |
Primula cultivar |
Planted
flower |
| Primrose |
Primula
vulgaris |
Wild or
planted flower |
Snowdrop
(including double- and large-flowered) |
Galanthus
nivalis |
Planted
flower |
| Spurge Laurel |
Daphne
laureola |
Wild or
planted shrub |
| Stinking
Hellebore |
Helleborus
foetidus |
Wild or
planted flower |
| Winter
Aconite |
Eranthis
hyemalis |
Planted
flower |
| Witch-hazel |
Hamamelis sp |
Planted shrub |
| Yew |
Taxus
baccata |
Planted tree |
Jane McLauchlin
|