Woodbury Salterton Natural Environment: Spring messengers: flowering in the lanes since Easter

'Bright as the sun himself'

Since Easter, many plants in our hedgerows and verges have been bursting into flower almost too fast to catch up with them! Here is a selection we spotted in the lanes up to the Common over the last few weeks, though many are already making way for others.

Lesser celandine

"There is a Flower, the lesser Celandine,

That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain;

And, at the first moment that the sun may shine,

Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again! ...."

[From William Wordsworth, To the Small Celandine]

Lesser celandine is one of the first flowers of the year, and was often known as 'spring messenger.' It was the favourite flower of the poet William Wordsworth, who wrote, "It is remarkable that this flower, coming out so early in the Spring as it does, and so bright and beautiful, and in such profusion, should not have been noticed earlier in English verse." Even today it is still often under-appreciated - especially by gardeners because of its romping habit, particularly in disturbed ground. However, a different view is that the carpets it forms everywhere along lane edges and banks, so early in the season, are a joy to behold.

Primrose

Celandines and primroses growing together

The primrose is the prima rosa, the first flower of the year. Its pure yellow flowers have made it a more or less universal token of spring, and especially of Easter - despite the fact that in some sheltered areas of the country it flowers almost throughout the year. There used to be many customs associated with giving primroses at this time, which were thought to have contributed to the flowers' decline nationally. It is now considered just as likely, however, that, where they have reduced or disappeared, it is often a result of their habitat becoming unsuitable through spraying, drainage, or shading.

Dog violet

Common dog violet is the most widespread species of violet. The poet John Clare wrote of this spring flower:

"... And just to say that spring was come,

The violet left its woodland home,

and, hermit-like, from storms and wind

Sought the best shelter it could find,

'Neath long grass banks, with feeble flowers

Peeping faintly purple flowers... "

[From John Clare, Holywell]

White violet - more rare than the purple varieties

Celandines, primroses, and violets growing together
in Walkidons Way

Greater Stitchwort

Dogs Mercury

Wood spurge

The bright acid-green flowers of Wood spurge were known in Somerset as 'Devil's cup-and-saucer.'

Gorse

Gorse almost never stops flowering - hence the saying, 'When gorse is in blossom, kissing's in season.' It is one of the signature plants of common-land and rough open space, and - being abundant and fast-growing - it has been used for many functional roles, such as fuel, cattle food, an anchor for drying laundry, brushes, and (in flower) as a source of colour for Easter eggs. It occurs locally on the Common and on former marginal land, as well as in hedgerows.

Wood anemone

Wood anemone is one of the earliest spring flowers and one of the most reliable indicators of ancient woodland. It spreads by very slow root growth - no more than six feet in a hundred years - so it is a very confined plant, rarely extending beyond its ancient traditional sites. These are usually in long-established woodland, though in the West Country it also occurs in hedge-banks. We spotted it in Hogsbrook Wood, and along the short lane between Toby Lane and Dog Lane.

Wild strawberry

During a local history walk in Woodbury last summer, local farmer Ray Brown reminisced about his childhood in Rydon Farm. He mentioned a bank along Rydon Lane where he used to pick strawberries as a child, but there is no sign of them today. This is just one example of how habitats change - perhaps partly through land-use practices, partly through increasing shading. It feels good to have spotted these wild strawberries in flower in Upper Dog Lane.

Red Campion

Bird's-eye, or Germander, Speedwell

Honesty

Cultivated in this country since the sixteenth-century, honesty is increasingly commonly found in hedgerows.

Greater Periwinkle

Another garden escape is Greater periwinkle - now widely naturalised also.

Pink Purslane

Alexanders

Alexanders is a robust, juicy plant that thrives near the coast and is one of the first to be seen in spring. It is very edible, with a flavour like celery, parsley or chervil, and was almost certainly introduced by the Romans for this reason.