These are alternative names for three July wildflowers that are out in the Front Meadow currently. Bishop’s lace is more commonly known as Wild carrot (Daucus carota), Bishop’s wort as Betony (Stachys officinalis), and Mare’s fart as Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).
Most of the orchids are over now, although the Pyramidals are still going strong. Instead there is the vivid cerise-purple of the orchid-like Betony flowers giving a strong contribution to July colour. Having sown extra Betony seeds for the last few years they are beginning to establish. Wild carrot is also a very welcome sight with its tall stems topped by large white umbels that are very attractive to insects.
This year there are two wildflower species that must have grown from seed blown in on the wind – I certainly have not introduced their seed myself. This is in contrast to all the other notable species of the meadow, which have been deliberately sown. One is a thistle but I haven’t identified it as it hasn’t flowered yet!
The other is Common ragwort, a short-lived perennial, which has long been a vigorous invader of meadows and detested wherever horses and cattle graze. It has alkaloids that are very hepatotoxic and often fatal. The animals tend to avoid eating the live plant but cannot detect it when it is in dried hay and thus succumb. Much human effort is spent on pulling up the plants in summer. Strangely, sheep are not affected and seem to quite like nibbling it.
For me the toxicity is not a problem in my garden meadow and adds splashes of golden yellow. However I think I will control it in some way – maybe by deadheading before seed dispersal - to stop it becoming too prevalent, as it is a chunky plant and occupies quite a bit of space.
Photos: 1. Betony and Oxeye daisies, 2. Wild carrot, 3. Common ragwort, 4. Betony close-up.
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