We have been trying to note what varieties of wildflower we see on our walks in the local lanes…..and the year started off with snowdrops and primroses. In Cornwall as in some of Devon, including the South Hams, the lanes are awash with these delightful precursors of Spring. We are lucky.Next comes a mass of bluebells and ramsom, or wild garlic. We see mainly the native broad-leafed garlic but also the non-native narrow-leafed variety from the Southern Mediterranean.As this starts to go over the banks are full of herb robert..and red campion..as well as common mouse ear..and,of course, buttercups galore…Today we also saw Foxgloves which stand individual and proud, Hart’s Tongue Fern, Male Fern, Cow Parsley, Cleavers or Sticky Grass and Herb Bennet. Others in the lanes are Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, Nipplewort, Ribwort Plantain, Broad-leaved Dock, Chickweeds, and Pennywort.

As we are not botanists – far from it! – we find it very difficult to identify lots of things and if you take for instance the tall white umbellifers well…. we think we know Cow Parsley, but something else we saw today we thought was the deadly Hemlock. Research on the internet and in my books of wildflowers made us unsure. We washed our hands thoroughly, however, just in case! Again do see the Cornish Hedges site...it’s terrific.