Bedstraws

There are several bedstraws coming into flower at the moment which all have white flowers. Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile) is low growing and will happily grow even in mown grass.  It has small white flowers with 4 petals.  You can see it on Newtonmore golf course alongside Heath Speedwell (Veronica officinalis), and there was plenty of it colonising the bare forestry track near Bridge of Truim.

Heath Bedstraw and Heath Speedwell

Heath Speedwell

Heath Bedstraw

Another Bedstraw is one you probably have in your garden, Galium aparine, which has several common names: Cleavers, Goosegrass, Sticky Willie.  It has rough stems and can scramble up any vegetation nearby.

Cleavers

On Station Road is yet another Bedstraw, Sweet Woodruff, which has probably escaped from the adjoining garden.  When dried, the leaves smell of new mown hay, and used to be put between linen to scent it. That new mown hay smell is due to a compound called coumarin.

Sweet Woodruff

Finally, for now, (there are more Bedstraws that come out later in the season) is Marsh Bedstraw (Galium palustre).  This has 5 petalled flowers and is rather slender and floppy.  It grows in damp places and there is some in the pond on the golf course.  The photo was taken in Kingussie in the woods under Creag Beag.

Marsh Bedstraw flower

Marsh Bedstraw