Rhapsody in Blue?

There are flowers bursting out everywhere, thanks to the warm weather and – dare I say it? – summer.  The more obvious bluebells abound near houses, though the true native  bluebell  (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)is a scarcity here, as most of the plants you will see are the garden variety or Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) or a cross between the two (Hyacinthoides x massartiana).  For more information check out this Plantlife article.

Spanish and hybrid Bluebells by Loch Imrich

The other obvious blue flowers that are out now are the Speedwells.  These are much smaller than bluebells . I have  already mentioned  the Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis) in a previous post. There are several  other kinds and I found three of them in my garden whilst weeding the veg patch. Here they are (after being weeded…)

Wall Speedwell, Thyme-leaved Speedwell and 2 Germander Speedwell

The most obvious one is Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), which forms large patches. It has the largest flower and leaf.

Germander Speedwell

Germander Speedwell

Next is the Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) which has a smaller flower with  white and purple on the petals.

Thyme-leaved Speedwell

Then, with a tiny deep blue flower, is Wall Speedwell (Veronica arvensis). I have never seen it in walls but it does like dry ground.

Wall Speedwell

 All quite small, but if you don't mind getting on your hands and knees for a closer look, very beautiful.

 Links

Plantlife What is the difference between Spanish and Native Bluebells?

Slender Speedwell post

Around the block and Loch Imrich

The recent spell of warm weather (now gone, alas) has encouraged plenty of plants to flower so there are a lot of new blooms to spot. On a recent walk "around the block" i.e. around the roads circling the Primary school, I saw a patch of blue flowers in the playing field which turned out to be Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis).  

There are many Speedwells (their names all start with Veronica) so what is distinctive about this one?  

• Well, for a start, it is  slender with fine thin stems so it is floppy and lies low in the grass and forms mats.  
• The flowers are borne singly on long stems (pedicels). 
•  Like all Speedwell flowers, the flower has 2 stamens (see photo) and 4 petals but for the Slender Speedwell the lower petals tend to be whiter.  
• The leaves are kidney shaped and rounded.

Other flowers spotted on this short circuit and around Loch Imrich were Wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa), Lady's Smock or Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis)  and Common Dog-violets (Viola riviniana).

Wood Anemones at Loch Imrich

Wood Anemone

Lady's Smock

Dog-violet

Botany terms:
Stamen - the male part of the flower that has the pollen
Pedicel - a stalk bearing a single flower