instant history - june 18, 2013

The landscape quieter. The leaves of the trees are converging to the same colour. The hawthorn coming to an end, elderflower now the most prominent blossom in the countryside,  and wayfaring-tree.  Cow-parsley almost over. Hogweed approaching its height, starting to make that steady magnificent spectacle among the tall silvery grass verges.

Contrasted to its greyish-white discs, the occasional brilliant white of rough chervil, and horse-radish.

Yes, it is grass time, no longer brilliant green leaves but shimmering inflorescences. Meadow-grasses, false oat-grass, cockspur, barren brome, lop-grass, red fescue all flowering. Yorkshire fog and common couch just beginning to show.  Also fern-grass, rat's-tail fescue, italian rye-grass, x Festulolium, black-grass...

In town, the departing hawthorn has made way for spiraea and pyracantha. White froth of lilac with just the first brown in it. Roses have got started. Big poppies in gardens; peonies; red-hot poker. Aquilegia just past height. 

Meadow-cranesbill. Ribwort plantain. Still lots of yellow buttercup-fields.

In ditches, celery-leaved buttercup and water-violet.

Nettle-stands becoming obtrusive, and flowering. Hemlock flowering, almost at height.

Teazels sprouting. I saw the first thistles in flower - welted and marsh.