Discover Joan's Hill Farm - Plantlife

The plants of Joan’s HillJoan’s Hill Farm Reserve is rich in wildflowers,particularly from late April to July.ColumbineCommonly associated withcottage gardens (and sometimesknown as Granny’s bonnets). Growshere along the edge of woodlandtracks. It has purplish-blue flowersin May and June.BWood vetchThis uncommon plant grows in anumber of places in the area, typicallyat the edge of forest tracks. It has tuftsof scented flowers that are whiteand lined with purple veins.Flowers June-July.DMeadowsweetCommonspotted orchidA plant that favours damp conditionswith frothy, creamy-white flowersthat are at their peak in July. Itsname probably derives fromits former use to flavour mead(honey wine).CAThis species is so vigorous insome areas of the reserve that theflowers form carpets of pale lilac.The peak flowering time is June.FERough chervilFlowering between May andJuly, rough chervil is abundantbeneath the tall trees, its whiteflowers forming delicate, lacydrifts either side of the path.HMistletoeVoted the county flower ofHerefordshire. An evergreenplant, best seen in winterwhen the berries appearand the leaves are offthe trees.Yellow-rattleAn annual plant found in meadows,named after its yellow flowers and theway that its seed rattles inside brownpapery capsules when ripe. Flowersfrom May onwards.GSelfhealA very common plant inthe area. It has bluishvioletflowers from Juneto October.IGreen-winged orchidA purple (occasionally pink or white)orchid distinguished by the paralleldark green veins on the “wings” thatform the hood of the flower. Lookfor it in May.JCommon knapweedIn early summer yellow is thedominant colour of the meadows(meadow buttercup, catsear andyellow-rattle). In July, this changesto purple, when an abundance ofthistle-like common knapweedcomes into bloom.KDyer’s greenweedA small shrub with rich, gold-yellowflowers, similar to broom and gorse.It was once cultivated as a dye-plant,but here grows in a few small patchesas a wild native. Flowers fromJune onwards.LBetonyA perennial plant of the dead-nettlefamily with intense pink-purpleflowers. It has a long history of use inherbal medicine and in folklore wassaid to ward off evil spirits. Look for italong the verge of the woodland trackin late summer.Illustrations reproduced by permissionof Philip’s from The Philip’s Guide to WildFlowers of Britain and Northern Europe,Bob Gibbons and Peter Brough, 2008