Surrey Homes | SH100 | May 2023 | Something To Celebrate Supplement inside

Garden
Vipers burgloss
Horned poppy
centres are specifically designed to attract pollinators.
Another plant to look out for and which has
benefited from the Reserve’s rabbit free zones is Stinking
hawksbeard, Crepis foetida, which was declared extinct in
the 1980s. The last few plants were seen at Dungeness
but fortunately seeds were collected and saved. And in
2000 just thirty-seven plants were introduced to Rye
Harbour and protected from the rabbits by small cages.
However, as soon as their flowers grew through the top
of the cages, they were eaten. The plant resembles a tall
dandelion with slimline yellow flowers and distinctive
red markings on the outer petals. You’ll recognise them
later on in the season too as their seed heads are white
as white and, to quote, look like ‘gigantic cotton buds’.
The shingle is home to tiny snapdragons too. Lilac
carpets of Ivy leaved toadflax, Cymbalaria muralis, appear
in the spring and flower on through until autumn.
One of the most interesting things about this little
flower is that its ‘mouth’ is closed. And it can only be
opened by either bumblebees or a large solitary bee.
The flower’s lower lip consists of two orange mounds
which draw the bees in as they recognise the ‘honey
guide’ provided by the flower and which then enables
them to open the flower by alighting on its bottom lip.
They then cross pollinate the plant thoughtfully leaving
a trail of pheromones to let other bees know that the
flowers they have visited no longer have any nectar so
they don’t need to expend any precious energy trying
to gain access and pollinate those particular flowers.
Finally, there are over five hundred flowering
plants recorded on the Reserve to seek out
and enjoy, so go on, what’s stopping you?
Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948
for gardening advice and help in the sourcing
and supply of interesting garden plants.
Salsify
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