It wasn’t long ago that I’d avoid trying to identify a plant in the carrot family – other than Cow Parsley – particularly when it wasn’t in flower. But nothing ventured etc., so here goes…. In Crystal Palace Park, I notice a spray of leaves with a different visual rhythm to familiar Cow Parsley leaves. […]

There ought to be an expression for the experience of seeing something in nature which delights you but you have no-one at that moment to share it with. That does sound a bit sad, although has more pathos than I’d intended. Would ‘nature-sharing rue’ do it? To be clear, I absolutely love walking and nature-watching […]

I haven’t missed pubs, but botanizing in company again feels like an exceptional treat. Today I’m going on a plant hunt in Wandsworth Cemetery with Roy Vickery and a group from the South London Botanical Society. I meet first with Sarah Webley on her patch, Wandsworth Common. This area is new to me and hadn’t […]

“Mum, can I come?” Words which are always a lovely surprise. After negotiating a mix of walking and plant-hunting, we set off in warm sun and arrive at the Woodland Trust site near Biggin Hill as it is starting to cloud over. It rarely happens, but on this occasion the botanical treat was growing right […]

“Yes, yes, YES!” I say as I fling myself onto the ground at the foot of an oak. This is passion, but possibly not of the kind you’re imagining. Lying on my stomach, I raise up onto my elbows so I can point my camera. A tiny and lushly-hairy bee is skirting a recently mined […]

This housing estate in south London is my favourite for plant-hunting. Not too tidy or gardened, but not too quiet or edgy either. There’s clearly need here – with a busy and efficient foodbank run from the community centre – but I feel relatively safe kneeling or lying on the pavement taking photographs of plants. […]

Edging the pavement in front of the care home, I find eye-catching green sprigs of Springbeauty (Claytonia perfoliata). The fused and slightly fleshy leaves beneath clusters of delicate five-petalled flowers are unmistakable. This plant, native to western North America, is edible and has a mild fresh taste. Also known as Miner’s Lettuce, research suggests that […]

I hummed and hawed for quite a while before I decided it was legitimate to drive the 30 mins south to Hutchinson’s Bank in Croydon. I knew it would be a long shot but I was hoping to find something in flower on these chalky slopes and to practice my skills at identifying plants at […]