I had a visit over to the University Of Liverpool’s Ness Botanical Gardens on the Wirral. As well as being packed with traditional and rare garden plants it also has a number of wildflowers. A wildflower meadow area had been created which contained Corncockle Agrostemma githago, Corn Marigold Chrysanthemum segetum, Cornflower (a.k.a. Bachelor’s Button) Centaurea cyanus and Ox-eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare.
Corn Marigolds and Ox-eye Daisies
Corncockle
The drooping flowers of Borage (a.k.a. Starflower) Borago officinalis were just beginning to open out. The flowers have a cucumbery taste and can be added to salads or even to liven up your glass of Pimms!
The Monkey Flower Mimulus guttatus was introduced to Great Britain in the 1820’s and soon became naturalised in Wales growing beside streams and in wet marsh areas.
Viper’s-bugloss Echium vulgare was putting on a fine show with a branched spike of attractive funnel-shaped blue flowers. It is a favourite flower of bees and butterflies for their nectar fix.
