A Botanical Journey mostly from Kent & SE England

This is another fine National Trust estate and the former family home of Winston Churchill. This blog shows some of what I came across this day. I haven't photographed a Daisy for some time, so this photo was overdue. Bellis perennis Common Mouse-ear Cerastium fontanum Grasses can be attractive too. Here is the very common Cocksfoot. Dactylis glomerata A common flower in December is Yarrow. Achillea millefolium A surprise for December was finding Thyme-leaved Sandwort down by the lake. Arenaria serpyllifolia subsp serpyllifolia Black Swans were on the lake as they have been for many years. As were some cute white ducks. A common plant found mostly near habitation is Petty Spurge which also flowers all year around. Euphorbia peplus It was nice to see a couple of Meadowsweet still in flower around the lake though the flowers were lo...

There are several beautiful walks in and around this National Trust estate. My partner and I did a short one given that I'm not well and that I am awaiting a heart operation now. Here's some of what we found. Traveller's Joy and Hawthorn in the car park. Clematis vitalba and Crataegus monogyna Here is the cluster of seeds of Wood Avens. Note the hooked spines which latch onto the coats of passing animals (or socks, shoes and trousers of people) and thus spread the plant far and wide. It is a very common plant in Kent. I found a couple still in flower as well. Geum urbanum Herb Robert Geranium robertinum Orange Ladybird in the leaf litter Halyzia sedecimguttata  A typical estate walk view. The open nature of the rides (paths) mean that there will be plenty of wildflowers and insects come the spring. I had a nose around a field edge that backed onto the woodland path....