A Botanical Journey mostly from Kent & SE England

Form March to December I am usually out photographing and recording what I find all around Kent. It's unsurprising then that from time to time I find some rare, interesting or just beautiful wildflowers along the way. Here's just a few of the thousands I have seen and recorded this year. They are not presented in any particular order either. First up is the amazing Malling Toadflax. A visit to the West Malling area to find general records meant I had to have a look on the old town walls where this plant has been naturalised for well over 100 years. It's still there looking good. Chaenorhinum origanifolium  A new plant that I'd never seen before was Piri Piri Bur found in substantual numbers in woodland  near Mereworth. It's been previously recorded here and apparently arrived in ammunition crates from New Zealand in the second world war It's still there and attaches its clingy seeds to ones boots and socks most efficiently and annoyingly.

Most people associate this venue with the Kent Wildlife Trust reserve and indeed this was where I originally intended to walk. However, on arrival I decided to record what I saw and so took a different route along the track parallel to the M2 to see what I could find. At this time of the year, the thought is always present that I might find nothing! However, as usuaal, I needn't have worried. There had only been a few frosts and the plants seemed to be just fine. The first two could be found in most places in the UK, White and Red Clover. Trifolium repens Trifolium pratense Hawkweed Oxtongue will flower well into Winter, it's bright yellow flowers only opening when conditions are good. Picris hieracioides Strap like leaves and the lack of a big ruffe of bracts under the flowers tell this apart from the similar Bristly Oxtongue Spotted Medick is often found in lawns, pavements and waste g