Plantain

Tony went off to orienteer on Baildon Moor this morning but I wanted a slower start and a quieter day so I pottered at a few jobs in the sunshine and then took my camera out to record events in the mini meadow.

There is much greenery just now but the pink campions  dominate the colour with just a couple of meadow buttercups emerging and the plantain.  I decided to record  what I could identify from the leaves:
knapweed; meadow buttercup; campion; sorrel; plantain; ragwort; dandelion; chicory; yellow rattle; mallow; teasel; clover; heartsease; herb robert; birdsfoot trefoil; willowherb; purple deadnettle; alyssum; foxglove; yarrow and possibly St John's Wort although Tony is sceptical about that one.

The one plant I miss from the first year of the mini meadow is the ragged robin and Tony is trying to grow some for me, plus cornflowers which would add a welcome splash of blue if they take.

I've just had a look back at a similar time two years ago and the meadow is now looking much less grassy and much healthier, due to the spread of yellow rattle, yay!  The trouble is it's a forest of yellow rattle now!  Hopefully it will balance out over the next couple of years.