Great Willow Herb

Epilobium hirsutum


I've seen a lot of these vivid pink flowers this year, and wasn't sure what they were. They are different from the familiar rosebay willowherb, which carries its flowers grouped around a tall spike, though they are much the same size and colour; these flowers are more scattered on the plant, and the leaf shape is different too. My online search didn't clarify things to my satisfaction, but turning the pages of my trusty Keble Martin Concise British Flora with its careful and clear watercolour illustrations has led me to a tentative identification as great willowherb, with the qualification that this seems to like damp environments and I photographed it at the edge of a meadow. Correction or confirmation would be welcome.  I thought it was very pretty though, on a rather dull morning, and liked the way its shapes echoed those of the hedgerow trees beyond.

I was pleased that I managed to get out for a morning walkup the hill, as I knew the weather was likely to deteriorate later. By early afternoon it was raining torrentially, huge raindrops bouncing out of my overflowing wheelbarrow and water from the roof cascading over the guttering (extra). It continued, on and off, for hours, flooding our front path until water was about to creep under the door, overwhelming the drains: level access can have its drawbacks. P went out in his rain gear to sweep vigorously, and succeeded in diverting the flood, while I discovered the cats trying to avoid paddling in the utility room, where the drains outside the door were similarly overwhelmed and water had seeped under the door. It was only a millimetre or two deep, but took quite a lot of mopping. Although heavy rain does tend to create large puddles on our front path, it's the first time water has reached the doors. It was good, though, to see that P's repairs to the flashing have held, so we no longer have leaks from one of the gutters in our oddly configured roof, and good too that J's very tall sunflowers have so far survived the buffeting and battering.