Moschatel and Bluebells

This morning we needed to clear our heads after last night's party and cycled to our  favourite bluebell  woods at Parnholt Wood near Farley Mount ( west of Winchester, and not far from Hursley.) They didn't disappoint, and not only were there bluebells in profusion (see extra) but also Greater Stitchwort, Red Campion. Yellow Archangel, and,  in amongst  the Wood Anemones and Dog's Mercury, we found a couple of clumps of Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina )! As we were examining  the Moschatel (one of my very favourite  spring flowers), along came our generous  hosts from last night and another  couple from  our road, who were also at the party. They  were all looking remarkably alert and fresh, and it gave me an opportunity  to share with them the tiny , yet remarkable,  Moschatel plant, which bears unusual  flowerheads: four, 5-petalled flowers  forming a cube with a 4- petalled flower, on top facing skywards. Its common name is the Town Hall Clock plant as it resembles  a clock tower with four faces, plus a clock face on top for the  benefit of aeroplane pilots passing overhead!     
Moschatel  grows in ancient woodland in sunny, but moist, areas, spreading slowly by stolons. Its leaves, at first glance,  resemble those of Wood Anemone, with which it is often found, but are more rounded. Soon it will be overgrown by the other woodland plants, and disappear completely until next March. I think our  neighbours were impressed, and their dogs had a good sniff around; Moschatel is  supposed to have  a musky scent.

So, after that excitement, we  returned home via   Farley  Chamberlayne,  about 15miles in all.

This afternoon, we did some more pruning, weeding, pricking out seedlings and planting out a few plants acquired recently : two poppies , a Salvia,  and a Helenium which had been sitting in a pot far too long.