The wildflower, Leopardsbane, lays a golden carpet on the understorey of the Birchwood woodland during May and June. An American website I found which showed a picture of a flower which, to my untrained eye, looked identical to the one shown here claimed that the flowers and root stock are used in the herbal preparation, Arnica, for the relief of muscle pain, wounds and bruises...However Penny Maes (no, I don't know either) has emailed me advising that this is rubbish and that Leopardsbane and Arnica are two distinct species. So apologies to those of you who have smuggled some Leopardsbane from our woods and found it does not perform as advertised!
More garden pics>>>
The Clematis which has long graced one corner of the house seemed to have succumbed to over-enthusiastic pruning a while ago but it has since recaptured its rightful position.