The Late Show - October Wildflowers

 When things quieted down at the allotment at the end of September  I was glad that I would have more time to invest in my renewed interest in wildflowers. But guess what: It's not just vegetables that stop growing, the rest of the vegetative world also goes into hibernation once  days shorten, temperatures drop and the wind and rain arrive.  I do have a whole load of snaps taken over the summer that I can review over the winter months but today I am sticking to wildflowers that piqued my interest in October. A floral last hurrah

First prize has to go to Wood Sage.  The rugose leaves form a rosette only to be outshone by a spike of creamy yellow flowers leaving an architectural tower of seedpods. I found plenty of it growing on a hilltop near me.  Quite odd for a "wood" plant.  

Wood Sage  - Teucrium scorodonia

Then I discovered an intriguing white patch with a definite pink tinge in a wayside ditch:  Pink Purslane whose leaves are described as like those of the Ace of Spades.  5 divided and deeply notched petals had me mistaking this for a chickweed at first.

Pink Purslane - Claytonia sibirica

Along the same lane I spotted some dramatic nodding heads.  The leaves are those of Herb Bennet (Wood Avens) but the flowers are entirely different.  Colloquially known as Billy's Buttons this is Water Avens 

Water Avens - Geum rivale

There is a cross between Wood Avens and Water Avens: Geum x intermedium.  The flowers of the cross are more colourfull and more open.  It grows in cracks in the pavement nearby.

My next October flower was definitely a vetch, but which one?  Narrow-leaved Vetch fitted the description.  Flowers in pairs, uniform in colour (concolorous!) Auricles (ears) either side of the main stem where leaf stalks branch off.   

Narrow-leaved Vetch - Vicia sativa ssp nigra

Last on my ramblings is another plant with nodding flowers.  Could this be why it is known as the "mourning widow"?  With such dramatic flowers it is a pity that they are always pointing downwards.

Geranium phacum 

Also known as Dusky Cranes-bill this was on a farm lane - right beside a cottage garden it had, no doubt escaped from.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing some of nature's late show of  colour.