Mike and I took our campervan to Marden in Kent soon after the first lockdown finished, and went on a lovely walk amongst the orchards and fields.
We followed footpaths across fields between orchards.
Mayweed was a common presence but I haven’t got to grips with identifying it yet. Firstly I never remember to sniff it in situ! Then when I get home and compare the photos with the pictures in my book, it doesn’t go well. I decide that I have spotted Scentless mayweed, Tripleurospermum inodorum, until I see mention of various similar Anthemis species such as Stinking chamomile and Corn chamomile and I lose confidence.
I was more confident about this beautiful blue flower, although it turns out that chicory is quite similar to Common blue-sowthistle, Cicerbita macrophylla, although the overall form is quite different.
The Lesser Teise river offered some welcome shade and we spotted some Indian balsam, Impatiens glandulifera on the right bank.
I have always known this invading species as Himalayan balsam. I know it quite well, as although not photographed, it is visible from the road a few miles away from us in Sussex. There is blooms in a range of shades from white through to dark pink and is often over a metre tall. I can see why people originally imported it to grow in gardens, but it’s a shame it’s such a bully and escaped into nature. These flowers in Marden were only in the palest of pinks.