Last spring we stayed in a cabin on a farm
There was an icy wind but the sun shone and Mike and I went for some lovely walks.
Weeds of the fields
We were located right on the edge of an arable field and were kindly supplied with a stack of vintage books, my favourite being Farm Weeds sub-headed An aid to their recognition with colour plates reproduced from watercolours by Doris R. Thompson. I was surprised to find that this lovely book had been produced by a weedkiller manufacturer in the 1960s – not so we could appreciate them but so we could identify them before spraying! The illustrations were so lovely I bought a copy on eBay when I got home.
Pineapple weed – Matricaria discoidea
Pineapple-weed is also called Rayless Mayweed, and is illustrated in Farm Weeds with the note:
“Not to be confused with Stinking Mayweed though it is strongly aromatic, the scent being said to resemble pineapples. Absence of white florets when flowering is obvious difference. Terminal leaflet has bristle point. Abundant weed of tracks and trampled gateways.”
Common field Speedwell – Veronica persica
The book didn’t cover this Speedwell but rather Veronica chameadrys unfortunately.
White dead-nettle – Lamium album
I spotted this hairy flower in long grass in a hedgerow nearby.
Hike to the seaside
We also hiked to the nearest beach at Climping where we found a lovely sheltered spot to picnic. There was a beautiful blue sky and hardly anyone about.
Other cabins we have stayed in were:
Brockenhurst in the New Forest – April
We saw more arable flowers at RSPB Arne