Bindweed, Convolvulaceae. With its beautiful white trumpet head this is one of those plants that gardeners love to see, as long as it’s not in their garden. Its brittle perennial root system means that it can regrow from even the tiniest of cuttings and its vigorous growth can suffocate many plants.Photo: Stephen Middleton
Birdsfoot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus. A member of the pea family. Its three yellow petal flowers appear in small clusters. They are followed by seed pods that look distinctly like bird’s feet or claws. It’s an important food plant for the caterpillars of the common blue, silver-studded blue and wood white butterflies and when there was more grassland on Parkland Walk it […]
Bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara. Purple flowers with yellow stamens give way to bright red berries, edible for some birds, which disperse the seeds widely, but the berry is poisonous to humans and livestock. WT
Bladder campion, Silene vulgaris. Bladder campion has large, bladder-shaped swellings behind its white, five-petalled flowers. Flowers May to September. It is categorised by the Royal Horticultural as ‘Perfect for pollinators’. WT
Blue aquilegia, Aquilegia vulgaris. Common names: Granny’s Bonnet or Columbine. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals are said to resemble an eagle’s claw. The common name “columbine” comes from the Latin for “dove”, due to the resemblance of the inverted flower to five doves clustered together. […]
Bluebell, Hyacinthoides x massartiana. The hybrid bluebell shares characteristics with both the Spanish and native bluebell, which can make it difficult to identify. WT
Borage, Borago officinalis. Flowers are normally blue but some pink examples can be found. The flowering season tends to be quite long from June to September. Can be confused with Green alkanet (also edible) but Borage flowers have pointed point tips at the end of each petal. WT
Bramble, Rubus fruticosus. Brambles are thorny plants of the genus Rubus, in the rose family (Rosaceae) hence the rose like flower. Brambles are important food plants for the larvae of many species of butterfly and moth and also for birds. Bramble spread is controlled to ensure this plant doesn’t swamp other vegetation. WT
Bristly oxtongue, Helminthotheca echioides. Flower is not unlike a dandelion but it’s the upstanding bristly nature of the plant, each bristle arising from a pimple, which helps identify it and makes it clear it really isn’t a dandelion! Leaves elliptical to oblong, wavy edged, pimply and bristly with winged stalks, upper leaves un-stalked and clasping the stem.
Buddleja, Buddleja davidii. This extremely successful shrub (sometimes referred to as the butterfly bush) is frequently seen beside railway lines, but has the ability to self seed and establish with no difficulty on brick structures such as bridges where its roots break up masonry over a quite short period of time. It is very popular with bees, butterflies, moths and […]
