Walney Island Flora

[shelagh]

Brian and I had a lovely time on Walney Island on Tuesday.  We had been hoping to see the Walney Island geranium but unfortunately we didn't find it, however I thought you might like to see what we did see.

I have done my identification using Keble Martin and a couple of other wild flower books. I'm not brilliant on identification so if anyone knows any better I'm always glad to learn.

[shelagh]

Just a few more.

[shelagh]

Oh and this one got lost, I think it was moved by the ants that swarmed all over me whilst I was photographing it.

[Carlo]

Ok...I give...where's Walney Island...

...and why aren't we all growing Honkenya?

[Carlo]

Yes, I know..."google it" you're all saying. (but it does save time if our geographic references--especially unusual ones--are set in context the first go-around).

BUT, I still need an answer to the second question. The Honkenya looks pretty nice, so why haven't we (I) heard of it?

[Maggi Young]

Walney Island is a large island of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve, off the Cumbrian coast of North West England.
We're not all growing Honkenya because, like many seaside plants, like Mertensia maritima, it much prefers life on the strand to life in a garden! It is a super plant, though, it would be nice to grow it!
See here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/monthfeature/may2004/content.html

[Lesley Cox]

Lovely pictures Shelagh, and beautiful plants. I like that beach - hardly a square inch left to lay down one's towel.

I specially like the eryngium and the crambe. At least I am growing the latter, one of my favourite things.

[JohnnyD]

What a surprise!
We used to live in Ulverston and visited Walney regularly - before our interest in alpines.
One thing missing though - where is the pub and how was it!
Nice pics Shelagh.

[Katherine J]

I specially like the eryngium and the crambe.

Just what I wanted to say. That Eryngium is beautiful!

[shelagh]

Since it was an AFD (alcohol free day) and we are pensioners not a working fella like yourself John it was a cheap day out and we ate our butties (sandwiches) and enjoyed the wonderful views.

[JohnnyD]

I didn't realise that alcohol free days had acquired their own acronym.
Surely such an alien concept should have been strangled at birth!

[Lesley Cox]

I have to agree with Johnny. In fact, I have to ask, what's an alcohol free day?

[Anthony Darby]

Coming back from Carbisdale Castle down the A9 I had to stop at layby 161 as there is a section of road that surely must have been made using beach sand? It has a lovely colony of Thrift (Armeria maritima) AND Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima). It is nowhere near the sea!