Flora
I was introduced to the flora in our area when the children were encouraged to pick as many varieties of wild flowers as possible to win a cup, The Nature Cup, on the last day of term.
The eventual winner picked between 200 and 300 blooms.
Primroses were always picked and bunched by the basketful to decorate church and chapel for the Easter services. How we discourage these practices today.
I always say Pick one flower, to identify it's salient points in your flower book. Try and remember it's particular components, but please only one flower a plant.
Celandine, wood anemone, dog violet, primrose, wild daffodil and the delicate germander speedwell are there to fulfil their role in nature. Even the common hawkweed (whose juice was said to give a hawk keen sight) has it's niche.
The delicate lace of cow parsley lightening the hedges in early Summer, ragged robin and bog asphodel flourishing on our SSI there on the moor. Sundew is rare here but honeysuckle blankets the hedges in early Autumn together with pink and white dog roses.
The red campion is prolific in our hedges as is it's tall companion the foxglove, brightening the hedgerows for a prolonged Summer and Autumn display.