The Sunday afternoon was overcast with a pleasant temperature in which to look for and identify wildflowers.  The area around the Causeway meeting point was cleared earlier this year and is now beginning to grow up well.  A good number of wildflowers were identified here, including Dittander (which we believe is not found anywhere else in Hertfordshire – but we stand to be corrected). 

We continued along the Causeway towards the entrance to Stockers Lake (near Fort Drew) where, among other wildflowers, we found Orange Balsam and Common Valerian.  Our walk continued into Cattle Meadows 2 and 1 (where we found Red Bartsia, Meadow Cranesbill and Angelica to name a few) and then along the path towards the weir.  This path has recently been strimmed on both sides (together with the areas of bank along the River Colne and Stockers Lake where angling takes place) and therefore very few wildflowers could be identified in these places. We did see Marsh Woundwort, Broad-leaved Helleborine and Water Figwort among others which can be found in the full list which follows. 

Our walk took us through the Fisherman’s Car Park – which again had been heavily strimmed back and many of the wildflowers we identified here last year could not be seen.  Although we did not stop to see it, a small area of Large Bittercress is growing between the canal and Stockers Lake.   I believe that it used to be quite prevalent in this area but over the years as the Brambles and Nettles have taken over, it has mostly disappeared.

Thanks to Kathi, Marion, Alex, Lynda, Brian, Alan, Pam, Jean and Kate for joining Janet Lowndes (plant identifier) and me on an enjoyable couple of hours. 

Linda Ascroft

Black Bryony

Broad-Leaved Helleborine

Full List of Plants Seen and Identified on the Walk:

• Hedge Mustard

• Dittander

• Cleavers

• Bramble

• Greater Plantain

• Ribwort Plantain

• Nipplewort

• Yellow Flag Iris

• Water mint

• Creeping thistle

• White deadnettle

• Cow Parsley

• Common Sorrel

• Nettle

• Fen (no sting) nettle

• Hogweed

• Creeping Cinquefoil

• Broad leaved dock

• Greater Burdock

• Common Fleabane

• Great Willowherb

• Mugwort

• Yarrow

• White clover

• Creeping buttercup

• Dog Rose

• Forget-me-not

• Herb Robert

• Garlic Mustard

• Dog’s Mercury

• Ground ivy

• Germander Speedwell

• Hedge Woundwort

• Common Valerian

• Gypsywort

• Hemp Agrimony

• Spear Thistle

• Red Clover

• Meadows Crane’s-bill

• Red Bartsia

• Common mouse-ear

• Meadow Buttercup

• Common Ragwort

• Bird’s-foot-trefoil

• Angelica

• Silverweed

• Meadowsweet

• Dove’s-foot’

• Crane’s-bill

• Upright Hedge-parsley

• Wood Avens

• Yellow Water-Lily

• Water Figwort

• Bittersweet

• Common Knapweed

• Marsh Woundwort

• Hemlock Water-dropwort

• Green Alkanet

• Black Horehound

• Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill

• Common Mallow

• Red Campion

• Enchanter’s Nightshade

• Colt’s-foot

• Traveller’s Joy (Old Man’s Beard)

• Stinking Iris

• Lesser Stitchwort

• Water Dock

• Pineapple Weed

• Tufted Vetch

• Ivy

• Orange Balsam

• Hedge Bindweed

• Elder

• Dandelion

• Broad-leaved Helleborine

• Bulrush

• Square-stalked St John’s-wort

• Knotgrass

• Black Bryony

• Daisy

• Common Comfrey

• Water Chickweed

• Goat’s-beard

• Hop

• Ground elder

• Purple Loosestrife

• Rosebay Willowherb

• Cuckoo Pint

• Meadow Vetchling

• Unbranched Bur-reed

• Foxglove

• Rough Hawk’s beard