New Year Plant Hunt in Bath, 31 December 2024

Leader: Helena Crouch

The weather was thankfully fine as eight members, one guest and a dog assembled on the riverside by Avon Street car park to participate in the New Year Plant Hunt organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. The aim is to record all species found in flower during a three-hour walk.

Amongst shrubs beside the meeting place was a bright flower of Corn Marigold (Glebionis segetum), probably self-sown from the “wildflower” mix planted when the riverside terraces were first constructed. We soon spotted Annual Meadow-grass (Poa annua), Celandine (Ficaria verna), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and White Dead-nettle (Lamium album) as we headed east beside the river: by the time we reached the bus station we had recorded 18 species in flower.

Crossing the footbridge, we continued east along the riverside, adding another ten species, including Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), Primrose (Primula vulgaris) and Annual Mercury (Mercurialis annua). As we reached Bath Deep Lock the thirtieth species, Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), was spotted. We added Hazel (Corylus avellana) with long yellow catkins and Hedgerow Crane’s-bill (Geranium pyrenaicum). Alvan found a patch of Yellow-flowered Strawberry (Potentilla indica) with a single flower, a new record for the 1km square. Meanwhile the leader was busy adding more mundane Shepherd’s-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) and Grey Field-speedwell (Veronica polita) and being reprimanded by a local for picking flowers!

A large patch of Winter Heliotrope (Petasites pyrenaicus) was flowering impressively and as we approached Pultney Gardens we spotted Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), our fortieth flower. Yellow Corydalis (Pseudofumaria lutea) was flowering on a wall by the road and Trailing Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana) was spotted on stonework. Beside the towpath we found Atlantic Ivy (Hedera hibernica) in flower, and a single Bramble. By the footbridge to Sydney Gardens, Sweet Alison (Lobularia maritima) had escaped a garden and was our fiftieth species in flower.

Two large rosettes with long furry grey leaves were a distraction: these were Hungarian Mullein (Verbascum speciosum) first spotted in August by Dave Pole (alas, no flowers!) Further on, precious minutes were spent watching a cute bold Goldcrest, although we did spot Hogweed in flower nearby. Eventually we reached Sydney Gardens, where we stopped the clock and had lunch sitting outside on New Year’s Eve listening to a Song Thrush.

Refreshed, we headed to St Mary’s churchyard where (as last year) we added Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), naturalised Lenten-rose (Helleborus orientalis) and Butcher’s-broom (Ruscus aculeatus), all in flower. From there, we walked through Henrietta Park, then back alongside the river, finding nothing new! A frantic hunt of waste ground by Avon Street car park yielded Scentless Mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum), Hoary Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana) and Tall Melilot (Melilotus altissimus). Our final species was a tall woody Wormwood (Artemisia sp.) on the riverside bank, known here for a few years, as yet unidentified, but crucially flowering! We had seen 62 species in flower; our list was the twentieth longest out of 2091 surveys submitted.

Helena Crouch