Summer Flowers
There are so many wild flowers to be found in the Summer that it is impossible not to notice them. Here are just a very few of the fairly common flowers that can be found around Bexhill in the warmest months.
Large Bindweed
This and the smaller Hedge Bindweed are climbers often found in hedges. They sometimes have several insects inside the bell-shaped flower.
Field Bindweed
Smaller than the other bindweeds, Field Bindweed is sometimes found on grassland or along the shingle.
Tufted Vetch
One of several common plants of the vetch family, this one can be recognised by the blue or purple flowers that hang in bunches.
Scarlet Pimpernel
The orange-red petals with a dark red centre, of this low growing plant tend to open up best in bright sunshine.
Speedwell
There are lots of common varieties of Speedwell, but all have a creeping habit and four blue petals with a white centre.
Silverweed
The silvery leaves of this common ground cover plant are quite distinctive and the flowers are a bright yellow.
Teasel
Teasels grow on damp heavy soil and although the seed heads can be seen all year the flowers only appear in July and August.
Ragwort
This poisonous plant is common on grassland and is a favourite foodplant of the brightly coloured caterpillars of the Cinnabar moth.
Bramble
This scrambler is a common hedgerow plant. It is easily recognised by its fruit, the blackberry, which is popular with birds, insects and us.
Bird's-foot-trefoil
The flowers often start off red but turn yellow as they age. The plant gets its name from the slender seed pods that splay out like a bird's foot as they ripen.
White Clover
A very common low-growing plant, there is also an equally common Red Clover. Both have trifoliate leave, usually with a white mark on each.
Honeysuckle
This woody climber has distinctive flowers and, later, clusters of red berries. The yellowish flowers sometimes have a pinkish tinge but there are many cultivated variations.
Red Dead-nettle
This very common spreading plant has distinctive flowers and the top leaves usually have a purple tinge.
Cow Parsley
The most commonly seen of the umbellifers, it can be identified by its feathery leaves.
Wood Avens
This hairy hedgerow plant develops very distinctive fruits which are bur-like with red hooked spines.
Common Sorrel
A very common plant of grassy habitats. The tiny reddish flowers turn a darker red as the fruits develop.
Cut-leaved Crane's-bill
One of the more often found Crane's-bill species, this one is identified by its leaves.