Settle Wildflowers - Day 4 - Blue

Wildflowers seen in our gardens and exercise walks in Settle and other Craven villages. Photos sent by members of Craven Conservation Group.

Flower 1:

The first of our blue flowers was sent in to Craven Conservation Group by John Perry of Ingleton with the hint:

"The colour of the flower does not appear in the name of the plant"

(Photo by John Perry) 

It is NOT Forget-me-not, nor Borage .

Though it is a member of the Boraginaeae family - which includes forget-me-not and borage 

This link shows the difference between Green Alkanet and Borage

It is a native of SW Europe

It is 

Green Alkanet -
There is a nice article here:
GREEN ALKANET: THAT MYSTERY PLANT, REVEALED

It is a garden escape and spreads, and it is pretty tough. It is not edible (apart from the petals which could be used decoratively)

It is interesting that it has been recorded in nearly every single 10km square in England except the Settle one.



From the BSBI 2020 records
https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/pentaglottis-sempervirens

So have any of you seen it growing wild near Settle - within SD86?

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Flower 2.

We are extending the definition of blue to include.. violet.

This is the commonest violet we have around here is
the Common Dog Violet Viola riviniana and that does grow in virtually every single recording 10km square in Britain.

Common Dog Violet   (Photo by Kay Easton)

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Flower 3:

Slender Speedwell by Judith Allinson

Slender Speedwell Veronica filiformis has (relatively) big blue flowers on very long fine stalks, and tiny leaves. It grows well in lawns. this was in the grass near the path beside the Settle Middle School playing field on the way to the river.                                --------------------------------

For choosing colours I have been attempting to follow the colours of the rainbow


Sat: White

Sun: Yellow

Mon: Green

Click here for  more flowers coming out around Settle