I'VE been meaning to write a quick piece about the amazing profusion of oxeye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) along our roadsides, and in some of field margins, this year; the abundance of flowers seems to have surpassed any that I can remember.
As Councils and the Highways Authority now limit the use of weed-killer to manage verges, these, and other "weed"s species, have been able to thrive. They favour areas where the grass is not too thick, such on newer roads or steep banks. However it is annoying that some Councils still find it necessary to cut strips of grassland along our roads in the middle of summer, when the flowers are most profuse and the insects that feed our wildlife are most abundant. Apart from where there is a road safety issue this is unfortunate, to put it mildly.
I took there pictures locally on a small common, rather than on a verge:
I've seen so many great clumps of these daisies on the verges this year too, and it really brightens up a journey, to see them, but also to know that it is a good sign for wildlife!
ReplyDeletei adore these daisies...always have done and now that they are in such profusion..well it's just magic!
ReplyDeleteI love it when people notice and comment on the commonplace in the natural world; it's so easy to slip into the trap of only looking for the rare or unusual. I think it's just a good year for daisies, there seem to be wonderful shows on field margins too. Suspect other plants are struggling because of low rainfall so not competing.
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