Aaron’s Rod – Height 30-60cm, flowers Jun-Aug. Likes sunny areas. Food plant of the Mullein Moth.
Agrimony – Height 30-60cm, flowers Jun-Oct. Found in hedge banks, roadsides etc. Seeds loved by finches.
Cowslip – Height up to 10-15cm, flowers Apr-Jun. Found in meadows. The county flower of Surrey. Also called Golden Drops, Bunch of Keys, Lady’s Fingers and Milk Maidens.
Creeping Jenny – Height >5cm, flowers Apr-Aug. A common plant which spreads over pond margins and over water (see small pond).
Dog’s Mercury – Height 10-50cm, flowers Feb-Apr. Likes shady areas.
Dyers Greenweed – Height up to 1.5m, flowers Jun-Aug. Grows in meadows and open woodland. A good bee plant. Yellow and green dyes can be extracted.
Monkey Flower – Height 70cm, flowers Jun-Sep. Found in damp areas like stream banks and gravel beds.
Primrose (Wild) – Height 10-15cm, flowers Feb-May. Pollinated by night insects, a valuable food source for moths. Many varieties have been created, this is the original native plant.
Tansy – Height 30-90cm, flowers Jun-Sep. Likes sunny, dry places. Said to repel flies.
Tutsan – Height 70cm, flowers Jun-Aug. Likes sun or part shade on most soils.
Woad – Height 30-90cm, flowers May-Jul. Leaves were used to make blue dye for wool, fabrics, face paint etc. Was grown around Guildford area as a wool dye. Also known as Glastum and Asp of Jerusalem.
Wood Avens – Height 20-40cm, flowers May-Sep. Also called Herb Bennet. Flowers followed by hairy ‘raspberry’ seed heads. A valuable food source for small mammals.
Yellow Loosestrife – Height up to 1m, flowers Jun-Aug. Prefers damp ground. Fairly vigorous so needs control.
