Take a virtual look at spring wildflowers around Deptford

Spring has arrived, and many wildflowers around Deptford are beginning to wake up! Unfortunately given the circumstances people are not able to go and experience their beauty first hand. Never fear, for we have images from Creekside Discovery Centre and our photo archive. We will be able to take you on a virtual tour of Creekside and Deptford, updating you on what's happening, as well as what to expect in the next few weeks. And remember, you can still enjoy nature safely - take some time to look for under appreciated plants and investigate the wildlife in your locality a little bit more closely! 

Please do always remember if venturing outside to observe the two metre social distancing.

Let's start our tour of Deptford with an appropriately named plant - Spring Beauty! Spring Beauty is a very distinctive plant. It has perfoliate leaves providing a ruff for the flowers. The daffodils are protecting it from the mower. 

Up next - a triplet of the more showy wildflowers currently around Creekside. These ones are attempting to take the spotlight from the myriad tiny flowers trying to do their thing;

Dandelion, Herb Robert, and Oxford Ragwort

Moving on from the show-offs: Annual Wall Rocket is altogether smaller, neater and cuter than its more ubiquitous relative the Perennial Wall Rocket. It flowers earlier as well - here it is on Douglas Way lighting up the dull footpath

It's the Time of Tiny Things right now. Early Forget-me-not is a little gem. I used to associate it with sand dunes but then this millennium it suddenly decided to become more urbane and started turning up in wastelands and lawns. The flowers are about 2mm across.

For our next wildflower we have one with a swashbuckling name - Red Dead Nettle. These pictures were taken only a few days ago. Fortunately spring is not dependent on the global economy. There's a lesson for us somewhere in that. Wildflowers are coming out everywhere. Birds are getting into full song. Londoners coming and going (maybe not as many today as a few days ago, alas).

Alexanders. A millennial. One of a ragtag of wildflowers that have turned up in the wilds of Deptford this century. Glenville Grove was an early site of choice and the population has expanded through the hedge.

Our next flower gives us something to look forward to... Viper's Bugloss should be flowering from June to September according to our favourite flora manual 'The Wildflower Key' by Francis Rose updated by Clare O'Reilly. It's full magnificence is shown in the first picture here. But, the second picture was taken this month and actually, because of our mild winter, Vipers Bugloss has been recorded in flower every week this past winter. A important reminder that plants don't read books!

One last wildflower today... And this one comes with a bonus surprise! Can you spot it?? If you look closely you'll see a butterfly called a Small White. One of a group of butterflies that go under the generic name Cabbage White. The small flower in the background is Whitlow Grass, a tiny member of the cabbage family. 

We hope you enjoyed our virtual tour of Deptford Wildflowers! Be sure to check out our twitter, instagram and facebook pages for more updates. Get snapping on your daily walks and tag us in any wildlife photos you're uploading! 

All the best, 

The Creekside Discovery Team