Things you might not know

• In the Language of Flowers Red Campion symbolises gentleness.
• The first part of Red Campion’s scientific name – Silene – comes from the Greek woodland God Silenus. He is often depicted as drunk and was the tutor of the God of Wine, Dionysus. Why? Silenus was often covered in sticky foam (his name comes from sialon, the Greek word for “saliva”). Female Red Campion flowers also produce a froth that helps catch pollen from visiting insects.
• Red Campion is also known as Bachelors’ buttons which suggests it was once worn as a buttonhole by young, unmarried men. Other local names include Johnny Woods, Ragged Jack and Scalded Apples.
• The flowers of Red Campion open during daylight to attract the butterflies and bees.

Things you might not know

• At night the blooms produce a clovey scent, attracting many feeding moths.
• White campion was one of the ingredients in 16th Century Elizabethan pot pourri.
• The root has been used as a soap substitute for washing clothes, hair etc.
• It is thought to have been introduced to the country by neolithic farmers and remains of it have been found on neolithic and bronze age sites.

How’s it doing?

Garlic Mustard is still very common throughout the UK and is therefore of least concern.

Things you might not know

• The seeds of Garlic Mustard have been taken like snuff to cause sneezing.
• Garlic Mustard is a food source for the caterpillars of the orange tip butterfly.
• Country people at one time used the plant in sauces, with bread and butter, salted meat and with lettuce in salads. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was used as a flavouring in sauces for fish and lamb.

How’s it doing?

Basil Thyme is unfortunately in decline because of more efficient methods of weed control almost causing its complete extinction in arable habitat. Basil Thyme is only present on less intensively used arable land and in chalk and limestone grassland. Threats to grassland populations include the lack of bare ground which is required by this species to aid seed germination. In Ireland, sand and gravel extraction are the main causes of decline.

It is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ and is included as a species “of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity” under Sections 41 (England) and 42 (Wales) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Basil Thyme is also noted on the Scottish biodiversity list of species of principal importance for biodiversity conservation in The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

Things you might not know

• Historically, Colt’s-foot has been used as a remedy for coughs and colds and Colt’s-foot preparations have long been used to soothe sore throats. In fact, it is sometimes called ‘Coughwort’.
• Other vernacular names for Colt’s-foot include Disherlagie, Dishylaggie, Tushies and Cleats. The Scottish ‘Tushylucky’ and its variants come from the Latin tussilago, related to tussis, a cough.
• Colt’s-foot also goes by another common name: Baccy plant. This is because it is considered a good substitute for tobacco!
• The dry felt on the leaves of Colt’s-foot smoulder well and so it has also been used as tinder.

Did you know?

• Also known as ‘Mother’s Heart’, this refers to an ancient game played in both England and Germany in which one child asks another to pick one of the seedpods. Upon breaking it, the child is then told they have broken their mother’s heart.
• Local names include Bad Man’s Oatmeal (Durham); Blindweed (Yorkshire), Lady’s Purses (East Anglia), Poor Man’s Purse (Somerset).
• It has been used in homeopathy to treat gall bladder and kidney problems.
• It is considered an antiscorbutic, meaning it prevents scurvy.
• In China, the leaves are eaten, taste similar to cabbage but with a spicy, peppery flavour.
• It can be used as a herbal tea and is known for its anti-bleeding properties.