Village Views continued from previous page


bonfires. Austerity measures have damaged all sorts of community resources like this, up to and includ- ing policing, schools and the NHS but the one thing definitely worth complaining about above all others is bonfires. The other issues may take a gen-


eration to repair but a few hours of inconvenience in a lovely neigh- bourhood is, at worst, a momentary inconvenience. This sort of complaint illustrates the self-absorbed society we have become in recent years, with such petty and unimportant issues becoming worthy of note. If we each took a moment to


remember how lucky we are to live in such a nice place for all the other hours of the year, and contribute rather than complain, even the grumpiest people could try being happy and see if they like it. Bob Moustache, via email


. . . ban antisocial


fires during daytime Dear Editor – I absolutely agree with Roz Miller that garden bonfires are so antisocial. If you have to light one, at least do it after 7pm in sum- mer months. Most of us take full advantage of putting clothes on the line, being able to bring them in smelling lovely and fresh Bonfires should definitely be banned during daytime hours – I actually thought they were? Nicola, via email


. . . at least it makes


a nice picture Dear Editor – What a beautiful bonfire picture Roz Miller has sent you. So atmospheric. Could you give me her contact details – I’d quite like her to do my wedding pictures if she’s not too busy. Name and address supplied


continues overleaf 16 The Village July 2017 Plant mystery solved


Last month, reader Dave Eckley sent in a photo of a ‘mystery plant’, and wondered whether Mary Green, who writes our Village Country Diary, could identify it. Mary replies below:


Dear Dave – The photo of the plant doesn’t show a flower, but I’m guess- ing it’s a head of yellow flowers on a spike. If so, it looks like a plant called


Lamium galeobdolon variegata. I’m afraid it is a garden escape and a very invasive one in woodland. It is related to our own lovely native plant, the yellow archangel, a more delicate yellow flower without the variegation on the leaves, which grows in ancient woodland including Pinfield Wood on the Lickeys and Peck Wood. Despite being a bit of a nuisance, the garden variety is a very pretty plant too! Mary Green


The dandelion detective


Dear Editor – I always look forward to collecting a copy of The Village from Barnt Green Post Office, and the June edition’s front cover was absolutely captivating! It was obvious to me that it was


NOT an “ordinary” dandelion, but what was it? Later in the week, walking between Upper Catshill and Lydiate Ash, I saw one “in the flesh”, and that was the spark to get me searching for the plant’s true identity. Using The Botani-


cal Society of Britain & Ireland’s website and following their “Identify a Plant” section, I came up trumps! I am delighted to have discovered that the plant shown on the front cov- er is Tragopogon pratensis. Com- mon names are Goat’s Beard and Shepherd’s Clock. I enjoy detective work, and I


thought my findings would be of interest to other readers of the magazine. Shepherd’s Clock is an annual or biennial, and has a yellow, daisy-like flower with distinctive narrow bracts at the base of the flower. It only blooms in the early hours of the morning: at midday it closes up again. The seed heads,


when ripe, do look like an over-sized dan- delion head, but they are much more robust than a common dan- delion, and a striking sight with their long brown seeds attached to their “flying hairs”. Next time you are


out walking in the countryside, keep


your eyes peeled for this gem of a wildflower! P.S. The “mystery plant” that


reader Dave Eckley would like to identify is Lamium galeobdelum. Pam Chancellor, Lydiate Ash


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