Wild flower game

Daisy. Frome, 23 January 2024.

Michael Peverett's Year-round Wildflower Solitaire is a game I invented a few years ago. (It could do with a snappier name; actually it never had a name until this moment.) I've never tried playing it, but I often think about it, especially in January.

The object of this hypothetical game is to spot a different wild plant (flowering) on every day of the year. Maybe even take a datestamped pic, if you're feeling scrupulous.

To make it more interesting, and add a sort of life enhancing element, I'm adding the optional rule that you mustn't use motorised transport to go and seek out your daily flower, you can only use your own muscles. You can spot flowers wherever you happen to be (at work, shopping, visiting family, on holiday), but except for walking or pushbike you mustn’t make any trip specifically to find flowers. At least that's the way I would like to play it (if I ever do).

You can begin the game on any day of the year, but whenever you start, the main issue is going to be reserving your go-to wild flower resources to cover the difficult period of, especially, December and January.  (I.e. in the UK; in the Mediterranean the most challenging period would be July-Sept.)

White Deadnettle. Frome, 24 January 2024.

Daisy, for example, should be retained as an ultimate backstop for the worst of winter days, perhaps when there's snow on the ground.

Other plants to keep for these difficult days: Hazel..  you should be able to find lengthened catkins as early as the winter solstice. Gorse of course. Winter heliotrope, there's bound to be some around. Weeds such as smooth sow-thistle often produce a flush of flowering. Dandelion, groundsel. Both red and white deadnettles are pretty reliable. Chickweed, Shepherd's Purse, Common Mouse-ear, Hairy bittercress, Spring Whitlowgrass, annual meadowgrass... Unseasonal hogweed or yarrow may suddenly show on a verge. Speedwells such as Ivy-leafed Speedwell are possibilities. Ivy-leafed Toadflax too. Lesser celandine and snowdrops emerge from mid January. It's not unusual to find a bit of early cherry-plum blossom. You may feel like bending the rules to accommodate garden escapes like very late Red Valerian in December, or very early primulas in Jan....

Lesser Celandine by the river. Frome, 24 January 2024.

Good places to look: exceptionally mild microclimates, such as sheltered riverbanks or the foot of walls; places that are attractive to opportunistic annual weeds (often urban); gardens, which seem to encourage wild plants to flower, both in and out of season.

I think the challenge should be possible in the British Isles, but we're on the limit and it wouldn't be easy. It would definitely be impossible in most of Sweden. But even in Britain it's possibly more fun to plan than actually attempt! 

Daisy. Frome, 23 January 2024.