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 photo, if you're feeling scrupulous; but that makes it even harder, ruling out any flowers you might spot when a photo isn't practical (e.g. while driving). 

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 unless by 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; but 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 in reserve 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 Dead-nettle are pretty reliable. Chickweed, Shepherd's Purse, Common Mouse-ear, Hairy Bittercress, Spring Whitlow-grass. The various American fleabanes (if you can tell one from another, which I can't). Ivy, Bush Vetch, Oxford Ragwort, Ox-eye Daisy, Tansy, Sun Spurge and Climbing Corydalis can all be seen in December. Unseasonal Hogweed or Yarrow may suddenly show on a verge. Speedwells such as Common Field and Ivy-leafed 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, even in December if it's mild. You may feel like bending the rules to accommodate garden escapes like very late Red Valerian in December, Perennial Wallflower, Lesser Periwinkle, or very early primroses in Jan....

Grasses can be helpful during midwinter too. Annual Meadow-grass seems to flower all year. Other grasses may show flower-heads in December, too, e.g. Cock's-foot, Common Couch, Californian Brome, Hungarian Brome (though the latter isn't a very common species). You may not wish to be too pedantic about whether these grass flower-heads are actually flowering..!

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; cities (warmer than the surrounding countryside); busy roads (ditto). 

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!

Cave Hawkweed. Frome, 24 December 2025.

Herb Bennet. Frome, 26 December 2025.

Bush Vetch. Frome, 26 December 2025.