Jo Parmenter

Tufted Sedge

tufted sedge
Tufted Sedge Carex elata Photo: Jo Parmenter

I went to a bit of fen that was cleared of scrub last year, and the extra light along the ditch edge has resulted in Tufted Sedges flourishing.

Native Wild Daffodil

dafffodil
Wild Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp pseudonarcissus   Photo: Jo Parmenter

Our native daffodil is smaller and less showy than the garden varieties, but still very pretty. The petals are paler than the trumpet, narrow and slightly twisted. The leaves are grey-green, thin, long and flattened.

Native Daphne in Flower

spurge laurel
Spurge-laurel Daphne laureola    Photo: Jo Parmenter

Spurge-laurel is very frequent on the Norfolk-Suffolk claylands, where it is typically spotted lurking on the banks of hedged ditches. This one was in a woodland between Holt and Fakenham in west Norfolk, on chalky clays in a dampish woodland.

Abundant Azolla

water fern
Water Fern Azolla filiculoides   Photo: Jo Parmenter

Water Fern Azolla filiculoides is a pretty unmistakable plant with its feathery floating leaves. In autumn it becomes very obvious when the leaves turn a dull red colour.