Survivor from Dinosaur Days Spore producing cones (1a) Spore producing cones (1b) The Common Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) or Scuab eich ghoirt in Irish is about to begin its journey of growing and propagating itself after lying dormant and underground over the winter. Just now its white or pale brown fertile stems are appearing above ground…
April Buttons of Gold Bank of dandelions (1) The Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) or Caisearbhán in Irish is very noticeable now on road verges, waste places, embankments, lawns and banks of canal, stream and river. It flowers from March to October (1).Many people consider it a troublesome weed because it spreads quickly, and its deep tap…
Ovals of Gold Male catkins (Credit E. Ó Murchú) (1) The Goat willow (Salix caprea) or Saileach dubh in Irish is inconspicuous for most of the year. However, in March it displays its male catkins which are covered in golden pollen. These make it stand out in the hedgerows before it fades back into obscurity…
Bud Detectives in March Rowan bud (1) Credit E. Ó Murchú It’s always interesting on March walks to examine different types of buds and identifying the trees they are growing on. Today, we will concentrate on the above three. Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) or Caorthann in Irish has buds that are egg shaped, grey, pointy and…
Shamrock Yellow clover (1a) Scrambling yellow clover on wall (1b) St. Patrick arrived to spread Christianity throughout the island in 432 A.D. and it is said that he used the shamrock as a metaphor for the holy Trinity. But which one? There are five contenders for the title.The word “Shamrock” itself is derived from two…
Primroses Primroses (1) Primrose (Primula vulgaris) or Sabhaircín in Irish is a true harbinger of spring. Its English name derives from the Latin words prima rosa which means “first flower”. It has pale yellow petals and wrinkled dark green leaves (1). There are lines of darker yellow towards the centre of the flower. These are…
Busy Frogs Log pile (1) The Common Frog (Rana temporaria) or Frog in Irish is widespread. Both male and female frogs have recently woken from hibernation in stone walls, under logs, compost heaps, ditches and ponds and are now returning to the ponds or ditches in which they were born (1). Frogs and spawn (2)…
More Catkins by Paddy Madden Male catkins and developing female flowers (1). Credit E Ó Murchú Alder (Alnus glutinosa) or Fearnóg in Irish is displaying its developing reddish, male catkins now as well as its developing female flowers which are green and oval shaped (1) The male catkins will turn yellowish when they are ready…
Lambs’ Tails Male and female hazel catkins Credit E Ó Murchú (1) Hazel (Corylus avellana) or Coll in Irish is displaying its catkins to the wind so that when they open pollen from the dangling, yellow male catkins will fall on the short, stubby female flowers and so start the lengthy process of producing hazel…
Audio version – Snowdrops New potatoes (1) Now is a good time to start chitting first early new potatoes so that they can be harvested in June (1). Chitting potatoes gives them a head start so that they can be planted around St. Patrick’s Day and harvested about 80 days later. Make sure your seed…
What is important is that children have the opportunity to bond with the natural world, to learn to love it, before being asked to heal its wounds
(David Sobel)
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