Biodiversity | Murtagh's Meadow

August already! And for this week’s six a slight deviation. Instead of my garden, I thought I’d share some of the lovely native flowers along our bog road, which is a small track just at the end of our own drive.

First one of my favourite late summer flowers – perennial sowthistles. It has been described to me as an Irish sunflower and it certainly fits that description well, as they can be over 1m tall.

2. Mint, Mentha aquatica – one of my favourite smells

3. Next Purple-loosestrife, while native to Ireland this plant has become an invasive species in North America.

4. Greater willowherb , while it can take over does have a pretty flower.

5. Woundwort, as it’s names suggest was used as a herbal medicine to treat wounds. It is thought to have wound healing and antiseptic qualities.

6. And finally common knapweed, a late flowering summer plant loved by bees . Like woundwort it was also use medicinally to treat wounds, bruises, sores, and sore throats.