Wild flowers in a Cornish spring

Hundreds of different wild flowers can be found when walking in the countryside in Cornwall in spring. Here are a few of the varieties I have photographed recently. I’m not totally confident about all the names so if you spot a mistake then please do not hesitate to correct me. (Please click on an image for more information)

Heath Dog Violet: Similar to the common Dog Violet this plant is found in damp grassland and heath. The flower is very delicate and pale blue has dark veins on the lower petal.

One of the most pungent smells you will come across is the wild garlic or ransoms, which have broad leaves that are edible and umbels of starry white flowers, but you may also come across the three cornered leek (sometimes called wild onion and officially called Allium triquetrum) which is more delicate, and slender than wild garlic, a more feminine version, with slimmer, angular, less shouty leaves and petite flowers. More like a white bluebell. And often found growing amongst bluebells.

Three cornered leek

Bluebells and wild onion

Ransoms (wild garlic)

Another strong smell as you hike the coastal pathways across the heathland and moors is that of the common gorse. The flowers are scented (variously described as smelling of almonds or coconuts) and are a rich, golden yellow.

Some found in the woodland

Variagated Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel

Alexanders

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

Bluebells

Common Primrose

Greater Stitchwort

And a few found along the coast

Danish scurvy grass

Stonecrop

Sea Campion

Thrift