Near Louveciennes by Alfred Sisley

Under the Essinge elevated highway in the Stockholm suburb of Gröndal. I think these kinds of places are interesting since they seem to be hard to fit in to, and make use of, in the general city plan. Usually this spot have traces and leftovers from work within the informal economy. The viaduct itself is a part of European route E4 and E20

Plant of the day - Ramsons (Allium ursinum)

First of all well done to Al Fagan for guessing today’s POTD right! Another member of the lily family, ramsons or wild garlic is a common species throughout Europe, found on moist soils in deciduous woodland.

Stems grow to 50cm and are 2-angled.

An individual plant usually has 2-3 narrowly ovate, basal leaves, that grow to between 10-25 cm long, and 4-7 cm broad.

Flowers are white and clustered in an umbel, with 6-20 individual flowers measuring 7-12 mm across.

Similar species:

Field garlic (Allium oleraceum)

Keeled garlic (Allium carinatum)

Plant of the day - Ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata)

Well done to chrishogarth for guessing today’s plant correctly! Ribwort plantain is a member of, well, the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), a group that all have small unremarkable flowers with 4 petals and four sepals.

Ribwort plantain is a perennial. Its leaves grow to 10-15cm and are narrowly ovate-lanceolate.

Flower stalks can grow to 45cm.

This species is usually found on meadows, pasture land, grass heaths, verges, maritime and dune grasslands and cliffs <790m and is common throughout the British Isles and all of Europe except the extreme north.

Similar species:

Greater plantain (Plantago major)

Hoary plantain (Plantago media)

Plant of the day - Herb-Robert (Geranium robertianum) 

Well dome to chrishogarth for getting this one right! Part of the Geranium family (Geraniaceae), Herb-Robert is a pubescent annual or biennial, that grows to 50cm. It has often got a red tinge to it’s stems and leaves.

Leaves are dark green

Flowers are pink/purple, like most other geraniums, the erect sepals and petals growing to 9-14mm long, and orange or purple anthers.

It’s found in woodlands, hedge banks, scree, limestone pavement. old walls and coastal shingles, avoiding acidic soils. Common throughout the British Isles and Europe, except the extreme north.

Similar species:

Little-Robin (Geranium purpureum)

A chance encounter this one. Out filming with my friend Phil, we heard what sounded like a blackbird but sped up. It turned out the be a Blackcap, which I have never seen before.