Merton College, Oxford - The Gardens

A recent addition to Merton's tree collection gets our resident Robin's seal of approval! We're all looking forward to watching this Prunus 'Pandora' burst into blossom with masses of pale pink blooms in Spring! 🌸🌳

In flower for the first time at Merton, Frithia pulchra (Fairy Elephant's Feet). Endemic to South Africa but you can find it here, in the Arid beds by Chestnut Lawn.

Flowering along the edges of our lawns on the Holywell campus, are the delicate deep blue flowers of the germander speedwell, 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘺𝘴.

Distinguishable from other similar species of speedwell by its distinctive stems that are covered in tiny hairs along two opposite sides.

Also, we found out today that in the 18th century, the plant was so popular as an ingredient for making tea, that it was almost entirely eradicated from London!

Reinstating a native wetland wildflower in a small brook leading into the River Cherwell. 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘴 - the Marsh Marigold 🌼

Almost mistook this Tortoiseshell buttefly for a leaf on Mob Quad 🦋

A Morel boost for a Friday afternoon - we identified this today on Great Meadow, may there be many more to come!

🪙 You may see a different kind of lucky penny under the Griffin, pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris). Sown last summer, these are an edible flowering plant in the stonecrop family.

Despite the dreary weather spring is knocking on the door. Brighten up your day by looking for the first arrivals of the season, including the delicate blossom of Prunus dulcis, The Sweet Almond Tree. We planted several Almond trees last year in a couple of places within the college, most notably on the Top Terrace overlooking Fellows Garden, where it's delightful flowers will bring spring to the college early, and fingers crossed we will get a harvest of delicious nuts in the Autumn.

Stag beetle larvae love our compost heaps over at Holywell Annexe💚

2 plants that love poor soil with low nutrient content and are flowering at the same time!
1 likes it extremely dry the other needs constant moisture. The Easter lily cactus from the arid landscape of Bolivia and Venus fly trap from swamps on the east side of America.