Through Our French Window Gordon James
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©Gordon James ©Gordon Through our French window Gordon James Fig. 1 Asphodelus ramosus n 2014 I wrote an article above the hamlet of Le attention – systematically I for this journal about Clapier where we have a perhaps, dealing with the the orchids that grow on small house, and covers an Ranunculaceae family first, and around a limestone area of perhaps 25km2 lying but that could prove a little plateau in Southern France 750–850m above sea level dull; or perhaps according to called the Plateau du which, together with the season. In the end I decided Guilhaumard, which is surrounding countryside, simply to pick out some of situated on the southern supports an extraordinarily our favourites. With a few edge of the great Causse rich range of plants besides exceptions all the plants du Larzac, a limestone orchids. mentioned in this article karst plateau in the south I wasn’t sure how best can be reached on foot from of the Massif Central. to introduce the plants our house by moderately fit Guilhaumard rises steeply I think deserve special pensioners like us! ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 2 Asphodelus ramosus Fig. 3 Narcissus assoanus 371 ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 4 Narcissus poeticus Fig. 5 Iris lutescens Despite its elevation, I will start with those summers are hot, as the plants which, at least for a Plateau is relatively far moment, carpet the ground toward the South of and foremost amongst these ©Gordon James ©Gordon France, though it can be is Asphodelus ramosus (syn. quite cold and snowy A. cerasiferus) (figs 1 & 2). during the depths of There are problems with winter. Comparing the the naming of this asphodel flora on Guilhaumard as the French floras provide with equivalent limestone a whole host of synonyms, uplands in Britain, such but once these have been as the Burren in Western seen flowering in their tens Ireland or the limestone of thousands across the pavements around Malham open limestone grassland Fig. 6 Iris lutescens in North Yorkshire, there or in light woodland, they are very few plants in cannot be mistaken. They common; there may be flower from late April more in some southern UK throughout May; the flowers chalk communities. are preceded by clumps All the plants mentioned of bright green foliage and ©Gordon James ©Gordon below are native to the followed by clusters of large, region. Though most of spherical pale brown fruits. them will be familiar to While the asphodel is British gardeners, and many doing its stuff, several other are widely grown in our carpeters come into their gardens, only 36% of them own including two species of are recorded as also native Narcissus: N. assoanus (fig. 3) to Britain, and many of which in mid-April covers these are very rare or local. certain hillsides in a carpet Given the cold winters here of yellow, followed in mid- in France they should all be May on different hillsides by Fig. 7 Crocus nudiflorus perfectly hardy. Pheasant’s eye Daffodil, 238 ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 8 Fritillaria pyrenaica Fig. 9 Amelanchier ovalis N. poeticus (fig. 4), with its occur together, the crocus tends to flower earlier, delicate white flowers and distinguished from the often in late March and orange centres. The odd colchicum by its feathered early April; and the darker- plant of the wild daffodil, stigmas. flowering P. rubra, which N. pseudonarcissus, also Among the open peaks towards the middle appears from time to time. limestone grasslands on the to end of April. They In the same areas, you can plateau grow both local both carry very attractive find numerous flowers of species of pasqueflower: seedheads for some time the Crimean iris, I. lutescens Pulsatilla vulgaris, which after flowering. (figs 5 & 6), both blue and yellow forms, together with the white umbels of the star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum umbellatum. In early ©Gordon James ©Gordon October two other bulbous species begin to flower: Colchicum autumnale and the autumn crocus, Crocus nudiflorus (fig. 7), both displaying their leafless flowers across many of the local meadows. The colchicum favours slightly damper places, while the crocus prefers more acid substrata. In some meadows around our village the two Fig. 10 Linum campanulatum 393 ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 11 Linum tenuifolium Fig. 12 Helianthemum apenninum Fig. 13 Aster alpinus Another bulbous species the common dogwood, autumn they glow with red which flowers profusely Cornus sanguinea, is a foliage. There are dozens around the same time is very common shrub right of other species of small Fritillaria pyrenaica (fig. 8), across the region. The trees and shrubs, including which just about reaches Plateau du Guilhaumard Amelanchier ovalis (fig. 9), the northern and eastern was once covered in dense bearing oval leaves a little edges of its French range beech forest until mining like those of a pear tree, here. It differs from our activities further down felted on the underside with own snake’s head fritillary the valley in the 18th and white hairs. In late April and (F. meleagris), in having a 19th centuries led to its throughout May they are shorter and narrower severe deforestation. Now covered in white blossom. bell-shaped flower. the trees and associated Where the massive Our small hamlet shrubs are returning: in magnesium limestones which of Le Clapier is in the May the cornus bushes are make up the backbone of commune of Cornus, an covered in round heads of the plateau have eroded to apt coincidence since creamy flowers and in the form a coarse grey sand, ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 14 Daphne cneorum Fig. 15 Dianthus superbus 440 ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 16 Saponaria ocymoides Fig. 17 Campanula speciosa many smaller plants thrive D. laureola in mid-May bright-pink flowers, can be in the dry open habitats. and D. alpina in June. In seen almost anywhere around Among these are several similar habitats but a little the village and surrounding species of Linum in blues, later in the year are several countryside from late April yellows and whites. The Dianthus species growing through May. blue Linum bienne can be either individually or in small July is the month for found in profusion, while groups. The most interesting the campanulas, which less commonly found are of these goes under the include C. glomerata, C. the yellow L. campanulatum appropriate name of Dianthus persicifolia, C. rapunculoides, (fig. 10) and the white superbus (fig. 15); this small C. rotundifolia, C. trachelium L. tenuifolium (fig. 11) with plant delights with its five and the king of them all, its tiny, prostrate woody deeply cut pale-pink petals. C. speciosa (fig. 17). Admittedly stems. Other plants which Closely related to the this last species isn’t to be enjoy these open habitats dianthus, the rock-hugging found on the plateau, and include Iberis saxatilis and soapwort, Saponaria one must travel 20km to a a range of ground-hugging ocymoides (fig. 16) with its particular cirque or rocky helianthemums, including the white H. apenninum (fig. 12), shown in the photograph growing among the Iberis. Clumps of Aster ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon alpinus (fig. 13) with its blue-purple flowers can be found here throughout May and into June. Also enjoying these sites is the lovely small shrub Daphne cneorum (fig. 14) which is covered in bright- pink flowers during the middle weeks of April, before being joined by Fig. 18 Trifolium stellatum Fig. 19 Tragopogon porrifolius 415 it grows widely and flowers during June. Of the Asteraceae, two species of goat’s beard or tragopogon ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon stand out: T. porrifolius (fig. 19) with deep-purple flowers appearing in May, and yellow T. pratensis, flowering from mid-May into June. Alliums also love these dry limestone uplands, and the first to appear are the round heads of A. sphaerocephalon in late June, followed by Fig. 20 Allium flavum Fig. 21 Allium vineale A. polyanthum with small, tight heads of pink flowers valley on the southern edge (now Fabaceae) and throughout July. Allium of the Larzac, where it Asteraceae could each have flavum (fig. 20), with an open grows in large numbers on a whole book written about head of drooping yellow the steep rocky screes and them, and I’m afraid that flowers and stiff brown bracts, down beside the track that several I have photographed flowers from late July into ascends through the cirque. still remain unidentified. August; A. vineale (fig. 21) This species has the largest However, one member of bears bunches of pink flowers of all; they are clear the former is so striking as flowers streaked with green, blue and appear earlier than to almost identify itself, and appearing out of a head of many other members of the that is Trifolium stellatum brown bulbils and takes us genus, at their best towards (fig. 18), with heads of star- through mid-August; and the end of May. like flowers fringed with A. paniculatum produces The numerous members white hairs, each looking its open heads of pale-pink of the families Papilionaceae out in a different direction; flowers in late August. ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 22 Allium roseum Fig. 23 Adonis flammea 642 ©Gordon James ©Gordon James ©Gordon Fig. 24 Hepatica nobilis Fig. 25 Orchis simia There is one further allium the meadows are covered weeks of March. Here also I cannot possibly leave with a multitude of tiny can be found many of the out: A. roseum (fig. 22) plants, and it was here that later-flowering orchids such decorates many of the we first saw the diminutive as the helleborines.