A Glimpse of the Mersey Valley 50 Years Ago - Hilda Broady's Journal

28th July 1959

As a great amount of rain had fallen in the last two days we paid a visit to the plot. There was quite a cool breeze, but as the sun came out it became warmer.
The ground was very wet and much of the grass beaten down. The bottom stream had filled up with water and many insects were flying about. We took specimens of pond skaters, a fly, as yet unidentified, a spider, and this time a bee.

The hawthorn now has green fruits showing. Also the bittersweet is beginning to fruit – bright red berries and flowers appearing on the same stem. The willow herb was flowering only at the top of the stem now, the long thin, purple fruits appearing down the stems.
The fruits of the bramble appear some green, some red, and some quite ripe, a dark purple, almost black.

Several oak seedlings were growing among the tall grass. Silverweed [Potentilla anserina – Ed.] was growing at the side of the path. Common hemp nettle [Galeopsis tetrahit – Ed.] was growing near the stream. Two other plants were growing near the stream, which are not yet in flower, and which I cannot yet identify. The ground everywhere was softer and the earth browner since the rain.

Posted by Dave Bishop, 28th July 2009