Not to be confused with its smaller relative, the ‘Ox-eye’ Daisy is our largest native member of the daisy family. At a height of up to 65cm, its large round flower heads sway in even the slightest breeze. The flower is about 5cm in diameter and normally contains around 20 pure white florets (these look like petals) which surround a bright yellow ‘eye’. The ‘eye’ is made up of many tiny flowers that create, the one large yellow disc. The plant produces an abundant number of flat seeds that when released remain viable in the soil for 2-3 years. 

The Common Spotted-Orchid gets this name because it is one of the most widespread of our native orchid species. Orchids are one of the largest plant families in the world, with approximately 25,000 different species. This type alone is said to have 30 different variations of which Kew Gardens have only officially recognised 7 on their Word Checklist of plants. So the Orchid family is big and still growing.

Spring is an amazing time on the Greenway, with new plants appearing every week for us to enjoy. It’s a pleasure to get out there and experience the diversity of wildflowers on our doorstep. Sometimes appearing en masse taking over large areas or hiding in more secluded locations waiting to be discovered, wildflowers live up to their name as you're never really sure what you may find.

BBC Radio Ulster Gardeners Corner visited us in C.S. Lewis Square this week and commented on the large pine trees being used as the backbone of the new planting there. We used a number of different pines to create a bit of Narnia but the versatile and native Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) was one of the first on our planting plan.