Oxeye Daisies

This is the moment for Oxeye Daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare). It is their time in the sunlight; their moment of fame. Hundreds of thousands of them adorn roundabouts and roadside verges. Acres of embankments on the way to Weymouth are covered in them. Mile after mile of the route to Bere Regis is white with their blooms. And even in Charlton Down they are making a small appearance, most notably on the slopes around the cricket pitch – but sadly absent so far this year from the nature reserve where there was such a splendid showing last year – maybe they will put in a an appearance later because they can flower anytime from May through to September. They are so suited to the soils around here, and provide not only a beautiful display but also food for countless insects over a prolonged period, that it is tempting to wonder if we could not sow more of them, with other wild flowers, to enjoy nearer to Greenwood House.