Campion




Red Campion, Silene dioica at Compton Verney. Gary Webb

At Compton Verney, and featured on the grounds notice at the moment is a nice pale pink form of campion, which, whilst I'm referring to it as a red campion, is most likely a cross with white campion, silene latifolia. I find it’s a lovely little addition throughout the wilder areas, and it particularly enjoys living across the banks of the Ice House Coppice, near the lakeside where it out competes the grass that is now growing deep and lush. It’s quite a tough, if delicate looking plant that does well amongst the nettles and docks, and would I’d have thought make a lovely border plant.

It came into flower around mid-May, and will be good for a good few weeks yet, then a few weeks more until it is allowed to seed freely. The deeply forked petals are pretty and stand out subtly amongst the greens of the semi-shaded areas. It is known to attract bumblebees, butterflies and moths.

There’s some good basic information  to be found about Campion – just click on BBC Plantfinder
Along with further information on the useful PlantLife website.