Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles

On Saturday we went to hear Chris Marsh talk about polytunnels and show off his, as we are planning on getting a small one later in the year. 

At the top of the shore near Achnacloich there was an area where garden rubbish has been dumped which contained various garden plants growing strongly – Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) which was recorded from the area 30 and 27 years ago, so what one might call well established, daffodils, montbretia and a Sedum that will have to wait until later in the year for me to identify.  On the road back towards Sabhal Mòr Ostaig I spotted some Prunus whose fruit I would like to see later.  Could be damson/bullace – a spiny tree with the flowers and fruit out together.

After that to Portree to hear the Skye & Lochalsh Orchestra give the first of two Spring concerts. Overnight in the camper van.  Near where we parked was a long burnt-out house and by the road was a mature specimen of Leyland Cypress (X Cuprocyparis leylandii) – not frequent in this part  of the world.

On Sunday we went to Floddigarry for lunch which was excellent.  Before leaving the Portree area I spotted some Oil-seed Rape (Brassica napus subsp. oleifera) growing out of imported soil – it is not grown around here.  Slightly better was some Thale Cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) which is best classified as occasional on Skye.

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