This is a Syringa vulgaris ‘Sensation’.
Syringa vulgaris alone is the common lilac plant.
I knew the ‘Sensation’ was a lilac from the shape of the four-petal flowers and the shape of the panicle.
A panicle is a botanical term that describes a loosely branched, compound cluster of stalked flowers arranged along a stem.
The flowers at the base are the first to bloom, which is why towards the end of the flowering season you might see only small flowers at the tip still in bloom
Back to the Sensation: When I saw it in the local park, I wasn’t even sure it was real.
The next flower in the park I saw is Rhododendron ponticum.
Believe it or not it is considered an invasive species in the UK.
It is rated as a ‘severe problem’ in parts of Scotland and Wales because it squeezes out native trees.
I am divided over whether I care that it squeezes out the natives. Imagine a hillside covered in rhododendrons in full bloom. We have heather in autumn, and in some years we have red autumn foliage, but it’s not as though the British Isles are blessed with lots of stunning colour in nature.
So hurray for the invasive rhododendron.
Actually, I realise I am sublimating something that I read about recently, which is to dramatically lower the grey squirrel population in England.
The plan is to give the native Red squirrel a chance to repopulate where it has been pushed out by the greys. Greys were brought over from the USA in the late 19th century and early 20th century – and they are just much better at life than the reds.
The Red Squirrel Survival Trust (patron King Charles) aims to eliminate or drastically reduce Britain’s invasive grey squirrel population in order to protect native red squirrels. The plan is to shoot some, feed contraceptives to some, and trap some.
But note this: The fact is that if you were to ask almost anyone what non-domesticated wild animal they are likely to see, they will say the grey squirrel. Some people see deer, foxes, and badgers, but the chances of people in any of the cities seeing any of those are far less than the chance of seeing a squirrel.
Every park has grey squirrels, and we all stop and look because they are heartwarming.
Imagine if they were all gone.
There are just 40,000 Red squirrels in England – in Dorset and the Lake District, with more in Scotland and Wales.
Even if it is possible to eradicate greys, how many years would it take to fill up the space that greys occupy?
And meanwhile – no animals.
I was thinking of a simple poll asking people if they would like to see most grey squirrels killed, or not.
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