Dorothy's Observations for June

Dorothy Wordsworth made seventy-five observations during the month June. Like May, June must have been a wonderful time for observing flora in Grasmere. I have traveled with Dorothy for twelve months now, gathering moss in Easedale, walking in John's Wood on moonlit nights, working in her garden, and gathering plants from her neighbors and the surrounding hills and valleys. As William Wordsworth prepared to leave Grasmere for a trip abroad, he pens these words in "Farewell, thou little Nook of mountain ground" —

And, O most constant and most fickle place!
That hath a wayward heart, as thou dost shew
To them who look not daily on thy face,
Who being loved in love no bounds dost know,
And say'st when we forsake thee, 'Let them go!'
Thou easy-hearted thing! with thy wild race
Of weeds and flowers till we return be slow
And travel with the year at a soft pace:

I have enjoyed experiencing the "wild race of weeds and flowers" that grow in Grasmere and doing it at such a slow, soft pace through this year. I wonder how Dorothy's observations in 1800, 1801, and 1802 compare to the observations that are made in Grasmere in 2017 and 2018. I hope the guide will prove a useful tool for those who are curious about what scarlet beans and London's pride might be and that these words will provide a constancy to the place in our thoughts. I hope to return to Grasmere in the future, perhaps in May or June of some year, and take some iNaturalist walks with Dorothy among the mountains, lakes, becks, and fields of Grasmere. Here are her observations during the month of June.

gooseberries— [Ribes grossularia] 1 June 1802 “A short note and gooseberries from Coleridge.”

columbine— [Aquilegia vulgaris] 1 June 1802 “The columbine was growing upon the rocks ; here and there a solitary plant, sheltered and shaded by the tufts and bowers of trees. It is a graceful slender creature, a female seeking retirement, and growing freest and most graceful where it is most alone. I observed that the more shaded plants were always the tallest.”

daisies— [Bellis perennis] 1 June 1800 “Molly brought daisies &c which we planted.”

peas— [Pisum sativum] 2 June 1800 “John Fisher stuck the peas, Molly weeded & washed.”

scarlet beans — [Phaseolus coccineus] 2 June 1802 “In the morning we observed that the scarlet beans were drooping- in the leaves in great numbers, owing, we guess, to an insect”

purple fungus — [Alloclavaria purpurea] 2 June 1802 “We went to Frank’s field, crawled up the little glen & planned a seat then went to Mr Olliffs Hollins & sate there—found a beautiful shell-like purple fungus in Frank’s field.

hazel grove— [Corylus avellana] 3 June 1802 “the oak copses are brown as in autumn, with late frost—scattered over with green Trees, Birches or Hazel.”

strawberries — [Fragaria vesca] 3 June 1800 “Mrs Simpsons grandson brought me some gooseberries — I got up & walked with him part of the way home, afterwards went down rambling by the lakeside—got Lockety goldings, strawberries &c, and planted.”

honeysuckle— [Lonicera periclymenum]] 3 June 1802 “There are I do believe a thousand Buds on the honeysuckle tree all small & far from blowing save one that is retired behind the twigs close to the wall & as snug as a Bird’s nest. John’s Rose is very beautiful blended with the honeysuckle.”

gooseberries— [Ribes grossularia] 3 June 1800 “Mrs Simpsons grandson brought me some gooseberries — I got up & walked with him part of the way home, afterwards went down rambling by the lakeside—got Lockety goldings, strawberries &c, and planted.”

rose tree — [Rosa pimpinellfolia] 3 June 1802 “There are I do believe a thousand Buds on the honeysuckle tree all small & far from blowing save one that is retired behind the twigs close to the wall & as snug as a Bird’s nest. John’s Rose is very beautiful blended with the honeysuckle.”

strawberry flower — [Geum rivale] 3 June 1802 “The strawberry flower (Geum) hanging over the brook—all things soft and green.”

ashes— [Fraxinus excelsior] 3 June 1802 “the ashes are coming into full leaf— some of them are injured.”

birches— [Betula pendula] 3 June 1802 “the oak copses are brown as in autumn, with late frost—scattered over with green Trees, Birches or Hazel.”

gooseberries— [Ribes grossularia] 3 June 1800 “Mrs Simpsons grandson brought me some gooseberries — I got up & walked with him part of the way home, afterwards went down rambling by the lakeside—got Lockety goldings, strawberries &c, and planted.”

oak copses— [Quercus robur] 3 June 1802 “the oak copses are brown as in autumn, with late frost—scattered over with green Trees, Birches or Hazel.”

Lockety goldings [Trollius Europeus] 3 June 1800 “Mrs Simpsons grandson brought me some gooseberries — I got up & walked with him part of the way home, afterwards went down rambling by the lakeside—got Lockety goldings, strawberries &c, and planted.”

lemon thyme— [Thymus serpyllum] 4 June 1800 “we went to the waterfall at the head of the valley—it was very interesting in the Twilight. I brought home lemon thyme &several other plant, & planted them by moonlight.”

gowans— [Bellis perennis] 5 June 1802 “The Gowans were flourishing along the Banks of the stream.”

wild thyme— [Thymus praecox britannicus] 5 June 1800 “I rambled on the hill above the house gathered wild thyme & took up roots of wild Columbine.”

columbine— [Aquilegia vulgaris] 5 June 1800 “I rambled on the hill above the house gathered wild thyme & took up roots of wild Columbine.”

gowans— [Bellis perennis] 5 June 1802 “The Gowans were flourishing along the Banks of the stream.”

London pride— [Saxifrag umbrosa] 5 June 1800 “We went again upon the hill, got more plants, set them, & then went to the Blind Mans for London Pride for Miss Simpson.”

moss — [Phylum Bryophyta] 5 June 1800 “The little birds busy making love & pecking the blossoms & bits of moss off the trees, they flutter about & about & third the trees as I lie under them.”

mossy stones — [Phylum Bryophyta] 5 June 1802 “I made both pies & bread, but we first walked into Easedale, & sate under the oak trees upon the mossy stones.”

oak tree— [Quercus robur] 5 June 1802 ““I made both pies & bread, but we first walked into Easedale, & sate under the oak trees upon the mossy stones.”

foxglove— [Digitalis purpurea] 6 June 1800 “Foxgloves just coming into blossom.”

orchises— [Orchis purpurea] 7 June 1800 “We went up the hill to gather sods & plants & went down to the lake side & took up orchises &c”

gooseberries— [Ribes grossularia] 7 June 1802 “I walked up to Mr Simpsons to gather gooseberries—it was a very fine afternoon—little Tommy came down with me, ate gooseberry pudding & drank tea with me.”

roses — [Rosa arvensis; Rosa canina] 8 June 1802 “Roses of various sorts are out.”

brooms— [Cytisus scoparius] 8 June 1802 “The brooms were in full glory everywhere, "veins of gold" among the copses.”

hawthorn— [Crataegus monogyna] 8 June 1802 “The hawthorns in the valley fading away ; beautiful upon the hills.”

laburnum— [Laburnum anagyroides] 8 June 1802 “The laburnums blossom freely at the island, and in the shrubberies on the shore ; they are blighted everywhere else.”

hawthorn— [Crataegus oxyacantha] 9 June 1802 “The hawthorns on the mountain sides like orchards in blossom.”

broccoli — [Brassica oleracea] 9 June 1800 “In the evening I stuck peas, watered the garden & planted Broccoli.”

bull pipes— [Equisetales] 9 June 1800 “The Reeds & Bullrushes or Bullpipes of a tender soft green making a plain whose surface moved with the wind. The reeds are not yet tall.”

bulrushes—[Typha latifolia] 9 June 1800 ““The Reeds & Bullrushes or Bullpipes of a tender soft green making a plain whose surface moved with the wind. The reeds are not yet tall.”

winter cherry tree — [Solanum pseudocapsicum] 9 June 1800 “In the morning W [William] cut down the winter cherry tree. I sowed French beans & weeded.”

reeds — [Phragmites communis] 9 June 1800 “The Reeds & Bullrushes or Bullpipes of a tender soft green making a plain whose surface moved with the wind. The reeds are not yet tall.”

French beans— [Phaseolus vulgaris] 9 June 1800 “In the morning W [William] cut down the winter cherry tree I sowed French beans & weeded.”

rhubarb— [Rheum rhabarbarum] 9 June 1902 “The hwatorns on the mountainsides like orchards in blossom. Brought some rhubarb down.

peas— [Pisum sativum] 9 June 1800 “In the evening I stuck peas, watered the garden & planted Brocoli”

peas— [Pisum sativum] 10 June 1800 “Wm stuck peas”

laurel leaves— [Daphne laureola] 10 June 1800 “the younger whose hat was only a rimless crown, had stuck it round with laurel leaves.”

mountain ash— [Pyrus aucuparia] 10 June 1802 “Coleridge came in with a sack full of books, etc., and a branch of mountain ash.”

peas— [Pisum sativum] 11 June 1800 “Molly stuck the peas. I weeded a little. Did not walk”

peas— [Pisum sativum] 11 June 1800 “I sowed Kindey-beans & spinach, a cold evening. Molly stuck the peas. I weeded a little. Did not walk.”

white hawthorn [Crataegus oxyacantha] 11 June 1800 “We landed upon the Island where I saw the whitest Hawthorn I have seen this year, the generality of hawthorns are bloomless — I saw wild roses in the hedges.”

spinach — [Spinacia oleracea] 11 June 1800 “I sowed Kindey-beans & spinach, a cold evening. Molly stuck the peas. I weeded a little. Did not walk.”

wild roses — [Rosa canina] 11 June 1800 “We landed upon the Island where I saw the whitest Hawthorn I have seen this year, the generality of hawthorns are bloomless — I saw wild roses in the hedges.”

kidney beans— [Phaseolus vulgaris] 11 June 1800 “I sowed Kidney-beans & spinach, a cold evening. Molly stuck the peas. I weeded a little. Did not walk.”

fir grove— [Pinus sylvestria] 13 June 1802 “William observed that the full moon, above a dark fir grove, is a fine image of the descent of a superior being.”

fir grove— [Pinus sylvestria] 14 June 1802 “walked a little in the fir grove.”

fir grove— [Pinus sylvestria] 15 June 1800 “walked behind the fir grove & returned to dinner.”

hazel grove— [Corylus avellana]16 June 1802 We sate near the old wall, which fenced a hazel grove, which William said was exactly like the filbert grove at Middleham. It is a beautiful spot, a sloping or rather steep piece of ground, with hazels growing " tall and erect" in clumps at distances, almost seeming regular, as if they had been planted.”

Gale— [Myrica gale] 16 June 1800 “The valley all perfumed with the Gale and wild thyme.”

primrose— [Primula vulgaris] 16 June 1800 “Met John on our return home at about 10 o clock. Saw a primrose in blossom

honeysuckle— [Lonicera periclymenum] 16 June 1800 “I have seen no honey-suckles yet except our own one nestling”

apple tree— [Pyrus malus] 16 June 1802 “William told me that very morning a Bird had perched upon his leg—he had been lying very still & had watched this little creature. It had come under the bench where he was sitting & then flew up to his leg He thoughtlessly stirred himself to look further at it & it flew on to the apple tree above him. It was a little young creature that had just left its nest, equally unacquainted with man, and unaccustomed to struggle against the storms and winds. While he was upon the apple tree the wind blew about the stiff boughs & the Bird seemed bemazed & not strong enough to strive with it.”

wild thyme— [Thymus praecox britannicus] 16 June 1800 “The valley all perfumed with the Gale and wild thyme.”

yellow broom — [Cytisus scoparius] 16 June 1800 “The woods about the waterfall veined with rich yellow Broom.”

yellow honeysuckle— [Lonicera periclymenum] 16 June 1802 “I have seen no honeysuckles yet except our own tree nestling & a tree of the yellow kind at Mts. Townley's the day I went with Ellen to Windermere.”

hawthorn— [Crataegus oxyacantha] 16 June 1802 “The lower hawthorn blossoms passed away, those on the hills are a faint white. The wild guelder-rose is coming out, & the wild roses.”

wild guelder-rose [Viburnum lantana] 16 June 1802 “The lower hawthorn blossoms passed away, those on the hills are a faint white. The wild guelder-rose is coming out, & the wild roses.”

wild roses— [Rosa canina] 16 June 1802 “The lower hawthorn blossoms passed away, those on the hills are a faint white. The wild guelder-rose is coming out, & the wild roses.”

foxglove— [Digitalis purpurea] 16 June 1802 “Foxgloves are now frequent.”

scarlet beans — [Phaseolus coccineus] 18 June 1802 “He [Luff] saw our garden, was astonished at the scarlet beans, etc. etc, etc.”

fir grove— [Pinus sylvestria] 19 June 1802 Coleridge when he was last here, told us that for man years there being no quaker meeting held at Keswick, a single old quaker woman used to go regularly alone every Sunday, to attend the meeting-house & there used to sit & perform her worship alone, in that beautiful place among those fir
trees, in that spacious vale, under the great mountain Skiddaw!!!

peas— [Pisum sativum] 20 June 1800 “I worked in the garden in the morning. Wm prepared Pea sticks.”

yew tree— [Taxus baccata] 22 June 1800 “I planted a honeysuckle round the yew tree.”

honeysuckle— [Lonicera periclymenum] 22 June 1800 “I planted a honeysuckle round the yew tree.”

mossy rock — [Phylum Bryophyta] 23 June 1800 “When W went down to the water to fish I lay uder the wind my head pillowed upon mossy rock & slept about 10 minutes which relieved my headach.”

sycamore tree — [Acer pseudoplatanus] 23 June 1800 “The view exquisitely beautiful, through a gate & under a sycamore treebeside the first house going into Loughrigg.”

greens— [Eruca sativa] 24 June 1800 “W[William] and I drank tea at Mr Simpsons, brought down Lemon Thyme, greens, &c”

lemon thyme— [Thymus serpyllum] 24 June 1800 ““W[William] and I drank tea at Mr Simpsons, brought down Lemon Thyme, greens, &c.”

foxglove— [Digitalis purpurea] 25 June 1800 “In the evening I went above the house, & gathered flowers which I planted, fox-gloves &c.”

Posted on Ιούνιος 05, 2018 0908 ΜΜ by melindacreech