Flora in Dorothy Wordsworth's Grasmere Journal
Dorothy make the following observations about flora in her journal in the months of September:
asters Aster tripolium— Dorothy makes these observation at Gallow Hill on 24 September 1802. They had arrived there on their return trip from France, and were awaiting the wedding of her brother William and May. Dorothy, Although not feeling well, having caught a cold on the trip from London, recounts meeting Mary and the family and getting dressed for tea. Her first observation is of the garden: “—the garden looked gay with asters & sweet peas—I looked at everything with tranquility & happiness but I was ill on Saturday & Sunday & continued to be poorly most of the time of our stay.”
brambles Rubus fruticosus— On 01 September 1800, Dorothy notes, “After dinner Coleridge discovered a rock seat in the orchard, cleared away the brambles.”
corn (most likely barley Hordeum brachyantherum or oats Avena sativa)—Dorothy notes on 04 September 1800: “we walked into the Black Quarter. The patches of corn very interesting.”
fern of the mountains Pteridium aquilinum—On 12 September 1800, walking in the Fir-grove and sitting in the orchard, Dorothy notices that “The Fern of the mountain now spreads yellow veins among the trees.”
fir-grove Pinus sylvestria—On 9 September 1800, Dorothy says that “John & I went to the B quarter, before supper went to seek a horse at Dawson—fir grove—After supper talked of Wms Poems.”
fir-grove Pinus sylvestria—The fir grove. later called “John’s Wood,” was one of the Wordsworths’ favorite places to walk. On 12 September 1800, Dorothy notes “Walked to the Fir-grove before dinner—”
pear tree Pyrus communis—Dorothy remembers on 14 September 1800 that she “read Boswell in the house in the morning & after dinner under the bright yellow leaves of the orchard—the pear trees a bright yellow.”
sweet peas Lathyrus odoratus—On 24 September 1802, returning from France and London, Dorothy notices “—the garden [at Gallow Hill] looked gay with asters & sweet peas—I looked at everything with tranquility & happiness”
apple tree Pyrus malus— Dorothy describes 14 September 1800 thus: “Made bread—a sore thumb from a cut—a lovely day—read Boswell in the house in the morning & after dinner under the bright yellow leaves of the orchard—the pear trees a bright yellow, the apple trees green still, a sweet lovely afternoon.”
