The cold wet weather this summer has been bad for a lot of plants as well as animals. But some meadow flowers seem to have thrived. One such is yellow rattle. There has been a fine crop alongside clovers and grasses in the Barley Field in the Smestow Valley LNR.
The “rattle” part of the name comes from the seed-bearing stage later in the year. The actual seeds are held loosely in seed cases. As they ripen, the plant can be shaken to make a noise like a baby’s rattle.
