Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare) is native to the UK yet is a relative of the towering Tree Echiums (Echium pininana) from the Canary Islands that I wrote about in my last entry. Indeed another colloquial name for E. pininana is Giant Viper's Bugloss.
 Our native Bugloss thrives on chalk grassland and rough ground, particularly in coastal areas- as seen above on this stretch of the South Downs near Beachy Head.

 Viper's Bugloss is a noted bee plant and I often see it in eco-minded gardens these days. I watched this bumblebee (one of many) making it's way round a patch on a neighbouring allotment at the weekend. It grows easily from seed if the conditions are favourable and it's starting to spread round the allotments by self-seeding.
 The giant variety is similarly attractive so its arrival in the UK may well be a boon for the bees.