Smyrnium perfoliatum is proving to be one of the highlights of the garden this spring. All the more so since I thought my attempts to establish it several years ago had ended in failure. [see entry dated 24th. April]

 Then suddenly it reappeared. A few weeks ago I noticed one poking through, then another and now there are five. The colour of the flowers and upper leaves is extraordinary- somewhere between lime green and lemon yellow. The first shard of morning sun makes them look radioactive. They're the brightest thing in the garden all day and take on an eerie translucent glow at twilight.

 S. perfoliatum is a plant of the woodland edge in southern Europe as far east as the Crimea. And in this case South London as far east as New Cross Gate.