I’m setting a little challenge today: how many of these buds can you identify? My selection contains hairy buds, arching, clustered, leafy, capped and felted ones. (I’m having to write more text than I want to here so that WordPress doesn’t ‘helpfully’ include the answers in the preview in The Reader. I think that should do it!)
I’m adding in a budless picture for those who don’t like flowers but unaccountably made their way down to here (and to further conceal the answers from everyone else).
For more lichen pictures, click here, or if you’re impatient for the answers, read on…
Answers
Bud A: Borago officinalis (Borage; Starflower)
Bud B: Papaver rhoeas (Corn poppy)
Bud C: Rosa rugosa (Rose)
Bud D: Gossypium (Cotton Plant)
Bud E: Symphytum officinale (Comfrey)
Bud F: Verbascum, possibly V. bombyciferum (Giant Silver Mullein)
Bud G: Senecio ‘Angel Wings’
Add up your score, giving yourself 1 point for each correct answer. It’s not an end of term test, so I’m not fussed whether you know the plant by its botanical name or the common name, or if you use a different folk name than the ones I’ve listed. You can even give yourself a point for knowing the plant but temporarily forgetting its name if you like.
0: Oh dear. Either I’ve made this too hard or you wouldn’t notice a bud if it pecked you on the leg.
1-3: Budding talent
4-6: Bud-tastic
7: Never mind buds – you’re in full flower!
8 or more: Hang on… you can’t count or you cheated.
Susan Rushton 
I got 4. I’m being well schooled 🙂 You score 7 for the pics
Buds are as decorative as flowers in their way, just smaller and greener, so easy to overlook in the anticipation of what’s next. You could do a great quiz from your garden.
🙂
Great photos – poppy buds are my favorite.
I like the way they hang and how they open, the silky, ruffled petals breaking through and showing a flash of their colour.
Very fun! I particularly like E, but it’s fun to get a different perspective on all of these plants.
There’s something shell-like about those.