Hook Norton's Grape Hyacinths

I took part in the annual count of Muscari neglectum in and around Chadlington by the Wychwood Flora group on Friday   I have not seen the final count yet but my impression was that it was a 'good' year for flowering plants.   Muscari neglectum is the recognised native species of Grape hyacinth, with its distinguishing dark navy to violet black flowers beneath a few sterile blue flowers at the top of the spike,  compared to the royal blue of the garden plant, Muscari armeniacum, an introduction from south eastern Europe.

Muscari neglectum held up against a group of M. armeniacum 

Druce's Flora of Oxfordshire gave several locations for Muscari neglectum in the early 20th century but now I think it is restricted to Chadington.   It is nationally rare.  

Well it also occurs in Hook Norton, and I spotted the plant in a display at the village garden society annual show yesterday (which won first prize in its class).  I went to the garden from which it came and then continued round the village, finding the plant in several gardens and overflowing into verges, not unlike Chadlington.   They are not cultivated in any of the gardens, they are just there, sometimes profusely in amongst grass.   

There are four hotspots in the village, the common thread being that all are in gardens which have been around for at least 100 years - The Bourne and Bourne Lane especially where the houses back on to what used to be allotments, the East End, Park Hill and near the Brewery, where there are also what look like plants intermediate between the two species.  The only question is therefore  whether it was introduced into gardens or occurred in surrounding farmland in the 19th / early 20th century, and crept in as a weed.  I rather fancy we will never know.

Near the Brewery

Park Hill