Coronavirus: Woman chalks plant names on paths on lockdown walks

Jane Perrone goes out every morning with her a piece of chalk, son Fred and dog Wolfie

A woman who chalks plant names on pavements said she hoped it would make more people "open their eyes" to the natural world.

Jane Perrone, 46, from Bedford, studies "every crack in the pavement" to "liven up" her daily lockdown walks.

She posted some of her descriptions on a Bedford residents' Facebook page and was "overwhelmed" at the response.

"It's just a way of putting a big arrow towards things people haven't noticed," she said.

The dandelion is used for medicinal and culinary purposes and chickweed used to be fed to hens

Ms Perrone, a plant and garden journalist and creator of On The Ledge podcast, goes on daily walks with her nine-year-old son Fred, and dog Wolfie.

"When I'm walking down the street, I have my plant glasses on - I'm looking in every crack of the pavement," she said.

"If you start having that curiosity, it's amazing how much you'll see."

Allium schoenoprasum, also known as chives, are part of the onion family

Her descriptions on the pavement include the name in Latin and English, while her online posts tell people what other uses they have.

"Once you know and understand the plants' possibilities, it opens up finding that plant elsewhere or sowing the seeds of it in your garden," she said.

"There is not a lot of difference between a weed and a plant, it is just your conception of what they are", Ms Perrone says

Peter Element, who lives close to Ms Perrone, said: "I'm really enjoying these posts, it's making our area come alive for me."

Bedford Green Party councillor Lucy Bywater, who also lives nearby, said: "It's making people start to think differently about their connection with nature and to appreciate things they didn't notice before.

"You might just walk to the local shops, but looking down and seeing things springing up between the paving slabs, it can surprise people and give them pleasure."

Green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) is probably the most misidentified street plant, according to Ms Perrone