Giant Hogweed

Today is Mr U&L's and my 35th wedding anniversary.
If I am honest it hasn't always been a walk in the park, but despite our problems we are still enjoying life together.
Because it was my wedding anniversary I took my half day today, and Mr U&L and I had a picnic in Ockley on our way to pick up Pee Wee who had been back to the vets as her wound was seeping, and she had managed to get her buster collar off overnight and had been licking it!
on my way to the vets, I passed a field with giant hogweed ( Heracleum mantegazzianum ) growing in it, so on the way back I went to investigate.
The giant hogweed was growing all along the edge of a small stream, and there were lots of the large impressive plants at lest 8 feet tall!
Giant hogweed typically grows to a height of between 6 - 18 feet and is a member of the cow parsley family with the characteristic umbeliferous flowers.
Like many of the plants in this family it is a serious health risk, causing phytophotodermatitis resulting in blisters and long lasting scars and if in contact with the eyes - blindness. Because of this it is often actively removed, and it is an offence under the Wildlife and countryside act 1981 to plant it or cause it to grow,
If today is anything to go by, it seems able to spread itself quite nicely without any help!