Anja Murray: Bow down to the impressive  superpowers of plants 

The next time you are out on a stroll, keep an eye out for the flowers of vetches and their characteristic spiral tendrils

The sweet pea plant, Lathyrus odoratus. Picture: iStock

Some plants have impressive superpowers. Clovers, vetches, and sweet peas are in full bloom right now, all members of the pea family. Purple flowering vetch is eagerly clambering over sturdier plants in hedges and verges; sweet peas are growing tall on trellises in the garden, wafting out their delicious scent on sunny days; and red and white clovers liven up fields and grassy places with nectar-rich blossoms.

Tall stems of tufted vetch carry a cascading tower of bright purple pea-like flowers that stand out during July, using their curly tendrils to help them get a hold as they climb up over tangles of bramble, honeysuckle, and wild rose. Pink flowered bush vetch is another common climber in woodlands, hedges, and long meadows. Both of these wild pea plants have ladder-like tassels of small leaves along their stems, readily recognisable once you know the look of them.