Red loves to run.

And in my heart, she always will.

Goodbye, best girl.

Flies aren't to bad really. North west this sunny Saturday. #wildorchids
Dr Richard Bate
Gareth Lambe
Steve Tandy

Lots of great plants seen in Co. Durham and Cumbria yesterday - highlights included Mountain Pansy, Spring Gentian, Moonwort and Shrubby cinquefoil.

The 2 stand-out highlights from Cumbria yesterday were these fantastic Coral-root orchids and White-faced Darter.

11/5/24 Lancashire - It’s easy to overlook perfection when there is so much of it to be seen; these wonderful Early Purple #Orchids (Orchis mascula) just a couple among the many thousands covering the fields overlooking Morecambe Bay #wildflowerhour

A Holy Orchid.
Maybe so named as found in the Holy Land (?).
Cyprus, mid April.
#wildorchid

Petty Whin looking 💯 right now

North York Moors NP North Pennines National Landscape
#WildflowerHour

Is this the best blue to be found in nature? Got to be a contender! Spring Gentian at Widdybank Fell today #WildFlowerHour wildflowerhour BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

I reckoned the chances of finding a flowering Kerry Lily as early as 12th May were slim to say the least, but with beautiful weather and a stunning location it would've been rude not to give it a try. I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted a single flower of this great rarity!

Orchis mascula, Early Purple Orchid, previously unobserved mass outbreak on a verge near me. They seem to be having a good season.
#wildflowerhour

Here is an incredibly rare Sedge for #Wildflowerhour .

This unassuming little thing is the aptly named Rare Spring Sedge - Carex ericetorum, and is found growing in very short calcareous turf in the southern Lake District.

Thrift - Lundy

12/5/24 Cumbria - I snuck off to look for Moonwort #Ferns (Botrychium lunaria) and found only the one that I saw last week. However, I did find a large patch of Lesser Adder's Tongue (Ophioglossum azoricum), a rather rare plant. And one I didn't know grew here... #wildflowerhour

12/5/24 Cumbria - The Fly #Orchids (Ophrys insectifera) are coming along nicely, though I do wonder why goons trample this site when you can easily pick the best plants off from the tarmac. The Coralroots (Corallorhiza trifida) are going over but some remain fab #wildflowerhour

12/5/24 Cumbria - Busy day today, but I managed to sneak out to get a good look at the wildlife

Highlight of the day was definitely catching sight of some basking adders (Vipera berus) - a wonderful total of five in a very short space

What a joyous surprise. Wasn’t expecting to see this on the roadside in #lancashire Bird’s Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis)
#wildflowerhour bsbi
⁦Wild Orchids UK & Ireland⁩

If you have visited this place at this time of year you will know where the photo was taken
Rebecca Wheeler Christian Hindle Duncan Dine Sean Cole Acid John🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Janette Dr Richard Bate Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

Amazing numbers of Early Purple Orchids in Silverdale - in a pasture, NT Arnside and Silverdale then fewer of same flowers in a private wood in South Cumbria CumbriaWildlifeTrust BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland - an orchid species that is found in two quite contrasting habitats 💜
8/5/24 & 11/5/24

Early morning Spring Gentian in fantastic scenery up North.