I definitely had stars in my eyes when we saw the Starry Clover, Trifolium stellatum, at Shoreham Beach yesterday, during an excellent The Wild Flower Society field meeting. 🤩 A timely find for a #PeaFamily entry in the #WildflowerHour #CarrotsAndPeas challenge.
plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9h.…

A huge stand of Hemlock Water Dropwort, Oenanthe crocata, super poisonous to us ☠️ but being enjoyed by myriads of inverts (it was absolutely humming!) I was happy to spot a snazzy little Ashy Mining Bee too, which was a first for me! #carrotsandpeas #wildflowerhour

I rarely see Pignut in Warrington, so lovely to see a whole field of it around Colemere yesterday. Also this week, Foxgloves starting to open, Yellow Flag irises are at full pelt, frothy Cow Parsley everywhere & Common Vetch with attendant ants! 🐜 #carrotsandpeas #wildflowerhour

Find a member of the pea or carrot family, that’s the challenge this week from Wild Flower Hour! Don’t be tempted to eat them up though, as some members of the carrot family are extremely poisonous ☠️ Post your finds for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm using #carrotsandpeas !

I’ve been told by several sources that ground nesting skylarks are using these flower meadows - and I’ve seen evidence. If those nesting birds have been disturbed that would be a wildlife crime under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981.

I urge everyone to report anything you see

I took these almost exactly a year ago, but how could I resist sharing them for this Wildflower Hour - the incredibly rare Edmondston’s Chickweed (aka Shetland Mouse-ear), endemic to Unst. #WildflowerHour #PinkFamily wildflowerhour

One of my very favouritist wildflowers, the super-fuzzy Bogbean, Menyanthes trifoliata is looking absolutely stunning in my pond at the moment😍

Saw my first Yellow Flag, Iris pseudacorus, of the year today. Aren’t they stunning! Said to have been the inspiration for the heraldic symbol, the Fleur-de-lys 💛
#wildflowerhour

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

Isn’t Red Campion looking absolutely gorgeous at the moment! 🩷 Whilst at work I managed to spot five members of the Caryophyllaceae in total for this week’s #wildflowerhour #PinkFamily challenge.

Last year I pointed out that National Trust’s mowing regime is destroying this ancient heath at Speke Hall, the last example of its kind in Merseyside. It wouldn’t take much to stop mowing here & increase heath without compromising on space. Wld be great to receive a response🌱❤️

Campion, Chickweed, Ragged Robin, Sandwort, Stitchwort and Mouse-ear are just some of the lovely members of the Pink Family or Caryophyllaceae! Find one blooming for this week’s challenge & share for #WildflowerHour this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #PinkFamily 🌸

6/5/24 Cumbria - Just a few yards away from a Lesser Twayblade I found, a reminder of how damp the habitat is - a large patch of Bog Beacon #fungi (Mitrula paludosa) covering the waterlogged marsh. A seriously cool species!

A lovely way to spend the afternoon trying to spot the different colour variations amidst the Green-winged Orchids, Anacamptis morio. A pick and mix of gorgeousness from deepest purple, lilac, bubblegum, shell pink and white. Which is your favourite? 😍 #wildflowerhour

Early Purple Orchids with a view! I’ve had a wonderful orchidaceous afternoon admiring thousands of beautiful orchids and I was lucky to bump into the lovely Charlotte Rankin & Ryan Clark too! 😍

If I dug up 600 *legally protected* Lizard Orchids I would quite rightly be branded a criminal and prosecuted for wildlife crimes. But someone WILL be digging these up to make way for a development - and that’s fine and dandy. Madness! Joshua Styles Leif Bersweden Rebecca Wheeler

My local hedgerow is burgeoning with frothy mounds of Hawthorn & Rowan, swathes of Garlic Mustard & effervescent clouds of Cow Parsley beneath. Wilding apple blossom & Red Campion punctuate the foaming white with pops of pink. Just heavenly!😍 #Wildflowerhour #HedgerowChallenge

What can you find flowering in a hedgerow? That’s the challenge this week from wildflowerhour! Have a good rummage in a hedge (get ready for the funny looks 👀) & share your pics for #WildflowerHour this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #HedgerowChallenge ! Happy hedge-diving!

Three cheers for DANDELIONS!!! 💛💛💛

#DandelionChallenge #WildflowerHour #InternationalDayoftheDandelion

27/4/24 Dorset - I led my first home tour for Mariposa Nature Tours this weekend. We made many great finds including reptiles and deer antlers as well as several fantastic plants, from peloric Spider #Orchids (Ophrys sphegodes) to Early #Gentians (Gentianella anglica) #wildflowerhour