@rogerrob473.bsky.social
Common restharrow (ononis repens) with bee visitor from my walk today at Streatley (W. Berks). In old farming days its deep, wiry roots routinely snagged heavy horse-drawn ploughs (harrows) forcing the harrow to rest. Late for #wildflowerhour #CommonNames
Sneezewort (achillea ptarmica) at Ashford Hill Meadows (N Hants) this week. Late for #wildflowerhour.
A tangle of skullcap and a cluster of water mint seen this week close to the edge of a recently dried out pond at Ashford Hill Meadows (N Hants). #wetlandplants. Late for #wildflowerhour.
Basil thyme (clinopodium acinos) thriving out of the cracks of the old sun-exposed pavement at The Holies, Streatley (W. Berks), 4/7/26. Late for #wildflowerhour.
Spotted three burnt-tip orchids on Ladle Hill (N Hants) yesterday growing under the wing of a conspicuous pyramidal orchid. #wildflowerhour
Goat's-rue (galega officinalis) blooming on a road verge near Old Burghclere (N Hants), 27/6/2026. Heavily managed by Wildlife Trusts for outcompeting native flora. #InvasivePlants #wildflowerhour
Beautiful dropwort (filipendula vulgaris) seen during my walk in West Hampshire this week. #wildflowerhour
Deadly nightshade (atropa belladonna) flowering profusely, seen during my walk in West Hampshire this week. #wildflowerhour
A second post this week for the #orchidchallenge, common spotted-orchid and pyramidal orchid from my walk today at Streatley (W. Berks). #wildflowerhour
Some small white flowers spotted on my walk today at Streatley (W. Berks) - squinancywort, bastard toadflax & fairy flax. #wildflowerhour
Heath spotted-orchids of varying appearances at Ashford Hill Meadows (N. Hants) this week. #orchidchallenge #wildflowerhour
Some flowers thriving in still damp habitats at Ashford Hill Meadows (N Hants) this week - water forget-me-not, brooklime, tufted forget-me-not (I think) and bog stitchwort. #wildflowerhour
Pignut (the scattered white flowers) seen widespread across the grassland at Ashford Hill Meadows this week with heath spotted-orchid, heath speedwell and cuckooflower also present, though distributed more sporadically, for the #WildFlowerShow challenge. #wildflowerhour
Two more finds from my walk today at Streatley (W. Berks) for the #tinyplants challenge - wild thyme (thymus polytrichus) and field madder (sherardia arvensis). #wildflowerhour
Common milkwort (polygala vulgaris) in blue and pink from my walk today at Streatley (W. Berks) for the #tinyplants challenge. #wildflowerhour
Three-nerved sandwort (moehringia trinervia) - tiny flowers if not the tiniest of plants - for the #tinyplants challenge this week. The leaves have 3-5 distinct veins instead of one central vein. Spotted in woodland at Headley (near Newbury), 13th May. #wildflowerhour
Fringe cups (tellima grandiflora), a new one to me, naturalised by a ford across the River Enborne near Headley (N. Hants). With thanks to @hermothersdaughter.bsky.social for providing directions to find it. #wildflowerhour
Not able to get out and about at the time of the woodland plants challenge this year but, back on my feet, pleased this week to find wood sorrel, a favourite woodland flower, still in bloom in woodland at Headley (near Newbury), 13th May. #wildflowerhour
Rue-leaved saxifrage on a section of old pavement at The Holies, Streatley (W. Berks), 28/3/26. Late for #wildflowerhour
Rue-leaved saxifrage, seen yesterday at Streatley (W. Berks), showing its first blooms - just. Late for #wildflowerhour
Common stork's-bill (erodium cicutarium) from my walk yesterday at Streatley (W. Berks). Children traditionally make "scissors" from stork's-bill by sliding one long "bill" through a slit in another, allowing them to open and close. #wildflowerhour #storyplants
Wood anemones (anemone nemorosa) seen on my walk yesterday at Streatley (W. Berks). The name is taken from the Greek word anemos (wind). According to ancient legends it blooms only when the wind blows, signalling spring. #wildflowerhour #storyplants
Three stars in a row from a local walk (N Hants). The lesser celandine was Wordsworth's favourite flower - he wrote 3 poems in its honour. Paradoxically a greater celandine was carved on his memorial plaque instead of the lesser variety he adored. #wildflowerhour #storyplants
Three #whiteflowers from my walk yesterday at Streatley (W. Berks) - hairy bittercress, common chickweed and common whitlowgrass. #wildflowerhour
No new flowers for #wildflowerhour on my walk at Streatley (W. Berks) today but took time to watch this early bee working around a daisy flower in the sunshine.
Enough bright sunshine yesterday to bring out the flowers of common whitlow grass (pic 1) and hairy bittercress (pic 2) at The Holies, Streatley (W. Berks). #wildflowerhour
Green hellebore (helleborus viridis) in early flower on the woodland floor, from a rather wet walk yesterday at Streatley (W. Berks). #wildflowerhour
