Three Towns Forum

Members' Lounge => Hobbies and Interests => Topic started by: Blodyn on March 04, 2011, 09:57:25 pm

Title: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 04, 2011, 09:57:25 pm
Walking up the zig-zag path on the Great Orme on Wednesday I came across my first violets of the season, so despite the frosty nights it really feels as if spring is in the way.  The European gorse which has been producing a few flowers throughout the winter is starting to put on a good show. 

Which wild flowers are appearing in other parts of the Three Towns area or further afield?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: brumbob on March 05, 2011, 03:42:21 pm
nice pics, it's good to see spring has sprung  :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on March 05, 2011, 04:29:55 pm
Reminds me of a little poem>

Spring is sprung,
Der grass is griz.
I wonder where dose birdies is!
Dey say der birds are on da wing.....
But dat's obserd, da wings are on da bird!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on March 05, 2011, 10:29:58 pm
Spike Milligan

There Are Holes In The Sky

   
There are holes in the sky
Where the rain gets in
But there ever so small
That's why the rain is thin.

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 06, 2011, 09:27:23 pm
I like the little poems - does a primrose inspire you at all?

Spotted in St. Tudno's churchyard this morning.  I think that the primroses there are wild but can't guarantee it. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 23, 2011, 11:01:31 am
The primroses on the Great Orme are starting to come into flower, so as the one that I photographed at St. Tudno's may not be a wild one, here's one which certainly is. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on March 23, 2011, 11:05:55 am
It's good to see all the plants springing back into life after that harsh Winter. Quite a few of the ones in my garden seem to have not survived and I notice that a lot of the Palm trees in peoples' gardens appear to have been killed by the very cold weather we had.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on March 23, 2011, 11:34:55 am
During the past couple of years we have seen the disappearance of many (lots) Palm trees in Porugal all of which has been caused by a nasty little beetle.

The problem is moving across Europe and to save me boring you with a long diatribe I will just point you to a very interesting and comprehensive web site.

http://www.aambiental.org/_en/PalmWeevil.htm (http://www.aambiental.org/_en/PalmWeevil.htm)

This is the nasty animal.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on March 23, 2011, 03:12:19 pm
Decided to stroll round St Agnes Cemetery as it was such a lovely afternoon. Carpets of celandines, lots of speedwell, primroses and daffs. Plentr rabbits as well ! Hadn't my camera with me--pity as it was beautiful
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Trojan on March 23, 2011, 05:33:14 pm
Has anyone ever seen a Creigafal y Gogarth - Rock apple of Gogarth or Cotoneaster Cambricus?

http://www.ukwildflowers.com/Web_pages/cotoneaster_cambricus_wild_cotoneaster.htm (http://www.ukwildflowers.com/Web_pages/cotoneaster_cambricus_wild_cotoneaster.htm)

This plant is one very few remaining on the Great Orme and is the only place in the British Isles where you can find this very rare Cotoneaster in the wild.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: brumbob on March 23, 2011, 06:12:51 pm
Historically, the species was much more abundant on the Great Orme when it was discovered in 1783. The population was reduced in the 19th century by collectors deliberately digging plants up for their gardens, and more recently by overgrazing by sheep, feral goats, and rabbits, and by invasion by seedlings of other species of Cotoneaster arising from cultivated plants in gardens in nearby towns. It has full legal protection under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

So it could well be flourishing in some local gardens
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: brumbob on March 23, 2011, 06:17:57 pm
It's good to see all the plants springing back into life after that harsh Winter. Quite a few of the ones in my garden seem to have not survived and I notice that a lot of the Palm trees in peoples' gardens appear to have been killed by the very cold weather we had.
I'll have to start saving to pay for all the plants I lost this year, even all my hebes that had up to now survived everything nature threw at them, are brown and withered.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on March 23, 2011, 06:55:22 pm
Cut em right down, they may yet spring back to life. I have a Fuchsia that has just started showing signs of life right from its base, although the main plant is dead and will have to be cut right back.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on March 26, 2011, 03:34:12 pm
Saw this Vinca by a quarry in Penrhyn Bay today.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 28, 2011, 09:38:08 pm
The blackthorn on the Great Orme was starting to come into flower on Saturday, particularly these cropped bushes on the SW facing slopes. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 06, 2011, 11:33:35 pm
The creeping willow on the Great Orme is coming into flower.

The wood sorrel is in bloom, too.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 10, 2011, 10:35:34 am
I was in the slate mines in Tanygrisiau on Friday and noticed all these ferns growing on a wall inside the cave, there was hardly any light there and no soil or water so I don't know how they can survive there. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on April 10, 2011, 10:28:31 pm
The graveyard in the centre of Llanfairfechan was carpeted with primroses today:
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 14, 2011, 03:09:21 pm
Saw clumps of Primulas as I was making my way up from Hornby Cove on the Great Orme and some small cowslips on top of the Orme.
Saw this other plant but haven't a clue what it is.   ???  Blodyn's the expert, perhaps she knows.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on April 14, 2011, 06:38:42 pm
Just had a quick look in my wild flower book as it wasn't one I could readily name.Hope Blodyn can identify it , as I am not sure. The nearest  I can spot is Scurvy-Grass, but the leaves are a bit too rounded.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Orme Vixen on April 14, 2011, 06:46:22 pm
Possibly wild Cotoneaster see the following (4 pages)

http://www.thewildflowersociety.com/wfs_report_menus/wfs_great_orme_2006/great_orme_2006_pages/great_orme_2006_page_4.htm (http://www.thewildflowersociety.com/wfs_report_menus/wfs_great_orme_2006/great_orme_2006_pages/great_orme_2006_page_4.htm)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 14, 2011, 09:01:49 pm
Sorry to disappoint you, Hugo and Nemesis but I'm not a particular expert!  I agree with Nemesis that the plant in Hugo's photo does look like common scurvy grass but I think that we have Forum member who could give us a definite identification.  The interesting article to which Orme Vixen posted a link mentions Wendy McCarthy, who is an expert and who, unless I'm much mistaken, has joined the Forum.  So, if you read this, Wendy, we'd love to hear from you! 

Going back to an earlier question from Trojan of whether anyone has seen the wild cotoneaster, Cotoneaster cambricus, you should be able to see a "tame" one in the wildflower garden at the Great Orme summit visitor centre. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Trojan on April 14, 2011, 09:23:29 pm
Thanks for that Blodyn bach.  :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 20, 2011, 10:58:42 am
Lots of wildflowers are coming into bloom on the Great Orme including: wood anemone (wind flower / blodyn y gwynt), spring cinquefoil, spring squill (one of my particular favourites), thrift starting to come out, an occasional common rockrose, not forgetting buttercups, daisies and dandelions.  What a lovley time of year!

As this is not the gardening thread, I'll say that even the daisies and dandelions are very pretty!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on April 20, 2011, 02:07:56 pm
Wonderful pics Blodyn.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 20, 2011, 04:06:38 pm
They are really great photos Blodyn, what camera do you use for those close ups?   
 I've got a Canon Powershot but it's set on auto all the time as I haven't read the instruction book yet!         :roll:
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 20, 2011, 04:26:40 pm
Thank you very much for your kind comments, Nemesis and Hugo. 

Hugo, my camera is an Olympus Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom.  It's not a digital SLR but it does everything from wide angle landscapes to super-macro close ups with one lens.  It's pretty handy but they don't make it anymore.  The main drawback is that it's rather slow to focus and to write to the card.  Slow focusing isn't too much of problem with a flower (unless it's windy) but is frustrating with something faster moving, such as a bee or a butterfly.  I have taken plenty of photos showing where the bee or butterfly was a moment before! 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on April 25, 2011, 12:16:19 pm
The bluebells and the wild garlic look gorgeous today.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on April 25, 2011, 08:24:32 pm
Birds foot trefoil and wild orchids behind the halfway station this morning.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 30, 2011, 10:52:21 am
Saw these flowers yesterday but haven't a clue what they are apart from the Bluebells of course.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 30, 2011, 10:54:50 am
Cadair Ifan Goch walk
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on April 30, 2011, 08:10:33 pm
Not sure what the white flower is Hugo, but the red ones are Red Campion  :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 05, 2011, 11:45:20 pm
What nice photos, Hollins and Hugo. 

Hugo, the white flower is cuckoo flower / lady's smock, which grows in damp places. 

A friend tells me that she's seen some green-winged orchids in the rough on Mike's Great Orme Family Golf course but I haven't had the chance to go and look for myself. 

The hoary and common rockroses are now both in flower on the Great Orme. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 12, 2011, 06:04:09 pm
The burnet rose and Nottingham catchfly are flowering on the Great Orme but it's too windy to photograph them, so instead "here are some that I prepared earlier" which are also in flower at the moment.

The common milkwort hides down amongst the grass and comes in a range of colours such as purple, deep pink or dark blue but I rather like these pale blue ones. 

Mexican fleabane is, as its name suggests, not a native but it seems to have settled happily in some of the rocky areas.

Salad burnet flowers don't have any petals and can get overlooked but they're still quite pretty if you get close to them.

The may blossom of the hawthorn was out before the month began and is still looking good. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 14, 2011, 05:35:08 pm
Thrift,  high up above Hornby Cove yesterday
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 19, 2011, 12:07:49 pm
Here are a couple of pictures of the "tame" Cotoneaster cambricus in the wild flower garden at the Great Orme summit visitor centre.  Sorry it's not a wild one, Trojan. 

The leaves are considerably larger than those of the invasive Cononeaster species, though the wild C. cambricus plants may not look so lush if they are growing in less favourable conditions. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 19, 2011, 12:18:55 pm
Oops - I forgot to attach the photos, so here they are!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 19, 2011, 12:25:40 pm
The wind has finally dropped, so here are photos of a burnet rose and a common rockrose on the Great Orme.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 19, 2011, 01:27:41 pm
The wild flowers were quite spectacular on my walk this morning from behind the 1/2 way station and over the hill towards the top of the ski run. Many of the stony hollows were filled with thrift, which made a lovely change from the grey of the rocks.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 25, 2011, 11:34:26 pm
The common butterworts on the Great Orme are just starting to flower.  If you're not familiar with them, these are insectivorous plants which trap small insects on the sticky leaves and slowly digest them - and they look such innocent little plants, too!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 02, 2011, 11:01:32 pm
The Great Orme is covered in gold at the moment - rockroses, birdsfoot trefoil, buttercups, medicks - but as a change of colour here's a dog rose. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on June 03, 2011, 10:54:48 am
You take some fantastic pics Blodyn  D)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 03, 2011, 02:31:20 pm
Thank you Pendragon, that's really kind of you.  I enjoy taking the pictures and I'm glad that other people enjoy looking at them.   $thanx$
Title: Re: Wild flowers and all pics on the forum
Post by: catlover on June 03, 2011, 03:16:54 pm
Thanks for all the lovely pics posted, please keep it up as i dont get to Llandudno often, and would love more pics  of Happy Valley, Sunshine cafe and the Orme.   :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers and all pics on the forum
Post by: DaveR on June 03, 2011, 06:56:43 pm
Thanks for all the lovely pics posted, please keep it up as i dont get to Llandudno often, and would love more pics  of Happy Valley, Sunshine cafe and the Orme.   :)
There's some nice pics of Happy Valley in my blog post:
http://llandudnoandcolwynbay.blogspot.com/2009/10/happy-valley-llandudno.html (http://llandudnoandcolwynbay.blogspot.com/2009/10/happy-valley-llandudno.html)

 :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 08, 2011, 11:19:54 am
There are some quite impressive flowers on the brambles at the moment - let's hope they're followed by equally impressive blackberries!

On a smaller scale, the heath bedstraw is appearing among the patches of heathland plants on the Great Orme, while the unfurling bracken fronds look very fresh.  

Hope you like the pictures, catlover!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 16, 2011, 04:35:45 pm
The flowering grasses look beautiful blowing in the wind, with the light and colours changing as they ripple.  I've not managed to capture that in a photo so here are a few close ups instead.  I realise that it's not very sensible trying to photograph grass in the wind (particularly with a rather slow camera like mine) but here are the best of the bunch.  My favourite grass, the quaking grass, is quite a challenge, as the little florets dance in the slightest breeze. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on June 26, 2011, 11:06:35 am
Saw this one on the Orme yesterday:
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on June 26, 2011, 11:12:30 am
...and there seemed to be quite a few of these about:
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on June 26, 2011, 11:35:13 am
The flowers in the second photo are really pretty, my photo was not as good as yours Dave.   :roll:
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on June 26, 2011, 11:50:57 am
Is the second pic. meadowsweet?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on June 26, 2011, 05:49:17 pm
Some flowers I saw on my walk over the Great Orme. Apologies for the quality Blodyn.   :-[
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 27, 2011, 11:41:19 am
DaveR's first picture looks like one of the St. John's worts, while the second could be meadowsweet as Nemesis suggests or the closely related dropwort, which is in Hugo's second picture.  There's a lot of dropwort in flower at the moment in the drier areas, whereas meadowsweet favours wetter areas, has flatter flowerheads and is scented (did you happen to sniff it, Dave or Pendragon?). 

Hugo's first picture is a mallow, probably a common one, and the third is a pyramidal orchid. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on June 27, 2011, 12:20:51 pm
I would say it was Dropwort then, as it was quite a dry area I saw it in. I neglected to sniff it, I'm afraid!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on June 27, 2011, 07:25:33 pm
Thanks for the info Blodyn.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 28, 2011, 05:30:55 pm
It's a lovely day today, so here are a few more flowers from the Orme: red clover, ox-eye daisy (with wildlife) and meadowsweet.  The meadowsweet is just getting past its best and doesn't look as flat-topped as it did a couple of weeks ago, the leaves are more obvious than on dropwort and it does smell nicer (I checked them both!). 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: suepp on June 28, 2011, 05:46:15 pm
lovely photos, and very educational, I had no idea what most of these flowers were called before this thread started,! $thanx$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 29, 2011, 09:37:53 am
Thanks, suepp, I'm glad you're enjoying the flowers. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on June 29, 2011, 10:26:24 am
I have to admit the closest I've got to gardening is watering hanging baskets but even then I had no clue what the flowers were called but always admired their beauty.  Blodyn however with the stunning pictures and descriptions has evoked a new interest for me and I tend to notice an awful lot more now.  Thanks Blodyn.  I shall now probably go on to win window box of the year  $good$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 01, 2011, 03:28:47 pm
Thanks very much for your nice comments, Pendragon.  Although it's an old cliche, "the more you look, the more you see" is quite true.  There are some lovely blue flowers to look out for on the Great Orme now, as the harebells and spiked speedwells are just coming into flower.  The harebells have got very delicate, largish flowers which are, not surprisingly, bell-shaped, while the spiked speedwells have tiny flowers arranged in spikes.   
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 04, 2011, 10:35:53 am
Here's a musk thistle on the Great Orme, showing its typical "nodding" head.  It's quite a big plant with very spiny leaves. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Bellringer on July 04, 2011, 11:44:51 am
Nice pictures Blodyn.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on July 04, 2011, 02:19:52 pm
Nice photos in here, I have one, although it's not strictly a wildflower, but they come up everywhere in Llandudno and probably Colwyn Bay. Never seen any in Conwy though..

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/stephenprudence/DSCF2180.jpg)

This is interesting, it appears this snapdragon has taken on it's own evolutionary form for Llandudno with much thinner leaves than usual.. suggest it has adapted to the climate through the seeding process!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on July 04, 2011, 02:33:03 pm
Perhaps its something to do with the limited nutrition available in the stone walls etc that it grows in and it saves all its energy for flowering? Amazing how it can grow at all. Buddleias always amaze me, in how such a large plant can grow in places where you would think there was very little water or nutrition.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on July 04, 2011, 02:41:46 pm
That's a very good point Dave! Snapdragons seems to well adapted to wall growth (like the Wallflower).

It is impressive re: Buddleia, I've seen entire 'trees' growing from a small crack in a wall.. it must have something to do with where they come from in China.

Have you seen the Buddleia globosa? I noticed this self seeded version of the Buddleia for the first time this Spring! But it won't grow out of walls.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 04, 2011, 11:11:31 pm
Stan, thanks for your comments.

Stephen, welcome to the Forum.  Hope to hear more from you in the future and good luck with your proposed move to Llandudno.  There are plenty of lovely flowers here, both in the wild and in the gardens. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Trojan on July 05, 2011, 09:48:42 am
It is impressive re: Buddleia, I've seen entire 'trees' growing from a small crack in a wall.. it must have something to do with where they come from in China.

Maybe they flourished in the cracks of the Great Wall of China?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 05, 2011, 10:32:20 am
It is amazing where plants will grow (particularly considering how hard it can sometimes be to make them grow in a garden!). 

Here are some trees in St. Tudclud's churchyard in Penmachno.  The large beech tree looks very solid and healthy but growing in a bit of a hollow on one side there is an equally healthy looking holly sapling and some willowherb. 

Nothing at all to do with this thread but an interesting snippit of information: St. Tudclud was one of St. Tudno's brothers. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 05, 2011, 09:20:44 pm
I was rooting around in a wild, overgrown bit of our back garden and came across this strange parasitic leafless plant. I think it is Broomrape. Do you agree Blodyn?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 05, 2011, 11:02:29 pm
Yes, definitely.  You are lucky, Nemesis, to have such an unusual plant in your garden. 

Different broomrape species parasitise different plants, so if you can work out what it's growing on it will be a good clue to its species.  The broomrape should have underground tubers attached to the roots of its host plant.  Some of the broomrapes are quite rare, so if you need to disturb it you might want to wait till it's had a chance to set seed.  As it seems to be in quite a shady position, I wonder if it's an ivy broomrape.  Is there any ivy growing in that area too? 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 06, 2011, 10:21:18 am
Yes there is, there are 6 stems of Broomrape, all near Ivy, some are emerging from under a Pyrocantha trunk, but I am not going to risk disturbing it till it has seeded. I will try and harvest some seeds if poss.
The plant was hidden behind some undergrowth in an area which we had abandoned clearing as there was a blackbird nesting there. This happens most years, so this particular area never gets properly cleared. What with Hedge Sparrows in the Barge Boards, Wrens behind an old fuchsia bush and a family of Blackbirds the garden is hopping with birds !
Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 13, 2011, 01:09:52 pm
You must have a lovely garden, Nemesis.  Good luck with the broomrape, I'll be interested to hear how you get on.

Here are some more plants flowering on the Great Orme at the moment. 

The spiked speedwell seems to be having a very good year.  On a regular walk which I do there are more than twice as many flower spikes as I've seen during any of the past 10 summers.  The spiked speedwell is classified as "Nationally Scarce", so we are lucky to have so many here. 

The harebells look very delicate but withstand very strong winds without apparent damage.  They seem to be attractive to a range of flies of various sizes. 

Lady's bedstraw is providing a lot of colour, with large patches of bright yellow very obvious amongst the grasses. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 13, 2011, 02:38:34 pm
More wonderful pics Blodyn, 'fraid the Broomrape is fading fast-- not a long flowering specimen I suspect. I ended up with 12 spikes.
The garden is somewhat wild in parts-- it overgrows my abilities to clear such things as Brambles, but the wildlife like it !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 14, 2011, 12:58:27 pm
Just a single plant on the Orme this morning.
Viper's Bugloss?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 14, 2011, 01:55:23 pm
Yes, certainly viper's bugloss.  How nice to see it on the Orme, the bumblebees will love it. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on July 16, 2011, 03:51:54 pm
Indeed, Viper bugloss is our native Echium.. down towards Portmeirion they used to have big problems with Echium pininana (The Giant Canary Echium), as it was self seedling all the time. If there were any giant Echiums around the North Wales coast I would imagine they would far out number our native ones  :o
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on July 23, 2011, 11:18:37 am
Saw these plants on my walk yesterday along the riverban in Dyserth. They look like Gunneras but I'm not sure if they are or not.
The blue flowers were on a cliff face by the lead mines there.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 23, 2011, 12:08:17 pm
The blue ones look like Harebells, not sure about the big leaves.
Plenty of various funghi on the Orme this a.m.-- sign of Autumn?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 26, 2011, 04:22:58 pm
Hugo, I agree with Nemesis that your blue flowers look like harebells.  The plant with the large leaves looks like butterbur.  If you happen to do the walk again, I would expect the leaves to die back over winter and then the flowers to appear in spring, before the leaves.  Butterbur is common in damp places and besides streams and rivers, as in your photos, so you'll probably see it some of your other walks, too. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 28, 2011, 01:24:33 pm
Has anyone else noticed the large amount of Mullein plants down the side of the road between the toilets and the old Rectory Tea Gardens? Wonder if they really are wild or some garden throw outs from across the road?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on July 28, 2011, 01:31:20 pm
Probably the latter -  WWW
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on July 28, 2011, 11:01:06 pm
The blue flowers are harebells. Campanula is the latinised name.

The large flowers are in the rhubarb family, but are poisonous.

It is in the genus Rheum. Very common on streamsides/riversides.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 03, 2011, 11:46:16 am
Another couple of shots of flowers on the Orme Common Toadflax and Tufted Vetch. A bit jiggly, but the pup had got wind of a rabbit!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on August 03, 2011, 01:33:05 pm
You obviously walked along the same path as me, Nemesis.  I took some photos of them this morning, too! 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 03, 2011, 04:03:57 pm
I did speak to a lady coming the other way who said she was meeting friends at the church, but didn't see any one else on foot apart from a distant view of some ladies with a garden chair in the new cemetery! :o
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: DaveR on August 03, 2011, 08:43:11 pm
I saw these flowers in the graveyard at Llanrwst Church, a very vivid orangey colour, but I have no idea what they are?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: TheMedz on August 03, 2011, 09:48:34 pm
Is this the same one? We took this picture yesterday approaching close to St Tudno's from the half way station.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on August 04, 2011, 10:07:47 am
Dave, your flower looks like an orange hawkweed.  Some of the other hawkweeds have equally imaginative names (few-leaved hawkweed, leafy hawkweed, spotted hawkweed) but at least they're easy to remember.  What lovely colours in your photo.

The Medz, yes, that's the one.  The plants are perennials and pop up there each year.

Nemesis, I obviously missed you as I didn't see anybody else during my walk. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on August 04, 2011, 09:56:02 pm
Hawkweed is a Mediterranean native, it likes our climate though and loves limestone soils,  it's also pretty invasive. However it is regarded as a native flower.

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 07, 2011, 12:21:29 pm
This morning we took a ride down the Conwy Valley to Betws and back and I was amazed at the volume of Himalayan Balsam growing on the sides of both the A 470 and the B5106. Don't think I have ever seen as much in that area.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on August 07, 2011, 11:26:49 pm
There's a patch of rosebay willowherb growing in the middle of a much larger patch of bracken on the Great Orme, so I thought that I'd just nip in and get some pictures.  The bracken turned out to be about 5' high, interspersed with brambles, nettles and holes in the ground, so I abandoned the idea of reaching the main patch of willowherb (shown in the first photo) and settled for a couple of outlying plants. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 08, 2011, 08:26:58 am
Ouch :o. Lovely shots Blodyn.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on August 14, 2011, 02:45:50 pm
Blodyn would have had a field day on Llanddwyn Island and the Newborough sand dunes yesterday. There were loads of unusual flowers out but I only stopped to take these two shots.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 14, 2011, 05:34:20 pm
1st pic I think is Heartsease.
2nd pic is Sea Holly ( Eringeum)

Blodyn will know for certain i'm sure.

The weather didn't look much like August Hugo-- what a shame as it looks a lovely area.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on August 14, 2011, 06:31:09 pm
Thanks for the info on the plants Nemesis, it is  a beautiful place to go to, especially when the weather is good.  There is a shorter walk to it from the toll road but it's not as nice as the walk that we did yesterday.
Mike's (Ormegolf) ancestor was the last lighthouse keeper on the Island and there is a photo of her in the Pilot's cottage but sadly it was closed or otherwise I'd have taken a photo of her picture.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 14, 2011, 06:50:46 pm
What a shame-- perhaps next time?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on August 21, 2011, 07:46:22 pm
Can anyone who goes for a walk around the western side of the Orme (lower paths) let me know if Arbutus unedo is still growing wild there... Arbutus unedo is the strawberry tree, it is native to Ireland, and potentially native to Wales.

It's evergreen with colourful fruits in Autumn/Winter.

It's an exceptionally rare tree in the UK, and as such should be protected in my opinion. The Arbutus have become a little invasive on the Orme, but again the ethics of invasion are difficult to explain, especially when it is unknown of this tree is truly native to Wales at all.

Photo below:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Cireres_de_pastor_Cirerer_d'arbo%C3%A7_Arbutus_unedo.jpg)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 22, 2011, 08:45:13 am
There was on in Happy Valley, but last time I was up there I missed it. Might be me, or last winter's appalling weather killed it.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on August 22, 2011, 03:37:39 pm
Hugo, thanks for the pictures of Llanddywn and Newborough.  It's a beautiful area and you're right about the wonderful flowers. 

Nemesis, you don't need me at all - your identification is very good! 

Stephen, I'll try to remember to keep my eyes open for the strawberry trees and to check on the one in Haulfre Gardens.  You probably know that one: it's by the path which zig-zags up from the toilets to Mike's golf course. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on August 22, 2011, 05:51:58 pm
Blodyn, I've never seen it, I must have been walking around with the eyes closed! I'll have to look again next time - it's a little easier to ID in winter because it's usually very colourful and evergreen. Fruits are edible too, but not very nice.

Nemesis, the one in Happy Valley Gardens is alive and well:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/stephenprudence/DSCF2239-1.jpg)

The photo was taken in July.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: ddonovan on August 22, 2011, 07:09:48 pm
Can anyone advise where I might be able to find any Sloe Berries later in the year local to Llandudno / Rhos-on-Sea, any sucessful find will result in a sample of my very fine Sloe Gin?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on August 22, 2011, 07:40:17 pm
Look around hedgerows, there should be plenty around Haulfre Gardens area, and on the western side of the Orme? They're unmistakable anyway, you can see them from miles away. Damson wine/gin is supposedly pretty good too.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on August 22, 2011, 07:58:52 pm
Can anyone advise where I might be able to find any Sloe Berries later in the year local to Llandudno / Rhos-on-Sea, any sucessful find will result in a sample of my very fine Sloe Gin?

The summit of Bryn Euryn is laden with sloe bushes.  Park in the car park off Tan-y-Bryn Road, Rhos and follow the path to the top!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 23, 2011, 11:43:36 am
Glad the Strawberry Tree is Ok-- I must have been on the wrong path !
Thanks for the compliment Blodyn-- My Grandad who died when I was 7 used to walk me along the lanes where he lived and teach me the names of the flowers. The interest must have stuck, 'cos I still come home and look things up if I am doubtful.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on August 24, 2011, 05:15:49 pm
Stephen, don't worry about having missed the strawberry tree.  I'm always encouraged by the fact that people who've lived here much longer than me keep discovering new things here - it makes me feel better when I realise that I've missed something! 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 25, 2011, 02:51:59 pm
Here is my second attempt ! This pic-- from an old CD Rom system was taken a number of years ago, just as the mist rolled down. No bald patches in the gorse and heather then !!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on August 28, 2011, 10:49:00 pm
Stephen, don't worry about having missed the strawberry tree.  I'm always encouraged by the fact that people who've lived here much longer than me keep discovering new things here - it makes me feel better when I realise that I've missed something!

Blodyn you're right! Imagine how dull life would be if everything was discovered?

It might interest some people to know, even despite the cold winter (which wasn't that cold in Llandudno it would seem), a Phoenix canariensis survived the winter, and is growing! Unbelievable.

Nemesis, that heather landscape is stunning, I love the colour it gives to our upland landscapes/heath all year round.. and of course a vital habitat to our bees!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 01, 2011, 02:46:41 pm
That's a very atmospheric picture, Nemesis. 

Here's a picture of one of the mixed heather / gorse clumps on the Great Orme at the moment and a close up showing what it's composed of: bell heather, heather and western gorse (from left to right). 

Stephen, you're right about the bees.  Unfortunately they're pretty keen on some of the invasive plants, too.  In spring the introduced cotoneasters can be covered with bumblebees.  Such enthusiasm from the pollinators isn't going to help control of the cotoneasters but removing the cotoneasters could also remove a food source for the bees.   :(
 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 01, 2011, 03:22:19 pm
Lovely pics Blodyn--Amazing how nature co-ordinates her colours
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 02, 2011, 01:00:20 pm
Thanks, Nemesis.  I just pointed the camera - nature did the rest, as you say.

Here are some more late summer flowers. 

There are some large patches of devil's-bit scabious in some of the damp areas but these photos don't do them them justice as the flowers are a beautiful deep purple. 

The lovely eyebright is a little plant with tiny flowers but it's quite conspicuous at the moment, growing in clumps amongst the shorter grasses.  It's partially parasitic on the roots of grasses. 

The last plant is interesting botanically but disappointing photographically!  It's an autumn gentian (called felwort in some books) and this is the first time that I've seen it.  I understand that there's quite a lot of it at Newborough, Hugo, but I've not been there at the right time.  I didn't discover this plant myself, as a friend told me where to look and even then I had trouble spotting the small group of plants.  It needs full sun for the flowers to open and although I thought that it was pretty sunny yesterday evening, the plants obviously didn't agree - hence the dull photo.  However, although the photo's dull it was still worth the search and as you say, Stephen, it makes life interesting. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 02, 2011, 01:27:48 pm
Love the colours in the bell heather and the autumn gentian photos. Quite inspirational, thank you.
Also thought your last nights photos of the great orme were beautiful.......what peaceful scenes.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 02, 2011, 03:37:07 pm
Thanks, Hollins.  If you translate these colours into one of your projects I hope you'll post the result. 

It was very peaceful on the Orme yesterday evening and despite the very busy day I passed only one other person on my walk. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 09, 2011, 10:39:51 pm
Ddonovan, it may be time to start looking for your sloes.  I don't know how ripe they need to be for sloe gin but these look as if they're coming along nicely. 

The berries of black bryony are very colourful at the moment - they make me think of traffic lights - don't eat them, though. 

I couldn't resist posting another photo of eyebright.  They're such lovely little flowers.  There are a lot of species and hybrids which I'm not skillful enough to identify but the pink ones and the white ones do appear to be consistently different. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on September 09, 2011, 10:55:08 pm
Just looking at Black Bryony you get the impression it is poisonous. It is a type of Yam of course, and nearly all species of Yam are poisonous.

I'm still to come across Blackcurrant, Recurrant or Blueberry plant in the wild here.

Do they have any of these growing in Llandudno Blodyn? It would be useful for when I move there, as I love picking wild fruit!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 10, 2011, 11:11:18 am
Just beenlooking at the eyebright, on the hill past the 1/2 way station, so delicate.
Also parted with my pound for a copy of Great Orme wild flowers.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 10, 2011, 12:21:20 pm
Could you tell me where you bought your book Nemesis?
I think it has been posted before but I couldn't find it when I just tried a search on the forum. It said, "Do you mean Rome wildflower book!"
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 10, 2011, 02:32:54 pm
With pleasure Hollins.
I had or so I thought seen it advertised as a poster, which is what I asked for. Eventually it was found as a sort of laminated leaflet!
I got it from the Visitor Centre at the summit of the Orme.
Trust me to go for it when the wind was blowing 7 bells and it was raining sideways ! Got back in the car looking like an ageing punk !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 10, 2011, 03:40:18 pm
Whose photos are they? Blodyn's?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 10, 2011, 05:31:08 pm
Doesn't say who took the pics. There are 48 of them and the names are in Welsh, English and Latin. On the reverse there is a smallish map of the Orme which tells you which bit is limestone, heath, grassland,cliffs or pavement, which is woodland, which is scrub and a few wells and other places. Also a chart of what flowers when !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on September 10, 2011, 07:31:10 pm
Ive heard people compare the Great Orme to parts of Western Ireland/Scotland, where there is great variance of flower species, including native, arctic, and mediterranean species, a real melting pot.

Has anyone found orchids on the Orme?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 11, 2011, 02:04:22 pm
Yes many times-- earlier in the year there are plenty to be found, especially the Pyramidal Orchid.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on September 11, 2011, 07:25:41 pm
Great stuff - one of the things Ive never seen is a wild orchid  :o
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Michael on September 11, 2011, 11:22:29 pm
I would'nt know an orchid if I stood on one, but I do know an area on my golf course where there was a lot of interest last May and early June. Lots of flower followers with cameras. I've been warned----cut the grass around there at your peril Mike
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 12, 2011, 09:30:02 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AnacamptisPyramidalis.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AnacamptisPyramidalis.jpg)
Here you are Mike.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 12, 2011, 11:14:43 am
Stephen, I'm afraid I've not noticed any currant or blueberry plants growing wild around here.  You'll have to make do with blackberries!  As well as the pyramidal orchids which Nemesis mentioned, the early purple and common spotted orchids are relatively plentiful.  One of the reasons that the Great Orme has such a diverse flora is that it's mostly a big lump of limestone, which supports a particular range of species, but also has pockets of acidic soil which support the heathland
species. It's rare to get such a mixture of basic and acidic soils and it's suggested that the acidic soil was left after the last ice age.   

Mike, one of my friends told me the spring that you had green winged orchids at the golf course but I didn't get there to see them myself.  Ask the lady with the dog, she'll be able to tell you all about them. 

Nemesis, would you recommend the leaflet?  It certainly sounds interesting.

Hollins, they're not my photos.  A year or two ago there was a student called Chris (if I remember correctly) doing a placement at the Country Park.  He was a keen photographer and I've seen some of his photos, which were excellent, so they could well be his. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on September 13, 2011, 11:11:33 pm
I'll have a look when I'm next around the Orme.. I wonder if the Orme has any winter flowering plants, might be a rarity somewhere.

Very lucky to have acidic and limestone soils, no wonder some garden plants naturalise like crazy around Llandudno!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 27, 2011, 02:14:18 pm
Stephen, the strawberry trees (Arbutus) are (mostly) alive and well in the Haulfre Gardens area. 

There are at least two on the path between the public toilets and Mike's golf course (nice to have seen you today, Mike).  Further up in the wilder area of the gardens there are a lot more and the first photo shows two large specimens. 

At the top, by one of the boundary fences, there are quite a few which look dead, as shown in the second photo.  However, I think that it's not a bad as it looks as it may be branches rather than whole trees which are dead. 

There is also regeneration from dead-looking stumps, as in the foreground of the third photo. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 27, 2011, 02:20:02 pm
Continuing with the strawberry trees ...

There are quite a number of young plants and seedlings (first photo here), particularly on the hillside above the gardens, so the tree seems to be colonising the hillside. 

There's a combination of flowers, unripe and ripening fruits at the moment (last two photos) and it was good to see bumblebees visiting the flowers. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 27, 2011, 02:44:54 pm
There are plenty of carline thistles on the Great Orme at the moment, particularly in the rocky areas and where the grass is shorter.  They may look as  if they're dead but they look pretty much the same even when the flowers first open! 

I've now got a copy of the "Great Orme Wild Flowers" leaflet which Nemesis told us about recently.  It has lovely photos of a selection of (mostly) flowers from each of the main habitats and, as Nemesis said, a chart showing when they flower and a map showing where the different habitats can be found.  With something like 400 flowering plants on the Orme, a book would be needed to cover them all.  However, for someone who's new to the area or just starting to learn about wild flowers, this leaflet would be an ideal introduction to the more common or obvious flowers - but be prepared for finding flowers which don't match any of the pictures.  Would you agree, Nemesis? 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 27, 2011, 06:35:28 pm
Yes I agree Blodyn, an excellent leaflet, but as you say, it could not possibly cover everything to be found on the Orme.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on September 27, 2011, 07:08:54 pm
I love this thread  $good$

Llinos and I went up Penmaenmawr mountain again on Monday and whilst looking in earnest for any traces of Braich Y Dinas came across these lovely little wild flowers but in true Angie style I have no clue what any are called.  I particularly like the first pic of the little pink and white flower.

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on September 27, 2011, 07:15:25 pm
I also took the following photo of a black mushroom? Never seen one before there was loads of them everywhere.  I did go picking wild mushroom years ago but that variety resulted in uncontrollable giggles and now the only place i get mushrooms is Asda  ;D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 27, 2011, 07:18:57 pm
I love that photo too of the pink and white flowers in the rock wall. It looks like a little bouquet. How beautiful!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on September 27, 2011, 07:31:02 pm
It was tiny Hollins, if I remember rightly it was a little bigger than a tea light candle.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 27, 2011, 09:37:19 pm
Those are both beautiful little flowers, Pendragon, and the top photo is really lovely. 

The first flower is a stonecrop - they're very hardy little plants, usually growing in dry, rocky areas - and it looks like the English stonecrop (though it's not confined to England). 

The second flower is eyebright, which is one of my favourite late summer flowers.  There are lots of different species and hybrids which differ only slightly and I can't tell them apart, so I just enjoy them!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on September 27, 2011, 10:14:20 pm
Thanks Blodyn I'll be one up on Llinos when we go there again  $good$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on September 28, 2011, 05:24:12 pm
Spotted these little beauties whilst on Holiday in Portugal over the last week or so.  Any ideas as to what they are?  Sorry for quality, I forgot to put super Macro on!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on September 28, 2011, 06:17:22 pm
the last one looks like Morning Glory
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 30, 2011, 11:14:21 am
Thanks, Hollins.  If you translate these colours into one of your projects I hope you'll post the result. 

It was very peaceful on the Orme yesterday evening and despite the very busy day I passed only one other person on my walk.

Sorry to all those who have tuned in to see a lovely photo of wild flowers.......you've got my crochet instead!
I was inspired by Blodyn's beautiful photos of heather and gorse (reply 106) and I found some nice yarns in Switzerland which do have a bit of a look of the colours in the photos. Anyway here is the latest shawl Blodyn!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on September 30, 2011, 05:55:42 pm
Hollins, that's beautiful, the colours look lovely together.  Many thanks for showing us the finished result.  You must be fast worker or did you start it while you were in Switzerland?   

Yorkie, those are lovely colourful flowers.  I agree with Nemesis on the blue one and the pink one looks familiar as a garden flower, though I can't put a name to it at the moment.  Perhaps some of our gardeners could help with identification? 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 30, 2011, 06:13:26 pm
Thanks Blodyn. Yes I started it over there and two days hut bound because of rain and snow helped!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on October 01, 2011, 12:37:39 pm
Blodyn-- don't you think the vivid pink one has a look of the Jersey Lily, can't remember what the proper name is-- I had something like that in the garden,but think I may have lost it.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: emma p on October 01, 2011, 05:12:37 pm
Love the portugese flowers......im wondering is the orange and pinky flower some kind of verbena ? They look vey much like the ones in my garden ???
The crochet is beautiful......gorgeous colours.  :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on October 08, 2011, 05:09:10 pm
Blodyn-- don't you think the vivid pink one has a look of the Jersey Lily, can't remember what the proper name is-- I had something like that in the garden,but think I may have lost it.

Nemesis, I'm not sure but I think it maybe oleander?
Here is a photo of ours.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on October 08, 2011, 05:33:43 pm
Certainly looks the same Hollins. The leaves are more shiny than  mine were--were being the operative word !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on October 09, 2011, 03:30:12 pm
This was growing well on the ledge by Pigeon's Cave today
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on October 18, 2011, 11:40:45 am
Sorry this is a late reply; Blodyn thanks for putting the photos up of the Arbutus, they tend to be quite a scruffy tree, I suppose that's why many branches look like that. They prefer shelter you see, as they usually grow in forests.  Nice find re: the seedling, I've never seen an Arbutus seedling before  $good$ My move is a little closer to happening so I'll take a look when it goes through.

As for the ID of the plants above:

1. Lantana camara
2. Nerium oleander (very poisonous) - will grow well in Llandudno, give it a go!
3. Morning glory.. will also do well in Llandudno.

The photo above is a type of Brassica plant, you can find them all over Llandudno (look on the walls behind the Grand Hotel, as you go up the road to Happy Valley), they look quite exotic with their stems
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on October 21, 2011, 01:42:37 pm
Stephen, there seemed to be plenty of Arbutus seedlings and small bushes about.  It's interesting to hear that they prefer shelter, as these seem to be happily colonising a grassy hillside.  However, the plants are quite low growing, so maybe they are still sheltered - or maybe the exposure is keeping them low!  It will be interesting to see how they develop. 

It's nice to have an identification of all Yorkie's plants.  I would expect that Hugo's is a wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea) - look out for long stems of yellow flowers on these in spring and summer, Hugo. 

Hope your move continues to progress, Stephen. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: stephenprudence on October 21, 2011, 02:06:29 pm
Interesting, one interesting thing to note is that Arbutus is adapted only to coastal Mediterranean climates. Llandudno has a self-seeding population. There are specimens in Chester and a few in a garden near me, but the Chester one, and the ones near me cannot set fruit. I suspect this is because the climate is not warm enough in the winter. Like Olive trees in their natural habitat, they flower in winter, so frosts tend to destroy the flowers. However Llandudno doesn't have the level of frost we have, and certainly not the level of frosts that Chester has, therefore Llandudno's climate seems very suitable for the Arbutus.

Given how fussy Arbutus unedo is, and given it's propensity to self seed just within its natural range, I would classify it as a native plant that needs to be conserved on the great Orme. As long as they're left alone they''ll grow into a woody thicket which is develop a similarity to Laurisilva forests of Portugal and Canary Islands (Indeed Arbutus unedo, Prunus lusitanica, and Ilex aquifolium (our common holly), are native laurel forest plants of Canary Islands and Portugal

They are generally quite big trees when sheltered, the one in Chester is a good example, I'd say it grows to the same height as Prunus lusitanica - thats larger than a fully grown Holly Tree (Ilex aquifolium) anyhow. I'd say the open nature of things keeps them dwarfed.

Thanks for the ID, Brassica oleracea. Well we don't have these in Wirral, surprisingly, I think they must prefer alkaline soils, rather than our acid soil.

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 02, 2011, 03:24:44 pm
Here's a lovely collection of mosses growing on a rock on the Great Orme.  I'm not very good at identifying mosses but I think that the very white-looking cushions are a species of Grimmia, while the greener ones, with the long capsules of spores, are a species of Tortula.  Has anyone got any better suggestions? 

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on November 02, 2011, 03:39:16 pm
Not a clue about mosses but that is such a beautiful picture as are the ones you have just posted of the ponies and the misty hills viewed from the Orme. Fabulous!
 $thanx$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on November 02, 2011, 04:00:44 pm
Obviously not many rolling stones in that area!     &shake&
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on November 02, 2011, 10:53:00 pm
look like hedgehogs when i take my glasses off
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Pendragon on November 05, 2011, 09:55:14 pm
Much to my Sons disdain I love watching Country Tracks unfortunately for him it's on at the same time as he wants to watch the Simpsons.... but hey he'll get over it  :P I think it's a really interesting programme I mean did you know there are approximately 30,000 Roseringed parakeets breeding in the wild in Britain? Well ok south London.  Numbers have increased 30% just this year  :o   The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have said they need to cull the birds by poisoning or introducing a predator.  The full story below.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23389796-cull-of-the-parakeets.do (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23389796-cull-of-the-parakeets.do)

Another issue discussed on the show was a disease which affects Sycamore trees called Tar Spot.  Black irregular spots can be seen all over the leaves, the disease may cause premature leaf loss but on the whole causes little damage to the life span of the tree.  Apparently the only way you can reduce the spots is to sweep up and burn the affected leaves but no remedy is available.
Many of the trees on the track at the back of Oakwood (adjacent to the Sychnant pass) are affected. 

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=750 (http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=750)


Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 07, 2011, 12:49:00 pm
Hollins has posted some lovely autumn colours on the gardening thread.  Here are some of the autumn colours on the Great Orme. 

In the second photo, the berries on the twig are hawthorn and hanging from the twig is a vine of black bryony berries. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 07, 2011, 12:51:40 pm
I know that I've posted a dandelion clock before but I couldn't resist adding this one, with a single seed caught on the edge of the clock and just waiting for a breath of air to float it away. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on November 07, 2011, 11:32:50 pm
whats the betting it ends up in my garden lol
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 21, 2011, 05:23:55 pm
Hollins, I'm a bit late thanking you for your kind comments at the top of the page.   $thanx$

As Nemesis mentioned a little while ago, autumn is the time when a lot of fungi produce their fruiting bodies and there are plenty of toadstools "mushrooming" on the Great Orme at the moment.  Here's a selection of them. 

Nemesis, I agree with your comment in the gardening thread about eating wild mushrooms - I wouldn't chance it either! 

Gavin Maxwell, writing about the place where "Ring of Bright Water" was set, said that when he first moved there he had plans to live off the land, including eating wild mushrooms, but he reckoned that for every edible one there was a near-identical poisonous species - that would be my fear too. 

I worked for a while with a chap, Dave, who was an expert on identifying fungi and he used to lead "fungus forays".  Another colleague, Jonathan, and I went along on one of these but the other participants seemed to think that Jonathan and I weren't taking it seriously - while they were keenly collecting every little toadstool to identify, Jonathan and I were saying "Can we eat it?" and taking only the edible ones.  (Dave must have known his stuff as we both survived!)  However, if I'd paid a bit more attention I might have had more idea about identifying them. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 21, 2011, 05:31:49 pm
In the gardening thread there's been a mention of how well bedding plants are surviving at the moment.  There are various wild flowers "hanging on" too, including the common rockrose.  These need plenty of sun to open fully but given that there are still quite a lot of flowers about.  They look so delicate but they must be pretty tough. 

Some seed heads, like the black knapweed, also look very attractive in the sun. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 21, 2011, 05:40:28 pm
I can't resist adding some more photos of mosses but I haven't tried to identify these yet.  Mosses show up well at this time of year, when many of the bigger plants have died down and it's not too hot and dry.  Many mosses appear to shrivel up in dry conditions but recover when they get more moisture.  The low sun lit these up and brought out the colours beautifully. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 21, 2011, 05:47:22 pm
Another couple of mosses and some ivy.

Ivy at the reproductive stage is much more bushy than the trailing, vegetative ivy and the leaves don't have the typical ivy leaf shape.  Now that the leaves on their supporting trees have fallen, some of the ivy plants look almost big enough to be trees in their own right. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on January 15, 2012, 09:20:31 pm
Here are some picture of the frost on a range of foliage this morning. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on January 15, 2012, 11:11:06 pm
Blodyn, you have totally excelled yourself today. The frosty pictures are quite beautiful as are the Orme views. Even the barbed wire fence looks good.
Fabulous, more cards, maybe?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on January 16, 2012, 09:44:42 am
Hollins, you really are very kind.   $thanx$

I think this is the first "good" frost we've had here this winter.  Certainly the first when I've had a chance to get out with a camera.  I'll have a think about some cards. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Llechwedd on January 18, 2012, 12:20:32 pm
Blodyn thanks once again for your superb photos. an absorbing hobby.  What kind of camera have you got and I assume a zoom lense?

I sat in the sun on Sunday in Hyde Park listening to the parakeets screeching in the trees.  They are mostly green and very difficult to see. They have been as far as the Royal Albert Hall i.e. half way across the park for a number of years now.  It's funny watching foreign tourists looking puzzled at the racket.  On the whole think I prefer sea gulls but then maybe I'm conditioned.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on January 19, 2012, 08:50:05 pm
Thanks very much, Llechwedd, that's very kind. 

My camera is an Olympus Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom.  It's a "bridge" camera, not a digital SLR, but it will go all the way from a wide angle to super macro with the one lens, with a bit of zoom in between.  Its main drawback is that it's very slow to focus and to write to the card but fortunately flowers don't move too fast unless it's windy!  I don't think the camera's made any more but it seems to work pretty well. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Llechwedd on January 20, 2012, 12:15:49 pm
Thanks for that Blodyn I thought that I might venture in to Jessops sale.....!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 22, 2012, 12:24:06 pm
The Camelias in Portmeirion were in bloom already as were many other shrubs.   They have many variety of trees there and some of the trees have most unusual shapes.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on January 22, 2012, 05:08:22 pm
Those trees are amazing, Hugo!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on February 11, 2012, 05:07:58 pm
Snowdrops on a bank by Pant Y Wennol today
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on February 12, 2012, 01:21:04 pm
Hugo, Once again I have enjoyed the photos of all your travels yesterday.
I have tried this morning to take a photo of the snowdrops in our garden.
Where's a Blodyn or a Dave when you need one?!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on February 12, 2012, 02:27:39 pm
Fantastic display Hollins of such a beautiful delicate flower.  Do daffodils come through after the snowdrops have faded?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on February 12, 2012, 02:57:19 pm
Thanks Jack. Yes the daffodils come out but a bit further up the garden. I posted a picture of them in the Gardening thread. Page 4, reply 83. Sorry don't know how to do a link to it.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on February 12, 2012, 03:26:05 pm
Hollins, those Snowdrops look so lovely in large clumps like that. It's a pleasure seeing them as they are such a lovely flower.
The Church in Caerhun had masses of them when I went there last year, so I must make a point of going again soon.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on February 13, 2012, 08:22:00 am
Drove down past there yesterday and saw some snowdrops by the roadside which reminded us of the ones at Gwydir Uchaf. Didn't drive up this time. Think I posted pics last year.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on February 13, 2012, 10:44:57 am
What lovely photos of the snowdrops, Hugo and Hollins. 

Last year I planted some snowdrops in my garden, "in the green" and the leaved disappeared almost immediately, for which I blamed the slugs.  However, I now have three brave little flowers showing but I've got a long way to go to compete with those fantastic drifts of naturalised snowdrops!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on February 13, 2012, 12:26:47 pm
I'm the same Blodyn, there are about 6 snowdrops scattered about in my border all looking a bit lonely.   They say that it's best to plant them "in the green" but I've not had the best of luck with them either in the green or by planting bulbs,
Hollins' display is fantastic to see.
By the way I think the Rowen Open Day is this year sometime and there are some beautiful gardens open to the public so you'll be able to take some more great photos of the flowers.
 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on February 14, 2012, 10:42:11 pm
There are still quite a lot of snowdrops at St Mary's, Caerhun, however they are starting to fade.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on February 18, 2012, 08:45:14 pm
The leaves of wild arum are starting to appear in wooded areas on the Great Orme.

The rare plant hutchinsia is just starting to come into flower on the Great Orme.  I can't claim any credit for spotting this, as I was told when and where to look for it.  This a pretty small member of the cabbage family and the flowers are tiny.  The flower stalks should grow a bit more but I thought that I'd post a picture now in case I don't get back before flowering finishes. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on February 23, 2012, 08:09:27 pm
Greenfild Valley today and the only variety of flower that I saw there
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Paddy on February 24, 2012, 04:22:07 am
The leaves of wild arum are starting to appear in wooded areas on the Great Orme.

The rare plant hutchinsia is just starting to come into flower on the Great Orme.  I can't claim any credit for spotting this, as I was told when and where to look for it.  This a pretty small member of the cabbage family and the flowers are tiny.  The flower stalks should grow a bit more but I thought that I'd post a picture now in case I don't get back before flowering finishes.

Blodyn, I dropped 20p in that area, did you happen to find it?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Merddin Emrys on February 24, 2012, 06:29:48 am
 _))*

Great pics, I love the early spring (late winter) flowers D)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on February 24, 2012, 08:59:29 pm
Blodyn, I dropped 20p in that area, did you happen to find it?

Well, Paddy, I wondered where it came from!   ;)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on February 29, 2012, 01:02:32 pm
The wet conditions in Capel Curig are perfect for the lichen and ferns that grow on some of the trees there.  We stopped at St Mary's Church in Caerhun on the way back but the Snowdrops have faded as Jack mentioned but it was worth the stop just to look at the view over the Church wall.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 14, 2012, 12:36:38 am
I did get back to have another look at the hutchinsia and the plants had grown a bit but were still very small. 

I spotted my first wild violets yesterday - there have probably been others in flower already, these just happen to be the first I've seen. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 14, 2012, 08:21:49 pm
There are a lot of alexanders in flower at the moment.  The one in the photograph was on the Little Orme, where the smell (described as "pungent" by one of my wild flower books) was very noticeable in the still air.  Unlike the tiny hutchinsia, these are big, robust plants.  The leaves are a deep, glossy green and from a distance the flowers look green too but a closer look shows that the little individual flowers are actually yellow. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on March 15, 2012, 04:08:46 pm
Gloddaeth Lane looked nice as I drove past today so I stopped to take a couple of photos of the flowers there.  There were loads of Daffodils out and it looked like there were many more that would be out soon.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 16, 2012, 10:05:45 am
It is lovely to see the spring flowers coming out, isn't it?  What a nice picture of the primroses, Hugo. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 16, 2012, 11:25:50 pm
This morning felt very spring-like, particularly with more wild flowers starting to appear. 

Here are a lesser celandine and some daisies. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on March 17, 2012, 08:32:13 am
Lovely pics as ever Blod. have seen quite a bit of difference in the amount of flowers and mosses during this last week. Everything is waking up !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on March 30, 2012, 12:00:28 am
You're right, Nemesis, things are certainly getting going.

I went out for a "quick" walk this morning and took just my compact camera, so that I didn't spend too much time messing about photographing flowers.  Well, the theory was OK ...

The holly flowers are from a male tree. 

The violets are common dog violets.  Those in an earlier post were sweet violets, so it's a good excuse for another photo. 

There's a lovely patch of very low growing blackthorn near the top of the zig-zag path on the Great Orme and the bumblebees were enjoying the flowers on these and the gorse. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on March 30, 2012, 06:51:53 am
Amazing photos Blodyn!
So that's you with a compact camera.......would you mind saying which one it is?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 04, 2012, 03:06:57 pm
Hollins, sorry for the late reply.  My compact camera's a 7MP Kodak but it's not made any more, so I'm afraid that won't help your search for a new camera.  I'm sure that there are plenty of better models than mine, which I bought mainly for its wide angle lens. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on April 22, 2012, 02:02:20 pm
The bluebells aren't fully out yet but the woods are looking good nevertheless.
Here are a few pics I took this morning.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on April 22, 2012, 05:44:04 pm
I'm not generally into wild flowers but their is a great host of Cowslips next to the path leading from the shop to the Cafe at the RSPB in the Junction.   I wouldn't have noticed until the OH pointed them out to me.    :D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 22, 2012, 07:40:45 pm
Nice to see the Bluebells coming out Hollins.   If you get the chance, have that walk to Cadair Ifan Goch and treat yourself to a coffee in Plas Maenan afterwards.        $cofffee$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on April 23, 2012, 08:33:50 am
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-17805118 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-17805118)
This item caught my eye in this morning's news.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 23, 2012, 01:35:58 pm
Hollins, what nice pictures, you're obviously getting the hang of this close ups lark!  As Hugo says, it's lovely to see the bluebells coming out.

Yorkie, I'm glad your OH pointed out the cowslips.  It sounds a good display and I hope you enjoyed seeing them,

Nemesis, that's an interesting link, thanks for posting it.

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 28, 2012, 09:47:40 pm
I took these photos on the Great Orme last Sunday, so I've been a bit slow posting them. 

The spring squills are now in flower and these lovely little blue flowers can be seen dotted about among the grass.  Even the pollen is blue and the flowers are pollinated by insects like the little beetle in the first picture.  The curly, strap lie leaves can also be seen in the first picture.  I like the spring squills so much that I can't resist posting two pictures of them. 

The hoary rockroses are also in flower.  The flowers are smaller and the plants hairier than the common rockose, which starts flowering later, so there only odd flowers of these open at the moment. 

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 28, 2012, 09:52:55 pm
Here are a couple more common flowers - herb Robert and a dandelion.  I know that I've posted a very similar photo of a dandelion before but looking at the flower like this makes me think of a sunburst - and we may not get any of those tomorrow!

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on April 30, 2012, 11:35:48 pm
Some more flowers from the Great Orme, all in the area surrounging Mike's golf course.

Mike is obviously doing his bit for conservation by leaving some of the grass uncut to allow some of the less common flowers to grow.   &well&

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 01, 2012, 08:23:52 pm
I love looking at your flower photos Blodyn. I never knew the name "herb robert." The forget-me-not looks so pretty in your photograph but they are all gorgeous.
We had a friend here yesterday who is keen on photography. She goes to a camera club and has a very swish looking camera!
She took these photos of the bluebells which are looking much more blue now.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 01, 2012, 09:09:36 pm
Thanks, Hollins, that's very kind.

How lovely to see such a mass of bluebells in your friend's photos. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 03, 2012, 11:11:56 am
Noticed one or two purple orchids opening on the Orme this morning-- will try and remember the camera next trip !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on May 06, 2012, 06:12:09 pm
Saw this wood sorrel at Coed Dolgarrog, it is growing out of the moss on a dead tree branch!  Must be enough nutrients in the moss for the flower to grow.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 07, 2012, 11:32:27 pm
Jack, what a lovely find!  It's a good example of community succession, as soil and humus can start to build up within moss communities, allowing "higher" plants to become established.  I'm not sure how much further the succession will go on a tree trunk, though! 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on May 08, 2012, 09:14:22 pm
Here is another one Blodyn, from the same area, a sapling rooted in the top of a fence post!!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 09, 2012, 01:05:47 pm
Remembered the camera!
Here is a Purple Orchid and also a view of one of the masses of Gorse.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 09, 2012, 01:46:42 pm
Llanddwyn Island was amass with flowers yesterday and Blodyn and Nemesis would have had a field day with their cameras.  The volunteer and Forestry workers have recorded the flowers on the Island and I'm sure they said that there were over 70 varieties recorded!  ( I should have paid more attention)
The location of the various plants are displayed in the Pilots Cottages on the Island.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 09, 2012, 10:08:08 pm
Lovely photos, everyone.

Jack, that sapling looks very ambitious!

Nemesis, that's a lovely orchid - I hope the sheep don't eat it! 

Hugo, the last photo with the mass of bluebells and blue sea is particularly beautiful. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 16, 2012, 01:00:27 pm
If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise......................!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 18, 2012, 12:06:46 am
That's lovely, Hollins. 

Travelling up the Conwy Valley yesterday evening, the bluebells by the roadside looked very vivid in colour. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: martin on May 25, 2012, 06:48:25 pm
I know someone on here will be able to identify the orchid we spotted while on a walk today.  It was some 16" high with two stems about 1/4" in diameter, it was right in the middle of a heap of blackberry bushes.  We looked around the area but it appears that this was the only one that was growing here.  It clearly loves it's micro climate, can anyone give it a name please?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on May 26, 2012, 12:40:18 am
It looks like a very fine specimen of an early purple orchid.  It's a lovely photo, Martin. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 26, 2012, 01:25:08 pm
Some of the flowers I saw on the Maenan Walk but don't know what they are called.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 26, 2012, 02:18:47 pm
The first one looks like Red Campion to me.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on May 27, 2012, 12:21:51 am
been sent an e,mail you may enjoy

Clic aquí: La vida de las flores
hope Ive done it right
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on May 27, 2012, 12:24:32 am
no not worked.sorry
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on June 07, 2012, 08:06:10 pm
The first photo was by Point Lynas and the second by Mynydd Garthmyn
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on June 08, 2012, 11:11:57 am
Thrift and cotton grass???
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: sam on June 08, 2012, 08:43:58 pm
This is a great thread to learn about the local flora...and some excellent pics too! I've recently offered to volunteer for Plantlife to take part in a wildflower count. Thought that maybe some of the members might be interested in taking part too (if they are not in some way already) as there seems to be a lot of interest and knowledge here to be shared. You don't have to have a good knowledge of wild plants (thankfully for me!) just an interest but obviously the more you know the easier and quicker it would be. I have yet to do my walk but when the weather clears up I will have a go and post up what I find.

http://www.plantlife.org.uk/things_to_do/wildflowers_count/ (http://www.plantlife.org.uk/things_to_do/wildflowers_count/)

"Many of our more common species of flower can easily be taken for granted, often overlooked while we study rare and endangered species. But common species are important and can be under pressure from problems such as pollution, or they may be doing well because of land management practices. This is why we need to count our more common wildflowers; they are indicators of how healthy our countryside is, and the more counts there are the better.

Wildflowers Count has three different ways to take part. All surveys are done within a 1km square that is selected to be within easy reach of your home. And there is a new list of 99 wildflowers to count. You can choose which survey you would like to take part in, as best suits your interests or experience.

•Wildflowers Path - take a 1km walk through your square, taking note of any of the wildflowers in the Wildflowers Count ID guide (and the type of habitats) along the way.
•Wildflower Plots - the basis of the old Common Plants Survey. We provide you with a small square plot, and a small linear plot, square, within which we ask you to note any of the 99 wildflowers from the guide, along with how abundant they are.
•Become a Super-surveyor! Some volunteers told us that they felt frustrated that they could only record the few wildflowers in the ID Guide, so we have changed things. Those who feel confident enough will be able to identify as many plants as they can. "

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on June 21, 2012, 08:11:46 pm
Inspired by Pendragon's and Hugo's recent walks along the Anglesey Coastal Path I walked the section from Bull Bay to Cemaes and back on Sunday.  I know the first photo is foxgloves, the second sea campion but am unsure of the third; I was thinking Devil's bit scabious but know someone on here will be able to help!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 21, 2012, 08:19:05 pm
Love your photos Jack especially the first one, such a lovely composition.
How long is that section of that walk? Is there a lot of ascent and descent?
Can't help with the name of the flower, sorry. Where's Blodyn?!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on June 21, 2012, 08:26:53 pm
Love your photos Jack especially the first one, such a lovely composition.
How long is that section of that walk? Is there a lot of ascent and descent?
Can't help with the name of the flower, sorry. Where's Blodyn?!

Hi Hollins, Pendragon has written more about the walk in the walking thread.  It was pretty flat as far as the brickworks although it started to get quite undulating after that towards Cemaes Bay!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on June 29, 2012, 08:28:57 pm
Jack's third photo certainly looks like a scabious but I don't think it's a devil's bit scabious, which is usually dark purple with a more rounded head. 

I've not been on the Forum for a while as I've had a few hectic weeks, including two working trips to Russia.  I was driven around quite a lot on those trips and saw some interesting looking wildflowers through the window but didn't manage to get much closer to them than that!   :(
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on June 29, 2012, 11:15:45 pm
hi blodyn nice to see you back again, glad you enjoyed your trip, i was near your house earlier this week sat on the bench overlooking west shore. The orme seems to be covered in buttercups but they are very short stemmed and i can,t recall seeing them so short before, can you tell me if they are common here and what type they are please, bri.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 30, 2012, 10:10:09 am
Good to see you back on the forum Blodyn. Your trips sound very interesting. Might there be a good "Room with a view" from Russia?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on June 30, 2012, 11:46:15 am
I've not been on the Forum for a while as I've had a few hectic weeks, including two working trips to Russia.  I was driven around quite a lot on those trips and saw some interesting looking wildflowers through the window but didn't manage to get much closer to them than that!   :(

Not been playing "I spy" have you?    L0L
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on June 30, 2012, 02:41:53 pm
hi blodyn nice to see you back again, glad you enjoyed your trip, i was near your house earlier this week sat on the bench overlooking west shore. The orme seems to be covered in buttercups but they are very short stemmed and i can,t recall seeing them so short before, can you tell me if they are common here and what type they are please, bri.
Nice to have you back Blodyn. Could Snowcap's Buttercups be Rock Roses? Whole areas of the Orme seem to be carpeted in yellow at the moment. I saw lots of them this morning and also alot of Bird's Foot Trefoil. Just peeping through were a number of close flowered blue spikes. Could they have been Speedwells?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 06, 2012, 02:19:39 pm
If anyone remembers last year a few strange flowers appeared in my garden which were identified as Ivy  Broomrape.
This year they have gone mad and I have at least 2 dozen heads of it so far.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on July 15, 2012, 01:12:03 pm
Came across these flowers on a walk we had yesterday.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 15, 2012, 06:07:14 pm
Only an opinion:-
Some kind of Orchid
Bell Heather
Mallow

Help--Blodyn where are you when we neeed you?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on July 16, 2012, 04:55:18 pm
Thanks Nemesis, my friend was taking photos of the Orchid, so I thought that I'd have a go too.  My camera is just a compact one but I know that there is a macro facility there somewhere, if I knew how to find it! ( had the camera over 2 years and not looked at the instruction book yet! ) 
I fiddled about with the camera and after a short delay it went off like a machine gun and started taking photos quickly one after the other.
That one posted is the best of a bad bunch.  Where's Blodyn when you need her?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Bellringer on July 16, 2012, 08:53:11 pm
Sorry folks, I saw and spoke to Blodyn's mother this afternoon but forgot to ask.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 17, 2012, 03:07:32 pm
Sorry folks, I've been a pretty busy again and when I get on the Forum I always spend longer than I intend, so I've had to stay off for a while!

Snowcap's yellow flowers are the common rockrose, as Nemesis suggested.  I had a look where Snowcap had been and, like much of the Orme at the moment, that area's covered with them.  If you look closely, the petals are more delicate that those of buttercups and look rather papery, as opposed to the waxy flowers of buttercups.  The rockroses open their flowers in the sun, so at the beginning or end of the day or in miserable weather the flowers are likely to be closed. 

Nemesis, it's lovely to see your ivy broomrapes doing so well. 

Nemesis is doing a very good job with the flower ID (you don't need me at all!).  Hugo's first flower is a pyramidal orchid - there are a fair number around at the moment and that's a very nice specimen.  As Nemesis said, the others are bell heather and a mallow. 

Hugo, have you found the macro setting yet? 

My own camera situation has gone from bad to worse and not even the compact camera is working now.  For the moment I'm left with just my smart phone (and as soon as I think I've got the hang of it I get an update which changes things!).  However, here are a few photos from the phone. 

The first two are for Snowcap - common rockroses in the sun and rain. 

The third one is for Nemesis - a spiked speedwell (with a moth for Fester!).

The last one is a pyramidal orchid for Hugo.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on July 17, 2012, 08:49:47 pm
thank,s for that blodyn and well done Nemesis spot on. Pity the moth was,nt bigger for fester,
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 18, 2012, 10:48:23 am
Thanks Blodyn-- love your moth-- he/she's beautiful.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 25, 2012, 12:00:50 am
Here are some of our less showy wildflowers - nettles and docks. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 25, 2012, 12:35:31 am
Here are some more.

Hedge woundwort and wood sage are from the same family, the labiate family.  On the Great Orme I find hedge woundwort growing in shady places but despite its name wood sage grows happily in the open. 

The tufted vetches seem to be doing very well this year.  This one has a common carder bumblebee foraging on it. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 25, 2012, 11:41:41 am
Super pics as usual Blodyn. Thanks
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 25, 2012, 10:51:53 pm
 $thanx$ Nemesis, that's really kind. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on July 26, 2012, 06:19:02 pm
Blodyn, you've got a unique gift of making even the weeds look beautiful. It's a pleasure looking at all your photos.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on July 26, 2012, 11:39:39 pm
its funny but you can allways find a dock leaf when you,v been nettled, its as if the nettle knows that the dock leaf will be there to cure its nasty sting when its done its dirty deed.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 27, 2012, 11:06:40 am
 $thanx$ Hugo, that's very nice of you.  I think it's just a case of looking at them closely. 

Snowcap, it's probably fortunate that docks like similar growing conditions to nettles but what always fascinates me is wondering how someone first discovered that docks could relieve nettle stings. 

I was told years ago that nettles don't sting while they're in flower.  I've never put it to the test - does anyone know if it's true?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on July 27, 2012, 01:34:48 pm
that's intresting i have pulled the flowering nettles up by hand without being nettled but i allways thought that they were a different species of nettle, none stinging type. you live and learn
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Bellringer on July 27, 2012, 06:03:01 pm
I have heard it said that nettles don't sting in a certain month, but unfortunately I can't remember which one!

Nice pics. Blodyn
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on July 27, 2012, 08:41:09 pm
Any volunteers to test these theories?   :o
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on July 27, 2012, 08:50:22 pm
 :-X EEEEEK
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: 1_rob_1 on July 27, 2012, 09:20:33 pm
Blodyn, you've got a unique gift of making even the weeds look beautiful. It's a pleasure looking at all your photos.
Definition of a weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted, so if you have a lovely flowering plant, planted in the wrong place Ie : your garden, - it is classed as a weed!!!
So in the right environment. Ie: on the orme.    They are not weeds.
All plants/flowers can be beautiful in their own environment.

Maybe not on the prom/beach though  ;D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on August 14, 2012, 10:23:24 pm
I thought that this was a nice idea.
I took the photos this morning in Abergele.
They have grown mini wildflower meadows in the grass verges right beside the main road.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on August 15, 2012, 10:21:38 am
How lovely
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on August 29, 2012, 12:34:33 pm
I feel a bit daft now proudly posting about the crocosmias growing in our garden. In Guernsey they are growing wild!
Does anyone know what are the yellow flowers in the third photo called?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on August 29, 2012, 05:56:28 pm
how ironic I'm on a golf break in Scotland and have just been for a walk around Port Patrick and the ones in the first and second pictures are just wild every were you look along the cliff tops.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on August 29, 2012, 09:55:23 pm
Hope you have a wonderful time there snowcap. I really like Portpatrick and I especially like the Cream O'Galloway ice cream!
I think it is the nicest I have ever eaten. Maybe you could call in for one on your way back if you haven't done so already!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on August 31, 2012, 08:06:37 pm
sorry hollins not had the pleasure of sampling the icecream but home now after an excellent five days of golf and good food very nice Guinness and the odd Jameson
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on September 22, 2012, 05:46:09 pm
Sea holly on Pensarn beach.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on October 03, 2012, 10:06:48 pm
A few mushrooms and toadstools are starting to appear now, a sure sign of Autumn.  Decided best not to pick and add to tonight's dinner or the kids could go to school tomorrow hallucinating.  They were in the woods at Bryn Euryn.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on October 13, 2012, 05:26:26 pm
Great photo Jack. Does anyone know what these are?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Yorkie on October 13, 2012, 06:39:48 pm
Mushrooms?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Bellringer on October 13, 2012, 07:23:07 pm
I saw some one picking "mushrooms"in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church last week.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on October 13, 2012, 09:30:18 pm
He didn't have a monkey in a pram did he? ;D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Merddin Emrys on October 13, 2012, 09:34:58 pm
He didn't have a monkey in a pram did he? ;D

 L0L _))*
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on October 14, 2012, 01:50:28 pm
Sorry--- Couldn't resist that one !! _))* _))* _))*
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on October 21, 2012, 11:03:45 pm
There's a lot of "old man's beard" appearing now, showing up particularly where the wild clematis is draped over bushes which are losing their leaves.  Here are some pictures of development from the flowers to the "beard" stage.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on October 21, 2012, 11:09:30 pm
I love the way the low sun enhanced the colour of this carline thistle.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on October 22, 2012, 11:57:09 am
I have enjoyed looking at all your recent photos on the forum Blodyn. Really lovely as always.
Here is a photo of a thistle and a gentian (I think) growing at an altitude of 2000 metres. The photos were taken last week in Switzerland.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on October 22, 2012, 06:36:32 pm
Thanks, Hollins.   :)

Your second photo does indeed look like a gentian.  Despite its name, the ukwildflowers (http://www.ukwildflowers.com/index.htm) site also has photographs of European flowers and it's well worth looking at - the photographs are wonderful. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on November 16, 2012, 03:08:10 pm
If you are still there Blodyn, what is this called?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 16, 2012, 03:25:22 pm
That's wild clematis with the seed heads developing.  If you look a bit further up this page there are some close-ups of it.  The plant is often called "traveller's joy" and this white, fluffy stage "old man's beard" - a name which put my sister off the plant when we were children. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on November 16, 2012, 03:28:04 pm
 $thanx$
I thought I had seen it on here before.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Blodyn on November 19, 2012, 10:12:01 am
Here are some pictures of plants on the Great Orme in yesterday's sun. 

The hawthorn berries and flowering ivy made a dramatic contrast with the blue sky.  I assume that the gorse is European rather than western gorse as it's flowering now (the only way I can tell them apart).  The moss was top of a fence post. 
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 13, 2013, 01:38:45 pm
The bluebells are late this year as are the leaves on the trees but it is starting to look good now.
Snow forecast for tomorrow though!
Let's hope not.
I miss Blodyn's posts. I hope you are okay Blodyn wherever you are.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on May 13, 2013, 08:55:22 pm
Lovely photos Hollins.

I took some flower photos also today; bluebells, wood anemones, cowslips and early purple orchid!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 13, 2013, 09:37:54 pm
Gorgeous Jack. Lovely to see those. At first I thought you had taken them on your long walk but I re read it and saw that you took them today.
I was impressed at the speed of your walking. I was only doing about 2 miles an hour on my coast path walk!
Mr Hollins bought a Garmin watch that does all sorts but it had to go back and be replaced when it got misted up on the ski touring trip.
I am looking forward to trying out the new automatic re size photos sometime.
Thanks DaveR, that will save a lot of time.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on May 13, 2013, 09:54:55 pm
Thanks Hollins, I suppose the advantage of being tall is a long stride and being able to walk quickly.  I would have been slightly faster if I hadn't been playing with the GPS all the time  :D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: sam on May 14, 2013, 11:26:47 am
Love seeing everyone's wildflower pics so I thought I'd post a few of mine from my latest wanderings. This spring has been beautiful in the woods so far - absolutely magical...my photos cannot do it justice. Some things you just can't quite capture in a photograph. $walesflag$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: sam on May 14, 2013, 11:31:02 am
Oh is the new automatic resizing thing not working ? If not - I shall be back.......
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: sam on May 14, 2013, 11:35:07 am
Oh it is working is it ??? Probably me being impatient again.... :rage: Ok ...another pic......
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: sam on May 14, 2013, 11:48:32 am
Um just realised  :roll: I can post once for 6 pics instead of a new post each time I put up a pic....doh. Anyway my PC is being stubborn so just one more for now.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: andyCYD on May 16, 2013, 11:55:55 am
We have quite a few of these growing in the park in Craig y Don. Not seen them there before. Guess it must be because of the wet conditions over the last year or so.

Can someone tell me what it is?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 16, 2013, 01:01:22 pm
I think it is a Lady's Smock or Cuckoo Flower. We used to call them Milkmaids when I was a child and I think again that they are part of the Cabbage Family.They can vary between white, pink and lilac.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: andyCYD on May 16, 2013, 01:29:02 pm
Thanks Nemesis
A quick google confirm you are correct. According to the Wildlife trust, it can usually be found in "damp grass land," which certainly describes the park over the last year.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 16, 2013, 03:39:32 pm
mmm I have to agree with you there-- the last time I walked in there I had to keep avoiding 'lakes' !
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 18, 2013, 03:48:55 pm
A couple more pics of the bluebells.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Michael on June 26, 2013, 11:42:15 am
  Am I missing posts from Blodyn? I used to enjoy reading about her wild flowers snippets.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on January 06, 2014, 08:29:20 am
Not really wild, but spotted on Saturday in the Haulfre Gardens. A hopeful sign of Spring ? ;D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Merddin Emrys on January 06, 2014, 08:33:29 am
I'm waiting for my aconites to pop up!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on January 06, 2014, 08:35:40 am
They'll probably stick their heads into this wind and pop down again ! My Christmas Roses are struggling ! ;D
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on April 26, 2014, 12:57:32 pm
It's bluebell time again.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 17, 2014, 03:35:43 pm
Hello from the Alpine meadows of Switzerland.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on June 17, 2014, 05:20:03 pm
Beautiful Hollins, love the orchids in the last image especially.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 17, 2014, 05:29:12 pm
Thanks Jack. Are these orchids?
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on June 17, 2014, 08:59:16 pm
No I don't think so, I think they are either bugle or self heal.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Merddin Emrys on June 17, 2014, 09:26:46 pm
Hollins, looks lovely there!  $cool$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 21, 2014, 10:10:11 pm
I thought you might like these Jack. We were up at a higher level, about 6000 feet to see these gorgeous alpines.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 21, 2014, 10:13:14 pm
....a few more.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 21, 2014, 10:15:39 pm
and a couple of butterflies.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on June 21, 2014, 10:23:07 pm
Wow, thanks for sharing Hollins. Those gentians are such a vivid blue - such a contrast with the greens and yellows.  The butterflies are small tortoiseshell and Swiss brassy ringlet.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 21, 2014, 10:26:31 pm
Thanks Jack. I thought you would probably answer the butterfly question faster than I could google it!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 22, 2014, 01:26:56 pm
Apologies if you have seen enough wild flowers but as it is quiet on here, (these are the last, promise) from a river walk with mum.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Barbiroli on June 22, 2014, 04:28:24 pm

 Hi Hollins, Where were you in the picture of the two ladies sitting by the river? It looks so peaceful.


Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 22, 2014, 04:39:59 pm
Hi Barbiroli,
Yes, it is very peaceful. The photo is of me and my mum and it is in Adelboden in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland.
All the wild flower photos were taken there.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Barbiroli on June 22, 2014, 07:50:55 pm
Thank you Hollins  You do take some lovely photos.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on July 07, 2014, 05:42:37 pm
Thanks Barbiroli.
I saw these in the river this morning. Don't know what they are but they looked really pretty. Probably some kind of horrible weed!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on July 07, 2014, 06:38:58 pm
Think they are white water buttercup but not 100% certain.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on July 07, 2014, 06:52:53 pm
Thanks Jack. Looks right to me.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on February 25, 2015, 09:05:34 pm
Probably just weeds again but I thought this arrangement looked quite attractive.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on February 25, 2015, 10:26:23 pm
Leaves of the herb robert, soon have lovely pink flowers on.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on February 26, 2015, 11:09:22 am
The plant has a very pungent quite unpleasant smell, especially if bruised.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 04, 2015, 04:56:59 pm
Took this photo in the woods today but not sure what they are.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Nemesis on May 04, 2015, 05:46:18 pm
The leaves look like Oxalis.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 04, 2015, 06:03:28 pm
Yes, thanks Nemesis. I put oxalis into google and it came up with this. Oxalis acetosella, wood sorrel.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Oxalis_acetosella-1.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Oxalis_acetosella-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 12, 2015, 12:44:19 pm
Here are a few pics of the bluebells and the wild garlic which are looking lovely at the moment.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 12, 2015, 01:08:55 pm
They look really beautiful Hollins.    We were hoping to do a walk again to see them this year but time is running out so we must do it soon.
Cadair Ifan Goch above Plas Maenan is a good spot to see them and also above Dolgarrog in the Ardda area.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Jack on May 12, 2015, 04:17:36 pm
Also Coed Parc Mawr near Henryd is stunning at the moment with woodland flowers. I went up there last week and strolled up to old Llangelynin Chuch too. Unfortunately I forgot my camera.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 12, 2015, 04:44:59 pm
You'll have to go back again then Jack and take that photo.     $good$

Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 16, 2015, 04:27:46 pm
Saw loads of beautiful wild flowers on the Pembrokeshire coast path today.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 22, 2015, 03:52:09 pm
For snowcap, thanks for the likes!   :)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on May 22, 2015, 09:18:04 pm
 No thank you, one of my loves in life are lovely gardens and wild flowers in abundance,
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 17, 2015, 09:13:12 am
There are some lovely wild flowers out on Llanddwyn Island at the moment.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on June 17, 2015, 10:22:19 am
It was a good time for you to visit the island Hollins as it is covered in flowers now, as your lovely photos show.   I particularly like the Thrift that you see in clumps on the cliff edges and there are some unusual Orchids there but you have to know where to look to find those.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 28, 2016, 10:18:52 pm
We had a walk in Llanystumdwy today and saw loads of Snowdrops out on the banks of the Afon Dwyfor
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on January 29, 2016, 08:01:47 am
They look beautiful Hugo. Wish I could get out to look at ours but the weather is really wild at the moment.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on March 31, 2016, 05:32:04 pm
 :-}}}    Posted in the wrong place     :-[
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 06, 2016, 06:54:39 pm
I came across this plant when I parked my car today.   I'm not sure what it is, but may be a Lily
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: SteveH on April 06, 2016, 08:25:34 pm
Hi Hugo, great photos, I had a look for the name and came up with the following, nearest I could find, but do take note of the warning.

Common name:
arum lily, calla lily
Conservation status:
Not of conservation concern.
Habitat:
Marshy places in Southern Africa.
Known hazards:
All parts of the plant are poisonous, causing irritation and swelling of the mouth and acute gastric diarrhoea.
Taxonomy


Zantedeschia aethiopica is one of the world's most iconic and widely known plants. Although commonly known as the arum lily or calla lily, it is not a lily at all but an aroid, with its brilliant white spathe (floral bract) surrounding the central pale yellow spadix (floral spike) bearing tiny flowers.

This very attractive plant has been known to European horticulture since at least the 1660s. Carl Linnaeus described it in 1753 as Calla aethiopica and it has been commonly known as the calla lily ever since. The species epithet 'aethiopica' refers to the fact that it is native to Africa. In 1826 Sprengel transferred it to a new genus which he called Zantedeschia. According to Cythna Letty (1973), the name was probably given in honour of Giovanni Zantedeschi, an Italian botanist who lived in the early 19th century.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on April 06, 2016, 10:27:53 pm
Thanks very much for finding that out Steve.   Tellytubby took the last photo of the Lily which was in swampy ground.  He was more adventurous than me and risked a bit of a soaking going in there.
I hope he didn't touch the plant when he took the close up or it could be quite unpleasant for him!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on April 29, 2016, 03:47:13 pm
Coming soon!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 16, 2016, 04:02:08 pm
A sea of wild garlic!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 16, 2016, 07:36:19 pm
I bet that there was a strong smell from those masses of Wild Garlic,  we drove on the road from Llanasa to Gwaenysgor on Saturday and there is a section of that road that also has masses of the plants.
As we drove past them with the windows on the car open the scent from the flowers was wafting into the car and it's quite nice really.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on July 08, 2016, 09:50:54 pm
I am going to try and lighten the mood with some of my Swiss wild flower photos.
Title: Re: Wild flowers............... poisonous plant warning
Post by: SteveH on July 29, 2016, 01:10:37 pm
A poisonous plant that leaves people who touch it with burn-like blisters is rife in parts of North Wales.

With its most rampant season being during July and August, people are being warned to avoid giant hogweed.

When the tiny hairs on its stems come into contact with the skin, it causes an irritation.

But when the sun is exposed to sunlight, the skin swells and blisters and leaves victims with sores that look like serious burns.

In North Wales, there are hogweed hotspots around Valley and Holyead , Caernarfon , Abersoch , Llanbedrog , Llandudno and Llanrwst - and the school holidays could see a spike in cases of injuries.

More.....http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-giant-hogweed-hotspots-11678995 (http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-giant-hogweed-hotspots-11678995)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on July 30, 2016, 05:08:24 pm
Wasn't sure where to post this. Not wild flowers or local wildlife but definitely humongous fungus!
 :o :o :o

I have googled it and I think it is meripilus giganteus.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on July 31, 2016, 05:27:42 pm
You could make hubby a nice mushroom omelette with all that Fungi Hollins.         $dins$



On second thoughts, don't try that as we'll miss the action man's photos from all those great places he visits.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on August 17, 2016, 08:59:19 am
Different wild flowers on show each Swiss visit.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on November 04, 2016, 10:39:28 pm
It's not a flower but I didn't know where to post this photo of a fungi we saw in the Churchyard in Dolwyddelan.    It was bowl shaped and roughly about 6 inches across
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: snowcap on November 05, 2016, 07:35:54 pm
Looks like a dying mushroom.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on November 05, 2016, 10:51:20 pm
Looks like a dying mushroom.

Well it's in the right place being in the graveyard but this fungi looks  like the ones  called "cup fungi" but I couldn't find out exactly what type it was
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 25, 2017, 10:45:25 pm
We had a walk along the banks of the River Dwyfor today and the Snowdrops were out in their masses.   I think that we were a few days too early to see them at their best though.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 25, 2017, 11:11:25 pm
 :-}}}     It was the River Dwyfor          :-[

Changed it for you :-)
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on January 28, 2017, 03:22:37 pm
The snowdrops are looking so pretty here too this weekend.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 28, 2017, 03:40:25 pm
The Snowdrops look so good when they are planted in masses like that and it's a nice reminder too that Spring isn't that far away.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 01, 2017, 05:14:16 pm
Bluebells and wild garlic weekend!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 01, 2017, 05:19:18 pm
That came out very blurry as I had to resize it so here a couple on their own which will hopefully look a bit clearer.

Sorry, still a bit mushy but you get the idea!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on May 01, 2017, 10:12:28 pm
It's always nice to see sights like that Hollins and I bet the smell from the Bluebells and the Wild Garlic was quite strong.    We normally make a point of going to see the Bluebells in the Conwy Valley but for one reason or another we haven't had many walks recently.    Perhaps it's not too late to see them next week.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 13, 2017, 06:36:54 pm
Alpine flower heaven in Switzerland in June.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 13, 2017, 06:41:17 pm
Swiss Alpines
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 09, 2018, 06:36:44 pm
We did see some lovely wild flowers on our walks in Pembrokeshire. The primroses were especially beautiful.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on May 14, 2018, 02:26:08 pm
The bluebells are looking lovely at the moment as is the wild garlic!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on June 07, 2018, 05:05:40 pm
White water buttercup or water crowfoot or ranunculus aquatilis!
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on July 07, 2018, 01:32:54 pm
Saw these beauties high up on an alp in Switzerland recently.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on February 18, 2019, 02:45:20 pm
The snowdrops have put on a real show this year.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 21, 2020, 11:44:15 am
The Snowdrops in my garden are out now but I only planted a few so they look rather lonely as individual plants and are best seen in clumps.
For a few years now we have been going to Llanystumdwy and walking along the banks of the Afon Dwyfor to see the fantastic show of Snowdrops that are there.
I've attached some photos from our last visit there on the 18th February 2019 but the Snowdrops had gone past their best, sadly due to circumstances we are unable to go there this year so will have to miss the display
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: SteveH on January 21, 2020, 12:03:25 pm
Hope you have a quick recovery, and do not miss out too much.

I have noticed signs of an early spring, birds collecting nesting material, buds and new groweth, but still expecting frosts.   :(
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 21, 2020, 04:09:19 pm
Thanks Steve, at the moment I am restricted by what I can do but will know more next Monday when the stitches are taken out

I've had plenty of time to watch the birds in the garden but haven't seen anything unusual yet but there are plenty of buds on the shrubs and plants are coming through nicely
I've planted a few new plants this year and can't wait to see them coming along
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: SteveH on January 21, 2020, 06:01:44 pm
As I mentioned lots of new (groweth I missed my mistake above,) and am a bit worried about a frost, forgot to mention another potential problem,...... some recent visitors, some even brought the kids along.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on January 23, 2020, 10:44:36 am
Get well soon Hugo.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 23, 2020, 02:18:04 pm
Thanks Hollins that's appreciated

It looks like you have a nice collection of Snowdrops in the background       $good$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: hollins on January 23, 2020, 04:10:51 pm
Here's a few more.
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on January 24, 2020, 10:44:14 am
What a lovely sight to see, they brighten up these dark Winter days          $good$
Title: Re: Wild flowers
Post by: Hugo on February 05, 2020, 02:47:34 pm
There were some Snowdrops out in St Mary's Church at Caerhun when we went there today but they had just gone past their best