Fresh Orchid blooming in the Burren, with its gorgeous little flowers - Anyone got any ideas on the species (I'm terrible at identifying orchids ☺️)
County Clare, Ireland.
Beautiful Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi) flowers growing in their thousands, give a pink hue to many of the surrounding fields at this time of year.
County Clare, Ireland.
@evan to be honest I’ve never looked closely to see. Most of the plant is toxic and fruit only edible when fully ripe so I’ve never tried it. I leave it for the wildlife.
@IcooIey fair enough! I've read about them but never eaten them. I guess the ripe fruit are not poisonous. I've read a couple of accounts that they used to be a summer fruit beloved by children. Anyway, glad you're staying safe!
#CyngorCaerffili#CaerphillyCouncil sent this as part of their usually 'Newsline' update. Sounds great doesn't it? Except the first they thing did this morning was send a lawnmower man down to completely obliterate all the #WildFlowers growing in the wild area at the bottom of our bank. It's literally cut so low I can see bare earth. 🤦♂️ #NatureIsntNeat#NoMowMay
(You may need to click on the photo to see all of it).
Is my small raised bed meadow a 'habitat'? Absolutely.
Ignoring the multitude of tiny flies, aphids and mites and looking just at the medium to large more ornate insects and spiders, the species count grows by at least five a week during the warmer months.
That despite my inattentiveness and their propensity to hide. Many are authentically meadow creatures, common there but not ordinarily in gardens.
The ability of insects to home in on a tiny patch is extraordinary. Though from their perspective it is a vast jungle with many different microclimates.
It acts as a hotel between larger wild patches and as home in its own right. Anyone with a garden can and should do this.
The #calypsoorchids are coming up in the forest. They glitter in the dappled light. I kneel, prostrate myself before them. To gaze at their gorgeous lips. To behold their mottled depths. This is a kind of prayer.
