Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

Tag: Digitalis purpurea

  • Foxgloves – the beginning of high summer

    Foxgloves – the beginning of high summer

    Despite the dreich morning, the foxgloves are a timely reminder that Spring is behind us and we are now at the beginning of high summer. This crop have taken over a cleared plantation on Round Hill near Gribdale, felled a couple of years ago. Along with ox-eye daisies, foxgloves have the largest number of different…

  • Dead Men’s Bells

    Dead Men’s Bells

    Have you ever heard of a more absurd name? Foxgloves, gloves for foxes! Foxes don’t have fingers so if anything it should be fox mittens. There are as many folk names for foxgloves as there are counties. Few refer to gloves and fewer to foxes. Bunny rabbit’s mouths, witches thimble, fairies petticoats, elf-caps, clothes pegs,…