Tag: flora
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From an English woodland to a South American jungle
An annual task with the National Trust is at the Valley Gardens at Bransdale to tackle the invasive American Skunk Cabbage, which thrives in the damp areas of the valley floor. But this day was interrupted when a sudden hail storm arrived, making the already boggy ground even more challenging. On arrival is sunshine, we…
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Newton Wood’s Bluebells
May is an enchanting month, and one of the most exhilarating things about it is the appearance of bluebells in Newton Wood. These stunning blue flowers are a breathtaking sight and attract photographers from all over Teesside. While the majority of bluebells are blue, this clump of white ones regularly bloom. These may be “albino”…
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“Oh, to be in England, now that April’s there”
Spring has sprung! The blackthorn is blossoming, trees buds are unfurling, and daffodils and primroses are painting the landscape in vibrant hues. And the best part? I spotted my first bluebell today! But keep your wellies on. April isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Showers abound, and the woods and fields are riddled with deep pools…
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Spring has begun its journey
A sneak peek over the wall into the grounds of Kildale Hall. This is always a welcome sight at this time of the year. A reminder that spring is just around the corner. From the photo it looks like it’s the snowdrops that dominate, but actually the yellow aconites were more pronounced. Winter aconites, Evanthis…
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Stepping stone crossing of the River Doe at Beezleys
I wasn’t tempted to risk a crossing but was content to watch a dipper hopping across the stones. The River Doe is quite short, rising near Chapel-le-Dale and becoming the Greta after its confluence with the Twiss at Ingleton. Soon after these stepping stones the river plunges down a narrow gorge with several waterfalls —…
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Erica cinerea
The moors will soon be a profusion of lilac with the blooming of the Ling, but for several weeks now the deeper purple blaze of Bell heather has been taking the glory. This swathe of Bell heather is the largest I’ve seen. Normally it prefers to grow in small clumps on drier ground, the tops…
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The Cleveland Way
Buy any Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 map nowadays and you’ll find it criss-crossed by lines of green diamonds — the symbol for a National Trail or Long Distance Path. In 1965, the first such trail was launched, The Pennine Way, and the second was our very own Cleveland Way, opened four years later on this day,…
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Lenten Lilies by the Leven
Lenten Lily is a Yorkshire name for the daffodil, the wild English variety, although I guess these are a cultivated variety. Daffs are poisonous, nevertheless they have been used throughout the centuries for medicinal purposes particularly as a cure for cancer. Hippocrates himself recommended a pessary prepared from daffodils for tumours of the womb. In…
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The Marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris)
A murky morning so my eyes were drawn closer to earth seeking for signs of the vernal awakening. This spring, in the old Slack’s Quarry, seems to be a favourite spot for the marsh marigold, its vivid yellow flowers already in bloom. Wikipedia says it should flower between April and August, but I suspect the…
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A Snowdrift
I can’t claim these are the first snowdrops I’ve seen this year but they are certainly the most impressive. This drift is behind the little church at the head of Bransdale, along a beck with no name. In a month’s time, the bank will be dominated by daffodils, only to be overtaken by bluebells a…