An Enchanted Place

The meadow looks very bare since it was mowed, but if you walk across the open expanse you can spot a few wildflowers that are trying to make a comeback.

The first of these is Red Clover (Trifolium pratense). This small flower has been in bloom throughout the summer but has a tendency to be overlooked when the larger plants – or those that are only in flower for a short period – can be seen. Now that everything else is gone, their continued presence has become a slightly more precious sight.

The Cat’s-ear (Hypochaeris radicata) is also still sending out new flowers. There were a lot of these around the meadow earlier in the year, though it is always a possibility that some plants identified as Cat’s-ear were actually Hawkweed or Hawkbit. These three species are incredible similar and very difficult to tell apart, no matter how hard I try!

There are also quite a few Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) flowers about.

and the Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) continues to bloom.

The edges of the meadow, where the mower was unable to reach, are actually the best places to spot wildflowers still in bloom. The Viper’s Bugloss (Echium vulgare), growing at the western end where the meadow meets the little woodland, is looking rather bedraggled compared to its state earlier in the year, but there are still lots of flowers on it.

There are also still a few flowers to be found on the Hedge Bedstraw (Valium album) that is growing along the same stretch, though these are becoming increasingly scarce now.

There are even a few Ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) to be found.

At the other end of the meadow, close to the lane, a few sprigs of Hogweed (Heracleum spnondylium) have popped up.

Finally, the White Dead-nettle (Lamium album) is also doing particularly well along this stretch.

That’s all for day 119 of 365 Days Wild. Have you seen any wildflowers while out and about recently?