Wildflower Meadows

An overall shot showing how the meadows grew tall around the paths, there were guide ropes keeping you from trampling the meadows. I had to cross it though a few times to get my wildflower shots. I guess they let nature have her way, growing flowering, letting them set seed, and in the spring start all over again.
In times past wildflower meadows were common before we started building on them, or putting roads through them. Now you have to plan a wildflower meadows, a funny oxymoron that.
It was spectacular though seeing all the flowers and grasses, wild roses, and brambles with blackberrys growing on them. The bird hide was in this area, and an Apiary.There were bee's all over Harlow Carr.They will get their own post soon...

A pretty little blue flower, like a hidden gem.Blink and you'd miss it.I have not been able to identify it yet..

The Dandelion, my wildflower to make wine with with a fly having a rest on its golden petals..

The Heal All or Prunella Vulgaris..thanks for somebody identifying it in earlier post.I have never heard of it or seen it before last friday.

A thistle looking flower, I dont know the name :(

Bee's and Butterflys flew around the meadows from flower to flower, fliting between the waving grass. I wanted a brightly coloured butterfly but knowing how hard they are to photograph I settled for this. Drinking deeply on the Thistle..

Like a Torch glowing in the overcast conditions, a buttercup flower with its melted butter glow to the petals and golden centre.

Someone did a macro shot before of Red Clover.It is a thing of beauty even at close range with the reds,pink, and white tinged petals. Awesome!

Red Clover, and a Field Buttercup..

A Cranesbill Geranium, love the blue tissue paper petals delicately catching the sunlight, and blowing in the breeze.

This was growing in several places in the long meadow grasses. I photographed it then stumbled on it on a wildflowers of Britain website. It is a Common Spotted Orchid! After all my Ghost orchid posts, Jewel Orchid, Chinese ground Orchid, and Moth Orchid. The second wildflower I shot in the meadows was an Orchid. The British ones are not as showy as the exotic ones, but it is still a thing of beauty. There are maybe 50 British Orchids.. I have seen one of them :)

This has been called Fireweed, as it appears after forest fires. A true coloniser species of willowherb. It is the State flower of the Yukon. Connie identified it for me. I have photographed it on my way to work, growing on the edge of a building site. The tall green stem bearing pink flowers with white stamens. What a poetic name :)