A Botanical Journey mostly from Kent & SE England

We have walked this reserve many times, but always from Rye Harbour. this time we approached from Winchelsea Beach to the West and did a few miles circular walk from that end. The area is similar to Dungeness, being predominantly shingle with thin turf inland. However, this area had a few more damp areas than Dungeness which made it interesting. Here's Yellow Horned Poppy on the beach at Winchelsea. Glaucium flavum Wild Teasel was out in force, with their bands of purple flowers around their spiny flower heads. Dipsacus fullonum  Common Fleabane is a big showy flower that really is actually still common! Butterflies and bees like it a lot. Pulicaria dysenterica This is Sticky Groundsel which is full of glandular hairs that smell like gone off lemons. The flowers have rays unlike nearly all of the usual Groundsel.  You can find both Sticky and Groundsel in the same areas, but only sticky is sticky and sme...

This was our final full day on Anglesey. We had visited most "must see" locations for interesting flora on the island in our short week and on this day had no-where in particular to go. As such I decided to drive up to the North of the island and explore those areas and a few on the way back if there was time. Trearddur Bay As ever, the scenery was beautiful and in the main, places were deserted. The weather was a bit better in that there was no rain this day, but the wind had picked up to a near gale force Northerly, so it was a bit chilly for the end of June! At Trearddur Bay we had a short walk along the sea front by the car park where I found Sea Holly in flower with its lovely blue flowers. The little green plants in the foreground are Sea Sandwort. Eryngium maritimum As you can see, the flower is actually comprised of numeorus mini flowers, all bunched into a single head.  Bumblebees really like this plant. Nearby at Porth Diana, I foun...

After a couple of days exploring the mainland, we set off to Newborough Warren back on Anglesey. This is home to many special plants and I hoped to find some today. It wasn't a long drive to Newborough, but it felt quite remote being in the extreme South of the island. On entering the car park I was immediately taken by the huge amount of common wildflowers there. Wildflowers surrounded the car park rather than mowed grass, commendable management by the owners.  The weather was reasonable as well, overcast but dry, though rain was forecast. Close to the car park on the edge of the pine plantation were a few Northern Marsh Orchids. This is  species I am unfamiliar with being from the South, and there appears to be as much variation on these as I usually see on Southern Marsh Orchids. Dactylorhiza purpurella Another beautiful orchid caught my eye and I can't work out if it's a Common Spotted or a Heath Spotted Orchid, probably the former, though ...