I made my annual pilgrimage yesterday to Notcutts (Monkspath) Meadow - apologies to anyone who has been visiting my blog for any length of time as I do tend to do a post on this each year. This ancient hay meadow is believed to be around 800 years old and is a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It's owned by Notcutts Garden Centre and managed under the supervision of Natural England. Around 150 species of flora can be found found including several grass species commonly found in old meadows, marshland and ancient woodland. The meadow is only open for a couple of weekends in June each year under the guidance of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.
Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
Greater Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)
Lesser Stitchwort (Stellaria graminea)
Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)
Yellow Rattle and Bird's Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Red Clover, Yellow Rattle, Lesser Stitchwort and Bird's Foot Trefoil
A few of the many species of grasses
Common Sorrel (Cumex acetosa)
Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), Lesser Stitchwort and Clover
The stars of the show - Heath Spotted Orchids (Orchis ericetorum) - photos show the different variations in colour.
I had a quick look round the Nurseries before going home and spotted this beautiful peony
There were lots of displays of pollinator friendly plants
and insect homes.
I rather liked this "green" car!!
Garden Flowers
Petunia flowers
Cosmos now planted and they will hopefully be attracting lots of hoverflies and bees in a month's time. Having seen the price of these plants at the nurseries I am feeling rather smug that we grow them from seed :)
White Peony
Yellow Flags in the bog garden - they are flowering several weeks earlier this year
Ox-eye Daisies, Red Campion and Meadow Buttercup in the wildflower meadow.
Honeysuckle (hopefully it will attract some moths!) and
foxgloves are in flower too.
11 comments:
I do remember this from last year but it is always lovely to see it. The nursery plants looked great too. Glad to see your cosmos growing well- I grew it from seed this year too and it's doing well :-)
Countryside Tales - Thanks CT :) Yes there were some lovely plants at the nurseries but SO expensive. Some perennials cost £10!! I didn't buy any! Best way to get Cosmos is to grow your own because you get so many and can spread them all round the garden :)
A lovely post filled with lovely images, thank you for taking the time.
I really must try to remember to sow some Cosmos next year, I like them a lot.
Toffeeapple - Thanks so much - so glad you enjoyed the post.
Cosmos are well worth growing - great for insects and they flower for months :)
Looks like a great place to visit, loving looking at grass at the moment, saving that for next years project . The Orchid looks vey pretty . Have grown Cosmos many times, but the slugs do like them, they can devour a whole plant in one night. ,,!
Amanda xx
I always grow Cosmos from seed. They always do well, and I harvest the seed too. I bought some chocolate Cosmos this year. They are just showing their buds, and I can't wait to see them in flower!
Leanne xx
loving the car!
Love the Greater Burnett - I've never seen it here.....or anywhere in fact!
Amanda Peters - Thanks :) Same here re: grasses - need another id guide!! re: your comment re: cosmos and slugs. By coincidence husband said tonight it looks as though slugs/snails have found them :(
Leanne Paxton - Thanks :) I once bought a chocolate cosmos (at huge expense!!!) from a nursery - they are absolutely beautiful. You will so enjoy :)
Pete Duxon - Thanks Pete - its superb :) The way moss is growing round the rubber seals on windows of my corsa mine might look similar in a year or two :)
Em Parkinson - Thanks :) We get salad burnet here in the garden in the wildflower mixed we planted but not Greater. They both look pretty similar though - gorgeous flower :)
OH those potted plants! If they were for sale, I'd have a hard time not taking the whole lot:) Gentle and beautiful flowers and grasses presented......very nice. I love the car and squirrels:)
Chris Rohrer - Thanks so much Chris. It would be easy to spend a fortune at nurseries :)
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