More Flowers!

Another beautiful day for a walk, so Malcolm and I set out for a slightly longer trek than we had yesterday, about 5 and a quarter miles in total. Starting around Shipley park, out towards the village of West Hallam, through Mapperley village, up and round Shipley Hill, before returning home. Here is our route...

Once again, the floral decoration was a beautiful accompaniment to our walk. Some seemed to be intent upon destroying it bit-by-bit. This caterpillar of the Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae).

There are many small plants of the Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) dotted around the place at the moment. Their delicate, little, pink flowers are held above the leaves, ever pointing sky-ward and looking delightful.

Almost carpeting the ground along the pathways, are the flowers of the Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans). These bright yellow blooms almost glow like little suns against the ground, especially as the sun shines on them.

Just as bright yellow, but much taller, are the Evening Primroses (Oenothera biennis). These plants were standing about 3ft tall, but they can reach 4ft or more and the flowers are so showy.

Lastly, another yellow flower, but one which has been fertilized and is now in seed. Looking like a huge Dandelion clock, this is, in fact, the seed head of the Goat's-beard (Tragopogon pratensis). Easily overlooked, it rewards closer inspection as the lattice-work of filaments which make up the seed head appears just like a spider's web.