The Bee Orchids cling on

Saturday 27th June 2015
     A quick look around the grass verges on the local industrial estate in Burnley gave me some encouragement that as long as they don't mow the grass within an inch of it's life the wild orchids can cling on. I wonder how many of the hundreds of workers that pass this way every week notice these little gems down at ground level or are they too busy texting on their mobile phones welded to their hands.

The grass bankings on the approach to this well know aerospace factory where more than three species of orchid survive.

              Another site outside the council vehicle repair workshop

Amongst the hustle & bustle of  of the industrial estate these little beauties survive

Bluebells still in flower

Sunday 14th June 2015
              After a month away in our motor home, today on a short walk in our local area with two of our friends, I was a bit surprised to find the Bluebells still in full flower growing amongst the Red Campion on the north facing slopes of  Sadler Hill above Slaidburn. It's been a colder spring than average so the cool temperatures have prolonged the season . Today's temperature was only 11c and we're only a week from the longest day.

                                                 Sadler Hill

 We also noticed that the Water Aven and yellow Wood Aven ( herb bennet) growing together in woods in this picture, they had cross pollinated to produce a yellow Water Aven.

They've cross pollinated in my own garden so I don't think it's very uncommon.