Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, also known as ‘knitbone’ is a hardy perennial herb, native to the British Isles and thriving in our temperate climate, especially in the damp, fertile soils often found along riverbanks, ditches, and meadows. From late spring to early autumn this attractive-looking wildflower produces clusters of delicate tubular flowers, typically in shades ofContinue reading “Comfrey”
Tag Archives: #Spring
Greater Stitchwort
We’re lucky where we live, in that we have access to the countryside only 100 yards from our front door, you need only walk round the corner, cross the road and you’re on a stretch of Common Land called Hapton Moor. I walk up there at least once a week and almost always find somethingContinue reading “Greater Stitchwort”
Malus sylvestris, the Crabapple (Including a Chapter on the Plant’s Use in English Literature)
You may find many treasures on a spring-time walk down our countryside’s old lanes; the delicate white flowers of Blackthorn, scarlet Campion, or butter-yellow Cowslip, yet for me one of spring’s gems shines brighter than the others, and that is the pink and white bloom of the Crabapple tree. Malus sylvestris The scientific name ofContinue reading “Malus sylvestris, the Crabapple (Including a Chapter on the Plant’s Use in English Literature)”
What’s that Creature Creeping in the Trees?
Deep in our woods and gardens, creeping around in the trees, a small unassuming creature quietly goes about its business, unnoticed by the casual observer. It is known to scientists as Certhia familiaris, but to most of us it is known merely as the Treecreeper, and is, I think, a bird deserving of closer attention.Continue reading “What’s that Creature Creeping in the Trees?”
Build your Nest High; Can Crows predict the weather?
The Crows are building their nests at the moment, high in the canopies of the tallest trees. As of writing, at the start of April, many have finished construction so will be adding the finishing touches, such as nest linings, and settling in. Country folklore has it that if they have built their nests lowContinue reading “Build your Nest High; Can Crows predict the weather?”
Beauty and the Beast; the Lacewing and the Lion
Lacewings are amongst the most enchanting and delicate insects encountered in the British isles and are named so for their exquisitely intricate wings, which resemble fine lace due to the network of veins that crisscross them. These wings are typically held roof-like over their bodies when at rest, giving them a distinctive silhouette and areContinue reading “Beauty and the Beast; the Lacewing and the Lion”
The Upland Collection
Here is a list of some of the articles I have published which fall under the broad category of ‘moorland’ or ‘uplands’, it’s by no means exhaustive as there will be some I’ve missed out, some which overlap other themes and others which sit on the fringes. I hope you find it a useful and/orContinue reading “The Upland Collection”
The Wild and Yellow Bloom of Gorse
The Flowers of Gorse, Bright and Bold, Paint the Landscape with Strokes of Gold Also known as ‘furze’ or ‘Whin’, Gorse, Ulex europaeus, is an exceedingly spiny evergreen shrub with an abundance of aromatic yellow flowers and a familiar sight across the Northwest of England, from the windswept mountainsides of the Lake District to theContinue reading “The Wild and Yellow Bloom of Gorse”
Northwest Nature and History 