A South Shields Council Housing Estate

[peter hood]

This is the place for trips to exotic locations!
I have just finished working for the last 2 years in South Shields, on the South side of the mouth of the river Tyne. In my spare time I have discovered one or two good flower locations, and before I left I returned to Blackberry Hill. This little hill, not much more than a patch of grass, is surrounded on three sides by former council houses, and on the fourth, by a fairly busy road. It is the sort of place where you would expect the local two legged wildlife to gather with motorbikes, cigarettes and worse and leave their usual detritus, (burnt out cars, beer cans, those strange devices made out of a drinks bottle and a polythene bag and worse). In fact the people of this part of South Shields are very well behaved (genteel even) and there are even notices to tell you that it is a local nature reserve.

The name Blackberry Hill refers to Rubus fruticosusagg. There are still one or two very poor little bushes, but not enough to make bramble jelly.
Funnily enough, I have seen this little hill from time to time over the last thirty years, but only visited it and discovered its secret in the last year.

I will begin by posting a few pictures of the habitat, and then come back later to tell you about the special plant.

[peter hood]

The correct name for the little hill is Harton Down Hill, and it has a number of common Limestone plants growing on it. You may be able to see Primula veris in one of the views - but that is widespread round here. Other plants - not all in flower yet - are Helianthemum nummularium, Ononis spinosa, Sanguisorba minor. But the star plant is Linum perenne anglicum. It is not common anywhere in England, and I think this is the most northerly location in England.

I was talking with John Richards recently and he pointed out that this plant exists with Thrum Eyed and Pin Eyed forms (like Primula). It is hard to think of a plant as Pin eyed when there is not a Pin shaped style, but 5 styles, and where there is no eye in the centre of the flower! Nevertheless, some plants have their 5 styles above their 5 anthers (pin); and some plants have the anthers above the stamens(thrum).

I have tried to take pictures of both forms, though they are not very clear on my little hand held camera. The sky blue of the thrum, taken shaded from the sun, is a more correct colour for this lovely plant than the pin, taken in the sun. I also include a picture of Primula veris from this site.

[David Nicholson]

Very interesting Peter, thanks for posting and I'm looking forward to more. We are lucky, on this Forum, to be able to see picture s from all kinds of "exotic" locations and what could be more exotic than a hillside in South Shields.

[peter hood]

Time for further travels in Exotic South Shields.
About 500m. up the same road, and 150cm. from the main road are a couple of colonies of Ophrys apifera. This picture is a 2011 picture, and I am aware that this plant doesn't always appear every year; I know places where there have been large stands one year and nothing the next. This is, however, a known location.
Not too rare on the Magnesian Limestone of East County Durham, Sunderland and South Shields - despite the comment above about the way it comes and goes. It is again near its northern limit, though it has been found again in locations north of the Tyne (and I think North of the Border) in recent years.
The remarkable thing to me is how close to a busy road it is growing. There is a strip about 100cm. wide which is cut very short, and it grows right next to that. This spot is managed by the National Trust and they seem to be getting something right. In the country park near where I live there was a stand of at least 50 plants last year, and despite being informed Sunderland City council mowed them all down last year. We wait to see whether any turn up this year.

[daveyp1970]

Peter i can promise you mowing does not hurt them, in fact the  tuber size increases to the size of small potatoes when mowed,but the first year they are not mowed the site will be incredible,me and FredG have counted huge flower counts on plants.

[peter hood]

That is encouraging Davey
Another plant that might interest some of you, quite close to the Bee orchid.
Plenty of Dactylorrhixa fuchsii including this white one.
I have found white plants elsewhere in Co. Durham; they are also quite common in the Burren where they have sometimes been given the subspecific name of okellyi (O'Kellyi), or even treated as a separate species.
All the white plants I have seen are immaculate, ie have no spots.

[Maggi Young]

With every picture we can see how special this place is, Peter.

[ChrisB]

Lovely account Peter.  Thanks....

[peter hood]

Peter i can promise you mowing does not hurt them, in fact the  tuber size increases to the size of small potatoes when mowed,but the first year they are not mowed the site will be incredible,me and FredG have counted huge flower counts on plants.

Davey,
You are already proved right. I have just been up to Hetton Lyons Country Park - The site of last year's grass cutting by Sunderland City council - and there are about ten spikes of Bee Orchid up - and the first flower open. Not as many flower spikes yet as last year - but it is early and the season for most plants is late - maybe in a week or two we will be up to last year's number - or maybe they will have been mown again! (Incidentally it is not a long trip - half a mile from home.)

[Peter Maguire]

I was at Hetton Lyons Country Park the other day after work, armed with directions from Peter. This is one of the Ophrys apifera - I only found two, but I'm known for my inability to follow instructions - Julia will be able to vouch for that after I completely mis-read her hand-drawn map in Pontresina