June 2012 in the Northern Hemisphere

[ronm]

A very 'buttery' part of our wild garden area,  'Red Filbert' , Corylus avellana zellernus ( top left ), and Black Mulberry, Morus nigra ( top right ).

[daveyp1970]

That gladdens my heart to see a wild area Ron,very nice.

[ronm]

Its about 1 acre in total Davey ( and getting bigger each year as I get lazier!  , come to think of it so am I ! ). We try to 'manage' it as a small haven for any wildlife that cares to grace us with their presence.

[ronm]

A trio more of flowers and foliage from the wild part of our garden today. The pea family plant is Tufted Vetch, Vicia cracca , which is attractive to all manor of insects. The Yellow Flag Iris, Iris pseudacorus, usually has its feet in 50 cm of water in June, but not this year!, .

[David Nicholson]

Lousy weather out here today - ideal to catch up with some posting :

1) Achillea brachyphylla
2) Alyssum oxycarpum and Oxalis "Ridgeway sapphire"
3) Aquilegia bertolonii
4) Aquilegia buergeriana
5) Dianthus "Eileen Lever"
6) Dianthus haematocalyx v. pindicola
7) Dianthus "La Bourboule" with Allium karataviense "Ivory Queen"
8. Dicentra "King of hearts" flowering it's heart out !
9) Edraianthus pumilio
10) Geranium cinereum "Lawrence Flatman"

Smashing display Luc. I've made a note of them all for when (if ever!!) I finish making my toughs.

[daveyp1970]

That is incredible Ron,i am going to take pics of my local marbled white colony soon if we get a spell of clear sunshine.

[Michael J Campbell]

Carpenteria californica

[Will Itsell]

Here is the second ten:
Dianthus brevicaulis
Campanula sp.
Penstemon rupicola
Dianthus raddeanus
Talinum okanoganense
Ranunculus parnassifolius
Erigeron vagus (the real thing)
Erigeron uncialis
Saponaria pumila
Dianthus alpinus 'Albus'

To go back a few days to Zdenek's super pictures, is Penstemon rupicola always this colour? (bright red)

I got one fairly recently described as "bright cherry red" but the flowers are violet-purple, a bit darker than the P. davidsonii I also have. I suppose they will vary, but what's the norm?

Any help appreciated.

[Tim Ingram]

I have always thought Penstemon rupicola is a strong red and quite different to davidsonii in colour but I do have a form from Aberconwy with Rose flowers, so presumably there is wide variation. The lovely glaucous foliage linked to red flowers is a great combination.

[ronm]

That is incredible Ron,i am going to take pics of my local marbled white colony soon if we get a spell of clear sunshine.

. They should be emerging at the end of this month?

Melanargia galathea. One of my absolute  est butterflies. A 'white' that is in fact a 'brown'. Majestic when seen in flight, and that underside!

Needs some good areas of Festuca sp.. [ Grass cutting specialists please take note,    ].

We have it here but incredibly rarely, and I have to say I have never recorded it in this area.

Various protectors of the Countryside ( use of euphemism in its extreme ! ), cut verges and waste grassland at this time ( therefore killing all of the grass feeding Brown butterfly larvae). When I ask them why they are wasting Diesel and their 'valuable money grabbing grants' time, they tell me'" we need to keep the countryside tidy"'. Please let there be such a thing as Karma, 

[daveyp1970]

Ron if you fancy you could alaways come with me to see them,they are on a piece of land my friend donated to the wildlife trust because its orchid rich and the marbled white was a bonus.

[ronm]

Love too. I'll be in touch. 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Smashing display Luc. I've made a note of them all for when (if ever!!) I finish making my toughs.

Don't let me stop you David... 

Here are some more flowers caught yesterday :

1-2 : Helianthemum canum ssp balcanicum a splended dwarf rock rose !

3) Helianthemum lunatum another little gem !
4) Iris timofejewii flowering for the first time
5) Linum elegans between tufa rocks
6) Minuartia caucasica or stellata in flower
7) close up
8 ) Oriogonum umbellatum
9) Penstemon "Six Hills"
10) Phlox hoodii

[hadacekf]

Luc,
Beautiful plants, it is Minuartia stellata .

[daveyp1970]

Luc your Iris timofejewii is just lovely,what a nice thing.