Car park verge Pyramidal Orchids and Greater Knapweed were there to be enjoyed by even the less mobile. My walk down long meadow was overtaken by a trio of Jackdaws. Corky Fruited Water Drop Wort was the obvious white umbellifer dominating the meadow, along with yellow spikes of Agrimony. More Pyramidal Orchid flowers were joined with fading Common Spotted Orchid heads. Tufted Vetch provided violet / blue flowers, sometimes climbing amongst the Mares Tail dominating the foot of the hedgerow. Black Medic encroached back onto the tarmac path. Even Docks displayed flower spikes which were the same colour as the rest of the plant. A pair of Pied Wagtails flew past in the opposite direction. Bramble flowers had mostly gone over. I reflected how elsewhere seen Blackberries had already developed.
As anticipated, I found Common Broomrape flower stems under the tree cover beside Solent Road. First a cluster of six, a cluster of two and another of a dozen. Rather pale flowers showed upon a plant that tapped into the root systems of other species.
Into the Aviaries along the woodchip path it was help full seeing both Box and Privet flowers to compare. Whilst the former, a tree has more delicate flowers their green/ yellow colour was an off white to me! The large Beech mock (old coppice stool) resembled a cathedral’s organ pipes with its multiple trunks. Upon the otherwise smooth bark were pox marked in places with uneven burrs. These having formed in response to stress or disease. A nearby statuesque pollard Ash trunk wore a fresh, bark clinging coat of feather-like leaves. Monterey Cypress trunks rose tall like spires, only these had many stunted branches crowned by a distant cover of evergreen needles. I walked along the cloister created by leaves and branches.
A faded lace-like like Ramson leaf was worn upon a log like a tattoo. Enchanters Nightshade between clumps of Harts Tongue Fern colonised the ground were enough light reached through the canopy of leaves above. I thought of those associated with Lulworth, Studland and Chapman’s Pool that would have been relieved by today’s weekend weather. No doubt it would deter an invasion by those visitors less considerate visitors that create challenges for others.