Snowdrops leave me a bit cold, really: I've tried but they just don't do it for me. Still, there's not much else about so here's Galanthus plicatus, G. nivalis, and G. elwesii. Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Large Bittercress Cardamine amara and Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysoplenium alternifolium growing together on a West Berkshire stream bank today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Tomorrow's the 32nd or 48th of January I think. Some winter floral interest locally, thank goodness, with Spurge Laurel Daphne laureola and Hazel Corylus avellana doing their thing. Central Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Found a good population of Common Cudweed Filago germanica today, along a footpath leading to a Kildeer. Ripley, Hampshire.

Inaugural #SolentSeabirdSymposium today in Havant. Great range of expert speakers and topics: seabird conservation projects, habitat restoration, disturbance mitigation, funding, regulatory challenges, trail cameras, ringing. So much work going on! Inspiring stuff! 😃 @wordsfromwez.bsky.social

In prep for an Easter return to Sicily (7 yrs in the making). Another orchid book and yet another taxonomic treatment. Who to believe? Who has the authority? Does it even matter in the end?

My little Buttoned Snout mate is still hanging out in the house. Central Hampshire. #TeamMoth

A lovely walk along the coast at Hamble-le-Rice, Hampshire for #NewYearPlantHunt. 26 species found, with help from Bumble the Lab, who was gutted it didn't involve food. Hawkweed Oxtongue Picris hieracioides and Common Ramping-fumitory Fumaria muralis the picks. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Tough going on today's #NewYearPlantHunt in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire. Finished with 48 species, but it was a struggle at times. Gallant Soldier Galinsoga parviflora, Balkan Spurge Euphorbia oblongata, Jersey Cudweed Laphangium luteoalbum some of the highlights. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Sea Knotgrass Polygonum maritimum on the beach at Highcliffe, Dorset/Hampshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Must be February. Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara starting to flower on the dramatic coastal slippage cliffs at Highcliffe, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Western Willow Spreadwing Chalcolestes viridis pair ovipositing in willow stems, East Sussex, September 2024, and Common Spreadwing Lestes sponsa resting on Juncus on a woodland pool near Ballater, Aberdeenshire, August 2024. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Moorland (or Common) Hawkers Aeshna juncea on Deeside, Aberdeenshire, July 2022 and July 2024. The first example was found flapping around without a head, and was still mobile two hours later. The second - a particularly friendly individual - was thankfully intact. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

A good display of Rustyback Asplenium ceterach on the walls at Whitchurch Silk Mill, Hampshire this afternoon. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

New location for Milk Thistle Silybum marianum today. Four rosettes found on a lovely, short, afternoon walk around the Test at Whitchurch, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

In 2026 I aim to spend more time getting to know Dragonflies and Damselflies. Here's some I've photographed in previous years. Western Clubtail (Spain 2008), Small Pincertail (France 2008), Southern Hawker, and Mercury Bluet (both Hampshire 2008). @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Kingley Vale NNR, West Sussex in glorious sunshine today, Europe's largest Yew woodland. A chance to nod to Dr Tansley, a pioneer of ecological science and a champion of this landscape.

My absolute favourite plant of 2025 was Opposite-leaved Pondweed Groenlandia densa, a plant that has dropped off the cliff. I found it in November in the River Ems catchment, the first record since Queen Victoria's Jubilee. She was delighted, as you can see. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

My penultimate post for this 2025 botanical review. Almost saving the best (IMO) to last with a duo of delicious docks. A September trip north to Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to see Marsh Dock Rumex palustris and Golden Dock Rumex maritimus in all their glory. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

As September 2025 moved us inexorably towards autumn, the Glassworts of Hayling Island came into their own. Taxonomically nightmarish, no-one's really sure what's going on. Anyway, until further notice, here's Glaucous Glasswort Salicornia obscura. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Late August 2025, a trip to East Anglia, and some regional specialities over a friend-and-family-filled weekend. Panicled Willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum, Hog's Fennel Peucedanum officinale, and Lesser Calamint Clinopodium nepeta. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

2025 was the time of Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum in SE Hampshire. I found it, often in magnificent abundance, at many sites and mostly in urban environments. It's a lovely little thing and always cheers me. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Before I wrap up this 2025 review with late summer/autumn finds, here's to letting grassland express itself. A sea of Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile and new-to-site Dwarf Gorse Ulex minor was the late July work reward here in Purbrook, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

The last August 2025 highlight from Aberdeenshire. Water Lobelia (Lobelia dortmanna) is a plant of oligotrophic waterbodies, here in the margins of Loch Callater. A gloomy, windy afternoon visit brightened no end by these delights. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

August 2025, Aberdeenshire coast, NE Scotland. Not many people would get excited about a Dead-nettle I guess, but I do. Northern Dead-nettle Lamium confertum in an arable margin at Troup Head RSPB reserve. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

August 2025, Aberdeenshire. A day out looking at some beautiful plants. Marsh Saxifrage Saxifraga hirculus, Large-flowered Hemp-nettle Galeopsis speciosa, Hairy Stonecrop Sedum villosum, Purple Ramping-fumitory Fumaria purpurea. Just 😍😍😍😍. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Early August 2025 and two very cool montane grasses on the slopes below Glas Maol, in the Aberdeenshire/Angus borderlands. Alpine Foxtail Alopecurus magellanicus and Alpine Cat's-tail Phleum alpinum. I had a very pleasant day in their company. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Hi orchid lovers! Our new book is due to be published in spring 2026! It will be a large-format, A4 photographic guide to all British & Irish orchids, to complement our field guide, Britain's Orchids. Please support us if you'd like a copy! www.kickstarter.com/projects/orc...

By late July 2025 it was off to our happy place of Aberdeenshire and I succumbed to Sedge-itis again. Traipsing mountain slopes and coastal saltmarsh yielded three new species. Mountain Bog-sedge Carex rariflora, Russet Sedge Carex saxatilis, and Curved Sedge Carex maritima. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

In late July 2025 I received word from a friend of his discovery of Field Eryngo Eryngium campestre on the edge of Winchester, Hampshire. Probably arrived via a car tyre with continental origins, but fab nonetheless. Formerly more widespread but now a true national rarity. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

July 2025 continues. One of two standout personal discoveries this year. Confirmed Broad-leaved Cudweed Filago pyramidata from a site in North Hampshire. A very rare plant, but perhaps lurking out there? Four or more bisexual florets the clincher. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A few more flowery favourites from the Swiss Alps in early July 2025. Northern Dragonhead Dracocephalum ruyschiana, Dark Rampion Phyteuma nigrum, Strawberry Goosefoot Blitum capitatum, and Carthusian Pink Dianthus carthusianum. Back to the UK for the rest of this 2025 retrospective.

It's turning out to be quite the mothy evening while we celebrate the solstice. Just found a Buttoned Snout in the house. Central Hampshire. #teammoth

Early July 2025 in the Swiss Alps. Vanilla Orchids Gymnadenia rhellicani were abundant in all the Alpine meadows: countless thousands of raspberry pom-poms.

Merry Mothmas #teammoth

Houseleeks were a spectacular sight in the Swiss Alps. Here are Cobweb Houseleek Sempervivum arachnoideum and Wulfen's Houseleek Sempervivum wulfenii.

By early July 2025 I was off piste in the beautiful botanical wonderland of SE Switzerland. Among the many showy treasures I saw there, I don't think there was much to rival the subtle beauty of this Brown Clover Trifolium badium. As common as it was, it always made me stop to look.

Another early June 2025 find was Henbane Hyoscyamus niger, here in north Hampshire. Another arable specialist and consequently not at all common in these times of efficient ground preparation. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

As the June 2025 heat intensified I was out looking at arable habitats in Hampshire. Annual Knawel Scleranthus annuus was last recorded at this site in 2013, so it was great to find it still persisting. Not a common plant at all now. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

By early June 2025 it was time to explore the dark art of Sedgology. Here are Dotted Sedge Carex punctata, Bog Sedge Carex limosa, Slender Sedge Carex lasiocarpa, and Soft-leaved Sedge Carex montana, all in Hampshire's New Forest. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

By the last day of May 2025 I was out in the extraordinary New Forest looking at heathland orchids. Early Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza incarnata var pulchella in pink and ivory, plus the first of the Lesser Butterfly Orchids Platanthera bifolia. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

More highlights from 2025. The old forefinger came in handy a few times this year, usually as a scale. Micro botany on the beach at Sinah Common, Hayling Island, Hampshire with Little-Robin Geranium purpureum ssp. forsteri and Sand Cat's-tail Phleum arenarium. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

2025 continues. By mid-May the local chalk woods are the haunt of orchids. Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera in the Meon Valley, and Bird's-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis and White Helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium around the village, ten minutes from the door. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Back in Blighty 2025, and there's nowhere else I'd rather be than in an English woodland in early May. Green, fresh and full of wonders and promise. Herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolia) is scarce here in Hampshire, but if you know where to look... @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Croatia in spring 2025 was full of botanical delights, too many to choose from really. Yellow Alyssum (Alyssum alyssoides) and this very cute Parentucellia latifolia were standouts though. Unexpected finds in ordinary places, in this case road verges.

2025 highlights continued. Springtime in Dalmatia, and a chance to see a plethora of lovely orchid species. Four new species in early April: the endemic Ophrys flavicans, Four-spotted Orchid Orchis quadripunctata, Toothed Orchid Neottia tridentata, and Few-flowered Orchid Orchis pauciflora.

By early April I'd skipped the UK for the (slightly) warmer climes of Dalmatia. As ever, southern Europe is a cornucopia of botanical delights. Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys was very common, covering lawns, roadsides, hillsides and even walls. Dreamy plant 😍

Another 2025 botanical highlight was Early Sand-grass Mibora minima, again on a beautiful Welsh beach in February, this time on Ynys Môn. Did Roman sandals trample Mibora when they attacked the Britons in 60CE? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Time for a 2025 botanical retrospective, UK and elsewhere. It hasn't felt like a classic year, but on reflection it's been incredible. It started early, with my first Hutchinsia Hornungia petraea on a wild Welsh beach in February. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Actually, looks like this is not Hydrocotyle ranunculoides but possibly H. verticillata, a plant not seemingly recorded in Britain or Ireland before. Why did I not take a sample?