I missed #wildflowerhour but here is Cheddar Pink from Sunday’s walk with the Somerset Rare Plants Group.

We are so proud of Pete Stroh (BSBI Scientific Officer) & Helena Crouch ( #BSBICountyRecorder & #BSBItrustee)! Yesterday they were awarded the hugely prestigious 2026 Marsh Botany Award by the Marsh Charitable Trust for services to UK botany! Here's why: www.marshcharitabletrust.org/award/marsh-...

New blog out, on doing #botanicalillustrations of #apple #blossom, what to look out for, and what the challenges might be... I should have written it at the time, now you'll have to wait a whole year for blossom season to come around again! #sciart #malus lizzieharper.co.uk/2026/05/illu...

Family get together in the gutter - Polypogon viridis and monspeliensis today near the supermarket

Clematis and Aquilegia from my #garden

Crane’s-bill identification resources: The Wildflower Society thewildflowersociety.org.uk/wp-content/u... From Moira O’Donnell irp.cdn-website.com/7dfe45d9/fil... BSBI Archive pg22-28 archive.bsbi.org.uk/BSBINews99.pdf

Mignonette from #WiltsBotSoc on Sunday.

The things we do for plants…

A little family grouping of Sand Cat’s-tail, Phleum arenarium at Minehead today. #wildflowerhour

Sand Catchfly, Silene conica as seen with Somerset Rare Plants Group at Minehead today. Where we froze and were sand- and wind-blasted in our botanical madness. #wildflowerhour

We're calling on all plant-lovers to take images of wonderful wildflowers this summer & enter them in our Botanical Photographer of the Year competition! There are 5 categories and (new for 2026) we are introducing a separate award for young photographers. Find out more: bsbi.org/take-part/ac...

David Attenborough’s 100th birthday 🎂 is being celebrated like a royal occasion in Melksham, Wiltshire.

Remember Nina Bziuk’s recent paper in #SeedScienceResearch? @botany.one has published a post on this exciting research! Take a look to learn more about how accelerated ageing affects the seed microbiome 🦠🫘🔬 doi.org/10.1017/S096... #Botany #PlantScience #SciComm 🧪 www.botany.one/the-invisibl...

Missed #wildflowerhour again, but here is my late contribution: Wood Sorrel.

Wood Speedwell, Moschatel, Three-nerved Sandwort, pristine Goldilocks Buttercup, Greater Stitchwort and Early Purple Orchid seen in Wiltshire with #WiltsBotSoc at weekend

I missed #wildflowerhour on Sunday as busy with family, but I really must share my first sightings of Solomon’s Seal seen with #WiltBotSoc on Saturday.

Somerset Rare Plants Group (SRPG) Newsletter www.somersetrareplantsgroup.org.uk/wp-content/u...

A surprisingly pristine Goldilocks Buttercup at Ebbor Gorge, Somerset #wildflowerhour

Cowslips at Ebbor Gorge, Somerset #wildflowerhour

Why wildflowers are moving from meadows to the city www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic... A really nice BBC Earth article written by @jessicaeb.bsky.social about the importance of secondary urban habitats for native plant species and other wildlife, quoting @ukceh.bsky.social ecologist Nadine Mitschunas.

Important new advice from the RSPB: Seasonal feeding and good hygiene are essential to keep garden birds safe and well. More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/new...

I always look forward to my annual native Bluebell fix every spring 😍 #InternationalPlantAppreciationDay

Okay, #InternationalPlantAppreciationDay was over a month ago, but we couldn't resist. This looks not unlike PEI staff on a walk.

New blog out, about #grasses and #grassblindness, & my day spent at The Fitzwilliam & @cuherb.bsky.social exploring why we ignore them: lizzieharper.co.uk/2026/04/gras... I do lots of #botanicalillustrations of grasses, but why are they overlooked by so many, and how can we change that?

What can you find flowering in woodland? That’s the challenge this week from Wildflowerhour! Post your finds using the hashtag #WoodlandPlants for #WildflowerHour this Sunday 8-9pm. Happy flower-hunting!

🌱🌾🌍🌺🍄🌳🌲🌿🍃 🧪🐡 The crowdfunder for #BUC2026, specifically the 4th Student Botany Festival in August, is underway. This event has such an impact on UK & Irish students keen on botany. Look at reading.hubbub.net/p/botanicalu... Keep them smiling! Please donate or share!!

Pulsatilla vulgaris, the Pasque flower, takes its name from blooming at Pasque, the season of Passover and Easter. In old lore, a flower wrapped in red cloth and carried was said to guard against illness. In the Victorian language of flowers, they symbolise modesty and humility.

From #KewGardens today after watching 10k race.

I couldn’t resist taking these photos today after pulling into a lay-by to eat my lunch. Wood Anemones are always a bit special. My first sightings of the year.

I’ve been to see this rare plant at the Avon Gorge today - Bristol Rock Cress, Arabis scabra 🤍 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Cowslip, Primula veris, Legend says it grew where St Peter dropped the keys to Heaven #wildflowerhour #storyplants. Seen for first time this year in Shapwick, Somerset today.

Adpressed: lying flat, pressed closely against a surface. Derived from Latin ‘adprimo’ meaning pressed near. Atlantic Ivy: Adpressed stellate (star shape) hairs on young stem (top) Bilberry: Adpressed buds (left) Tormentil: Adpressed hairs on leaflet surface (right)

Cordate: in reference to leaf base, means deeply notched so that whole base has a heart-shape. From the Latin for ‘heart-shaped’ Examples Sweet Violet (top), Hart’s-tongue Fern (left) and Lesser Celandine (right).

While I was sat in my car eating my lunch today near Gloucester a little Goldcrest came and sat on my car bonnet.

Retrorse: bent or curved backwards or downwards. From Latin ‘retrorsus’ meaning bent back. Greater Stitchwort (left) Green Alkanet (top) Sweet Violet (bottom)

Antrorse: pointing forwards or towards the apex. From the Latin ‘antrorsum’ which is from ‘anteroversum’ with ‘anterior’ meaning before and ‘versum’ meaning turned. Crosswort (left) Heath Bedstraw (top) Woodruff (bottom)

Can you find any wild or naturalised plants that have white blooms? That’s the #wildflowerhour challenge this week! Share your finds this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #WhiteFlowers. Happy flower hunting! @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Ocrea or Ochrea: a tubular stipule sheathing the stem. From the Latin ‘ocrea’ for protective legging or greave (piece of armour for the shin). Example: Redshank, Persicaria maculosa. Hairy ochrea with long, wispy hairs.

Primroses and Pussy Willows on my lunchtime walk today.

Rue-leaved Saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites) flowering comfortably on its bed of moss on a local traffic island #wildflowerhour

Apiculate: an abrupt, short point that is not an extension of the midrib. From the Latin ‘apiculus’ meaning sharp point. Example: Common Chickweed

Glory-of-the-snow, Chionodoxa or Scilla now flowering in my front lawn

Mucronate: ending abruptly in a short stiff point. An extension of the midrib. From the Latin ‘mucro’ meaning point or edge. Spotted Medick (left) Common Vetch (right)

Whether it’s a first Lesser Celandine flower of the year or Elder leaves unfurling. The first #WildflowerHour challenge of the year is to spot #SignsOfSpring! Share your finds this Sunday 8-9pm. Below is the link if you would like to record your #NaturesCalendar sightings ⬇️ @bsbibotany.bsky.social

My first Sweet Violets of the year flowering yesterday in Melksham.

Lesser Celandine putting in an appearance today in Melksham, Wiltshire. Not in abundance yet, but good to see it back with a promise of spring. #wildflowerhour

Oops, evidently out of practice through the soggy winter, I meant this for #widflowerhour !

Summer Snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, flowering in this week’s botanical hotspot for WBS members of Melksham(!?) 🤣 (Wilts)

Well I wasn’t expecting this when I strolled around Melksham! Mediterranean Nettle Urtica membranacea. Grin will take several hours to leave my face. 😊 @bsbibotany.bsky.social