Nice to compare two different Maidenhair Spleenwort subspecies yesterday in Teesdale. The delicate subsp. trichomanes on its well-known unmortared wall and the commoner subsp. quadrivalens. #ferns

Three-nerved Sandwort flowering along the verge of a rural lane in SE Cornwall today. #wildflowerhour Moehringia trinervia

A few nice examples of Green Spleenwort (Asplenium viride) also spotted on today's wander. #ferns

It is always nice to stumble across a healthy patch of Fir Clubmoss (Huperzia selago) #botany

Pow! Took a bit of a gamble today with a jaunt up to Upper Teesdale, not expecting too much if truth be told. But even a handful of these was enough to make the journey worthwhile. 📸 Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) #botany #wildflowerhour

Rather taken with this pink Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) today in Denton Dene. Simply had to pause for a 📸 #urbanflora

I must say, this container in the yarden is bringing me a lot of joy at present. A combination of Herb-paris, Narrow Buckler-fern, Beech Fern and Barren Strawberry. At this rate, it may well all be Paris soon! 😶

With info kindly provided by @sim-elliott.bsky.social and the assistance of my eagle-eyed son, I was thrilled to see a lovely big patch of Tunbridge Filmy-fern, Hymenophyllum tunbrigense, in the High Weald yesterday. The sori look like minute circular bivalve shells. #FernFriday

Reintroducing rare rock whitebeam in today's @theguardian.com by Susie White. #countrydiary #naturewriting

Always exciting to find a new species in the yarden. Today it was the turn of a lovely female Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica), which seemed rather content basking on our potted bay. #bees

If you’ll excuse a little self-indulgence, I must admit I did a little dance when I spotted copies of #UrbanFlora on display in Newcastle Waterstones today. Huge thanks to everyone who’s picked up a copy 🙏🌿

The neophyte form of Sisymbrium irio London Rocket, with deep yellow petals (pale yellow in archaeophyte populations) seen in Bognor Regis today #Wildflowerhour

Ah, I do love an Adder’s-tongue! 🐍 Species #20 in this year's little quest to see as many of Britain's ferns as possible in a single year, and plenty more to come 🌿🤓 #botany #ferns

Rough Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) from the banks of the River Blyth today. Not one I see often at all, and a tricky one to take a decent pic of! #botany

Toothwort fest! Exploring a new woodland today with @nenature.bsky.social and delighted to find four healthy clumps of Lathraea squamaria beneath Hazel and various Prunus. Always a treat. #wildflowerhour

Tis the season for croziers in the yarden! A variety of native ferns springing to life including: Borrer's, Narrow Buckler, Oak Fern, Hart's-tongue, Limestone Fern and Beech Fern. Love'em! #ferns 🌿

Are you interested in urban flora and what plants are growing in Newcastle and North Tyneside? James Common has written a book all about it! Find out more in the blog below! #WilderWednesday https://www.nwt.org.uk/blog/james-common/urban-flora-newcastle-and-north-tyneside-james-commons-new-book

For a while now, I’ve been growing on an offset of a violet noticed while working on the #urbanflora. Hunch confirmed today by the gurus at @bsbibotany.bsky.social - Viola x bavarica, first record for Tyneside and only the third for VC67. Now I just need it to seed to be extra sure 👀

A little woodland montage for #wildflowerhour... 📸 Green Hellebore, Primrose, Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem, Wood Anemone, Dog-violet, Opposite and Alternate-leaved Golden-Saxifrages, Toothwort & Moschatel

Nice to see Green Hellebore (Helleborus viridis) at its only extant Northumbrian site. A highlight from yesterday's wander! #wildflowerhour

What will likely be the last Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea) blooms I see this year from yesterday's stroll along the Wansbeck. #wildflowers

Sweet Violet (Viola odorata var. dumetorum) with its white flowers, purple spur and whiskers at the base of the lateral petals. #wildflowers

Everyone's favourite, Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) draped in a shroud of non photogenic catkins. #wildflowerhour #botany

Alternate-leaved Golden-Saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium) from today's walk along the River Wansbeck. Bonus Opposite-leaved for comparison. The former definitely wins! #wildflowerhour #wildflowers

A selection of escapes and oddballs from a walk though Jesmond Dene today. Blue Anemone and Salmonberry I knew about, but Scilla forbesii and Arum italicum were new! 👀 #urbanflora

A fine population of Viola x scabra (odorata x hirta) along the eastern boundary of Bedford Purlieus NNR this afternoon. Blue-purple flowers with a white centre; long stalks; no scent; soft leaves; petioles with mixed patent and deflexed hairs. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Two weeks since #urbanflora was published and I’m genuinely chuffed with the response ☺️ A huge thank you to everyone who’s picked up a copy so far! Appearing with new booksellers soon, but for now, copies are available here: www.nhsn.org.uk/product/urba... #botany #newcastleupontyne

A few #ladybirds from a wander around @nenature.bsky.social #GosforthNatureReserve today. Particularly happy with the Eyed Ladybird, which brings my site total to 14 species 🐞

Well, that's one off the botanical bucket list! Genuinely thrilled to see my first Tunbridge Filmy-fern (Hymenophyllum tunbrigense) today on a jaunt north with Matt. A little beauty! 🤩 #ferns

Awful phone photos of New Zealand Bittercress Cardamine corymbosa from my parents' garden in Essex, where it's frequent. First record for vice county 19 North Essex, apparently. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A bit of a woodland theme emerging in the #yarden this year, but it’s great to see some of the natives making an appearance. Particularly pleased with the oxlip and herb-paris 🤩

As we wait for the arrival of spring to catch up in some places, something a bit different for this week’s challenge! Many wild plants have interesting stories to tell. Find one & share your pics with a fascinating fact using hashtag #storyplants for #wildflowerhour Sunday 8-9pm!

Cuteness alert... 🐝 Last year, Red Mason Bees chose our observation box for the first time, so I’ve been eagerly waiting to see them emerge. This little male is the first to appear, and one of the earliest we’ve ever recorded in the garden! #bees

The teenie tiny flowers of Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina) from today's wander in the Tyne valley. Always welcome! #wildflowers

Sticking with the yellow theme, these not so wild Wild Daffodils were also looking lovely today. Presumably introduced, though not far from their native site. #wildflowers

A successful trip today to hunt for Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea). Definitely one of our cheeriest spring #wildflowers... 😁

Looking for a copy of Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside but prefer not to use Amazon? 📖🌱 Good news. @nenature.bsky.social are stocking it too: www.nhsn.org.uk/product/urba... And I hear it may be appearing in a few other places soon…

Plenty of Colt’s-foot (Tussilago farfara) popping up around Heaton today. Very common, but cheery and welcome nonetheless. #urbanflora 🌼

Nice to stumble across a huge (10 m) patch of Cut-leaved Dead-nettle (Lamium hybridum) today. A pretty rare plant in the North East, though definitely under-recorded. #urbanflora

I've published my book Britain's Dandelions, A Photographic Guide. It's currently available on Blurb blurb.co.uk/b/12805510-bri… Next week I will be adding additional outlets#Taraxacumu#Botanyn#Dandelionsn#BritainsDandelionsns

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

Each spring I look forward to the appearance of this little patch of naturalised Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) in Armstrong Park. It’s back again for a new season! #urbanflora

Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium alternifolium in West Berkshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Eeee, that was fun. Thrilled to top off today's #urbanflora launch day with an @nenature.bsky.social talk to over 100 local people tonight ☺️📖

Congratulations to our dear friend @commonbynature.bsky.social on the publication today of his Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside. James is a #BSBICountyRecorder for the area so knows whereof he speaks! More about the book here: bsbi.org/blog/2026/03... Full interview coming very soon!

A huge congratulations to our Senior Naturalist James Common (@commonbynature.bsky.social) on the launch of his book- Urban Flora of Newcastle & North Tyneside which brings together many local naturalists hard work and records!!! Discover the book here: www.nhsn.org.uk/launching-th...

Like @commonbynature.bsky.social, I'm a #pavementplants enthusiast. Newcastle's a fab city for exploring #urbannature (it's featured in my book Wild Pavements) & I'll definitely be taking a copy of James' books when I next go there 💚

Huge congratulations to James on publication of his Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside today. And a fantastic article about urban plant hunting in the Guardian to celebrate…

It was such a pleasure to spend a few hours with Guardian Country Diarist Susie White, admiring #pavementplants and other urban treasures in Newcastle’s Ouseburn Valley 🌿 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

In today's @theguardian.com country diary, Susie White checks out Newcastle's urban plants with James Common, whose new book - Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside - is out today! commonbynature.com/urban-flora-... @bsbibotany.bsky.social #countrydiary #naturewriting