Wildflower canvas

A strip of land, owned by the commune, has been sown with a wild flower seed mix this year and the result is just staggering!

The colourful mix of flowers is buzzing with insects and bees, and unmistakeable sound of hundreds of grasshoppers...

Here are a handful of the photos I took the other afternoon....

In botanical circles there is some debate about the choice of mix for these areas of planted wild flowers and their efficacy in achieving the aims for which they are sown. But whatever one's feelings in this respect, the indisputable fact remains: the flowers not only look beautiful, brightening up an otherwise dull patch of ground, but they also attract a wide range of mini-beasts - which must be good news.

Purple Haze

For the past few days I've been puzzled by a pinkish-purple haze (no comments!) across the fields at the back of the house.

Yesterday we took a walk to see what this mystery "crop" was.

Surprisingly it was nothing more than a scattering of  what I think is 'common stork's bill', a plant with a tiny little flower which, singly, is easy to overlook...

but, as this shot shows, when seen en masse the effect is quite spectacular..

With abject apologies to the late, great Jimi Hendrix!

The first 'Coucou'

Taking a walk through the woods this afternoon we saw our first cowslip or Fleur de Coucou of the year....

A very welcome sight on an otherwise overcast day...

We spotted  last year's first fleur de coucou around the same date but this was after a warm start to spring. Considering the conditions earlier this year we hadn't anticipated seeing them for another couple of weeks.

How long, we wonder, before we hear its namesake calling every hour of the day?!

Bee Orchids

Some interesting facts...

• Bee orchids produce a scent which is similar to the pheromones produced by certain female bees to attract a mate. Male bees attracted by this scent then attempt to mate with the bee orchid flower and, in moving from flower to flower, transfer pollen and fertilise the bee orchids. 
• Bee orchids only flower once.
• The single flower spike is the culmination of up to eight years growth 
• The top flower is the last to open.

• Bee orchids take 5-8 years to develop from seed to flower. This development depends on an association between the orchid and fungi in the soil.
• Seed capsules develop as the flowers die off. Each capsule contains 6,000 - 10,000 tiny seeds.

• Below ground only those seeds which are successful in gaining nutrients from fungal hyphae will begin their 5-8 years of development before flowering.

We were so lucky to have had 4 or 5 of these lovely orchids in our garden. Will we get any next year??

Bee and Lizard Orchids

Since we first posted the blog about Lizard Orchids (Himantoglossum hircinum) in the garden, we have been carefully mowing round them, which is not always easy, as you can see from the intense look of concentration on my daugher Jane's face (we always make our visitors work for their keep!)

The Lizard Orchids began flowering a few days ago and are now at their best.

However, not all was as we at first thought. Some "Lizard" Orchids are, in fact, Bee Orchids (Ophrys apifera) and new flowers are appearing day by day.

 

 

 

Neither the Lizard nor the Bee orchid is so-called without good reason!!

We are keeping a close look out for any other orchids which might appear... We'll let you know!

Poppies - for Norma!

One or two people have what a good subject poppies make for a photograph. So for all fellow poppy lovers, here's a poppy special!

I hope you enjoy them!

 

 

And thank you for the opportunity to indulge myself!!

Poppies as far as the eye can see!

The other day we blogged about the fields of yellow rapeseed flowers which seemed to cover the landscape.
Today it's a different picture.

The poppies are in full flower and even on the outskirts of Chatellerault they fill the fields as far as the eye can see.

Poppies, or Coquelicot, look equally stunning en masse or in a simple group

Signs of spring

Yesterday we had cause to visit Chinon and return via L'Ile Bouchard. With the sun shining on them the fields of wheat looked intensely green. The young plants seem to be growing taller by the second.

In the vineyards workers were busy pruning the acres of vines which make up part of the Chinon wine growing region.  Others were clearing the cuttings and piles of these were stocked along the edges of the fields.

The verges en route were full of colour too. We stopped to photograph some lesser celandines, always a sure sign that spring is just around the corner.

Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficari) or, to give it it's French name, Ficaire

However it was not just the celandines which made up the colour. Banks of Marsh Marigold were also in bloom, their glossy petals catching the sunlight.

Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)

What a lovely sight! These flowers really do lift the spirit.