The Nature Trail For Wildflower Wednesday

Would you like to join us for a little nature trail today and see some of our beautiful  Perthshire wildflowers and wildlife?  We're going to walk along the 2 lades today both fed from our local River Almond. ( If  you don't know what a lade is just click here).  Firstly let me set the scene - The river is in spate after the heavy rains so it is flowing fiercely, one of  the lades is just inches from breaching its banks as it rushes down towards the old mill. The grey heron can be seen briefly flying along the path in front of you, and there is a chorus of birdsong in the trees above you.

Drifts of rosebay willowherb

“The Nature Trail for Wildflower Wednesday",  is a copyrighted post, written for my nature blog called  leavesnbloom by Rosie in Perthshire, Scotland. 

 

We don't have drifts of prairie flowers like those in North America but we do have drifts of oxeye daisies, hedgerows with scrambling honeysuckle, tall spires of pink rosebay willowherb, hedge bindweed, meadowsweet and plenty of thistles.


The Scene
only 30 secs long

Can you see the little lade path between the 2 water courses?

Its quite dark along part of the path with ferns on one side of the lade bank and on path beside you the remains of the bluebell foliage are still present. (This is the same path that branches off up into Bluebell Wood which you might remember looked spectacular a few months ago as a Sea of Blue).

Cromwell Park Lade

As the canopy of trees lessens and the rays of sunshine glint through the leafy branches the wildflowers start to greet you with nearly every step you take.

3D Wildflower Gallery


I've so many wildflowers to show you that I'm using my gallery again.  Hope you enjoy the glide  - just don't scroll too fast with that blue button! For anyone who has not used one of these before just click on which ever photo you want to have a closer look at - it takes a few seconds for the photo to come into focus - its probably easier to just click on the arrows bottom right to make the gallery full screen.













Fruits of the Forest

Not only do you see a rich tapestry of wildflowers but there is a bounty of wild fruits in the hedgerows, red currants, blackcurrants, alpine strawberries, raspberries and some apples are forming.  The blackberry brambles are still in flower and the rose hips are still green and swelling.

You stop to pick some wild strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants, while red currant juice drips all over your fingertips as you slide the juicy berries off the stems.

Large White feeding from rosebay willowherb

Butterflies flutter along the path as if leading the way while buzzards soar above calling to their young with their distinctive cry.

Ringlet

There is the sound of  grasshoppers rasping in the blades of grass. While down by the river bank mallard ducks gather along side you en masse looking to see if you have some tasty treats in your pocket for them.

Rasping Grasshopper

I hope you enjoyed your nature trail today as much as we did around our local river. Now you can join us for a little cuppa and rest your feet.  Who's for tea or coffee?

If you would like to see more wildflowers today from other parts of the world please visit Gail for her Wildflowers Wednesday meme.


PS......... We've had a little holiday break here with the family so I'm hoping to get back into a "blogging routine" again and catch up with you all soon this week.

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"Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse." Romans 1:20

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