Amazing Dorset Flora

I was impressed by some of the amazing flora I came across while walking over the Dorset uplands. The lowland meadows were awash with buttercup, celendine and daisy, but as you climbed to the higher ground flora changed quite dramatically. For example, climbing to the clifftop path above Lulworth Cove I came across these beautiful mauve/pink wild freesia plants.

Wild Freesia

I don't recall ever seeing these anywhere else in Dorset, but there were several plants close to the footpath above the coast so perhaps they enjoy the salt breeze?

Tilly loved the freedom of running and exploring several of Dorset's Iron Age hill forts. I was impressed by the number of Early Purple Orchids growing among the Cowslips on the slopes.

Early Purple Orchid

Early Purple Orchid

These stunning miniature orchids are obviously hardier than they appear, I find them absolutely beautiful and was dismayed to see someone had picked several, dumping the broken stems on the ground.

Early Purple Orchid

I found it hard to resist photographing these wonderful orchids wherever I came across them.

Something else I found impressive was the number of Cinnabar Moths flitting from bloom to bloom. I'm used to seeing these in the fields of Monmouthshire, but not in such numbers as were present in Dorset. Here's one I photographed feeding on a Field Scabius.

Field Scabius & Cinnabar Moth

Not native and considered by many to be a menace, but nevertheless beautiful are these rododendron blossoms I photographed growing in a hedgerow.

Rododendron

Wild roses in their various forms featured in many hedgerows.

Wild Rose

Wild Rose

It seems to me we often bypass our wild flowers, but we really shouldn't because many are truly spectacular and deserve to be admired and enjoyed.