Nature's Work

Flower of the month:
Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) is a beautiful and unusual plant found in the wettest of Britain's bogs and wet heaths. These tiny plants flower from late June until August and can be found in and amongst sphagnum mosses. Its white flowers form on long red stems.
Its yellow-green leaves are covered in sticky red 'hairs’ and arranged at the base of the plant in a rosette. These hairs (tendrils) hide a deadly secret. The glistening, dew-like droplets are are designed to attract passing insects. very sticky. Once the tendrils detect the presence of prey, it curls them inwards, trapping the insect. Eventually, the whole leaf wraps around the prey; the enclosed insect is digested and the nutrients absorbed by the plant.
This carnivorous way of life is an adaptation to its nutrient-poor habitat. In bogs the nutrients required by plants to grow are locked away in a soil known as peat. Almost no nutrient recycling occurs in the water logged environment so plants have come up with some innovative means of gaining nutrients such as the sundew.
The natural range of this plant spans the northern hemisphere and is found in temperate and sub arctic environments from Alaska to the Philippines.

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2 days ago | [YT] | 2

Nature's Work

The mountains around Sellrain in the Austrian Tirol are incredible. They are sheer with narrow ridges, steep valleys exposed summits and above all fantastic alpine flowers! I’m planning a hut-to-hut tour in 2027 for the @austrian.alpine.club.uk to explore these wonderful mountains. It’s an idea I’ve had to stare my passion for alpine flowers and nature with getting into the high mountains. It won’t be an easy trip! The paths can be narrow and steep in places but the sure-footed can enjoy alpine summits along the way.
This range will form the first part of the planned trek. I also want to demonstrate the contrast with the limestone (calcium-rich) with a trip to the Nordkette alps just a stone’s-throw away on the northern side of Innsbruck.
It would also be an ideal experience for @baimlthemountainleader aspirants
#alpineadventures #alpineflowers #baiml #internationalmountainleader

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1 week ago | [YT] | 5

Nature's Work

I ventured up into Ysgolion duon above Afon Llafar in the Carneddau to see if the very rare Alpine Saw-wort was in flower. I managed to find a couple that were but it was too early for a full bloom. Lots of Lesser Meadow-rue flowering too #snowdonia

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4 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

Nature's Work

Flower of the month:
Starry saxifrage (Micranthes stellaris) is a delightfully vibrant and colourful plant seen in the uplands of Britain. It's most commonly seen in damp flushes and wet mountain ledges, in full sunshine.

Its white flowers, with their spear-shaped petals, resemble little stars and have 2 yellow or orange dots near ther base. Their charm is increased by the colourful spots at the base of the petals and the red-tipped, male anthers. Its fleshy leaves form loose rosettes with toothed edges.

An old name for Starry saxifrage is Hairy kidneywort for the belief that it has the ability to break up stones, such as those that develop in the kidgey or gall bladder. This was due to them living amongst broken / fractured rocks in their natural alpine habitat

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1 month ago | [YT] | 3

Nature's Work

June is a brilliant month for orchids, lillies and helleborines and this year I've notched up a few sightings whilst out working in the Swiss Alps. #wildflowers #orchids #wildflowerhour #naturelovers #naturephotography @hardyorchidsociety @europeanwildorchids

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1 month ago | [YT] | 6

Nature's Work

It is not often I get such a message where the experience opened the door to such an incredible opportunity.

Working with people, young and old, in the outdoors facilitating their adventure or learning is a truly rewarding way to live for me. I know through these experiences in nature and the mountains that people get to grow, focus and reflect.

The outdoors is such a valuable space for personal growth and offers an endless horizon unparalleled by anywhere else.

I meet people for moments in their lives, Many people I sadly will never meet again but those moments are precious and I know that deep inside me the connections made can be profound and, like for Max, they opened up a world of opportunities.

Perhaps this reflection has come about by no coincidence on the summer solstice where the world experiences one extreme part of it's annual journey around the sun ☀️

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1 month ago | [YT] | 5

Nature's Work

🌼 Super psyched group indulging their passion for alpine flowers and ecology in the Solalex valley in the Swiss Alps. Stunning weather and floral displays, great chat and banter. Max learning and discovery 💥

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1 month ago | [YT] | 3

Nature's Work

A full-on week guiding a lovely group on some excellent hikes across north Wales. I'd met half of them before in the Alps and they were keen to experience what Wales had to offer. With evening spent in fine restaurants their time spent exploring during the day were equalled by a culinary journey where we shared the many memorable moments.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 6

Nature's Work

Plant of the month: Arctic Bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpinus).
Given my recent trip to the Northwest Highlands I thought it worthy to write a short piece on this nationally scarce northern Scottish mountain plant as my plant of the month for June.
Arctic Bearberry belongs to the Heather family, which includes Azaleas and rhododendrons, it is one of only two British Arctostaphylos species, the other being the more widespread Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi).
It is a small, low-growing shrub forming mats of straggling stems. Its toothed leaves are deciduous and emerge once the flowers have begun flowering. They are dark green and have prominent veins and a wrinkled appearance, turning a striking deep red in autumn. Clusters of white, tubular flowers appear in May and are often self-pollinated. Fruiting is sparse, producing black berries in autumn that are now mainly eaten by birds.
Most populations occur at intermediate elevations of around 500–600 metres, typically on exposed, stony ground among lichens and mosses. It is also found in montane heath alongside Heather, Crowberry, and other upland species and occasionally in blanket bog. On Scotland’s north coast, it may occur close to sea level.
Plantlife
#arcticflowers #wildnature #plantlovers #NatureLovers #flowerofthemonth

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2 months ago | [YT] | 9

Nature's Work

A focus on mountain flowers today. The stunning weather has helped develop the flowers inthe past week and they have advanced so much. What an incredible location to learn about and study wildflowers however common or rare they may be.

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2 months ago | [YT] | 2