Devilsbit Scabious above

I always like the late summer flowers, common though so many are, but making a colourful display along the grass verges and many still hanging on from earlier in the summer, on grasslands and river banks.  In some places the predominant colours are blue and pink, in others it is yellow.

Driving up the Dale to Kettlewell, the pale blue of the Field Scabious

Field Scabious

shows well amongst the pale straw of the dying grasses. Going in the opposite direction towards Skipton it is the yellow of the tall Perennial Sow thistle, looking a bit like a tall Dandelion.

In other places, the bright pink of Rosebay Willowherb is dominant and there could well be the paler pink of Great Willowherb amongst them. Common Knapweed is there as are many Thistles, some now in seed, all showing a more subdued pink than the Willowherbs.

Knapweed

Great Willowherb

Amongst them all are the umbellifers, so called because the flower heads are in the shape of an umbrella.  In late summer the main one on the road verges is Hogweed, its flowers are creamy. Walking along the riverbank you could see Angelica with its stout purplish stem and more delicate is the Upright Hedge Parlsey with a definite pink tinge to its umbel.

Upright Hedge Parsley

A common plant at this time is Devilsbit Scabious, quite a vivid blue and the Harebell was showing well on a bank above Kilnsey, also there was the yellow of Birdsfoot Trefoil, giving good ground cover.

Birdsfoot Trefoil

In some places there is too much of one plant, Meadowsweet being a good example.

Meadowsweet

Just a quick recollecion of what I have been noticing out and and about, by no means comprehensive.

Harebell

Text and photos – Christine Bell