Making blackberries

Bramble... Rubus fruticosus
(I think I'd like to be described as 'fruticosus', it sounds like a wonderfully dodgy compliment)

Today I went to Shawford to have lunch with my sis and little Jax.  Afterwards we started back along the path to Winchester, where the first stinking irises are out.  We also saw these wonderful huge blackberry flowers where the bees were getting busy.  (Apparently there are over 2000 different subspecies of bramble - who on earth bothered to count them?)

Then she turned back for home and I continued on along the river into Winchester.  The yellow flags, which I thought might be beginning to go over were, in fact, out in their thousands - never seen so many.  And at the bottom of St Catherine's Hill I saw my first orchids of the summer, looking rather small and early.  When they get going properly they will certainly be on my hitlist for #2018wildflowers.

Okay, that's me.  Have a great evening and - wheeeee - it's the weekend  xx

2018 wildflowers to date:

JANUARY
Snowdrops
FEBRUARY
Gorse (or furze);  Wild daffodils
MARCH
Coltsfoot;  Primroses;  Blackthorn
APRIL
Greater periwinkle;  Goat willow;  Ground ivy;  Cowslips;  Daisy;
Common field speedwell;  Wood anemone;  Greater celandine
MAY
Cuckoo flower (or lady’s smock);  Yellow archangel;  Common dog violet;
Crab apple;  Bluebell;  Red clover;  Germander speedwell;
Three-cornered leek;  Hawthorn;  Yellow flag; dandelion;  Common vetch; Dog rose;  Green alkanet;
JUNE
Bramble;