Flowers on the Sussex Downs including native orchids on Saturday 4th June 2016

 Cowslips have set seed now and the occasional one above still has its petals.

Yellow Rattle, Rhinanthus minor is an annual parasite on grasses.  Scatter some seeds on your lawn if you enjoy a wild flower meadow in your garden.  It grows well on chalk and also in the High Weald on clay.

 Some of the Common Spotted-orchids are in peak condition now.

 Above, one of my favourite plants, Sainfoin, which is French meaning healthy hay: a linguistic remnant of the Norman invasion.

 Fragrant Orchids are just starting to open.  And what a joy they are.  Their scent is wonderfully fragrant: a well-named plant.

 Common Twaybaldes are plentiful.  Twayblade is a corruption of the old Norse meaning "two leaves" and is a remnant of Viking invasions.

 Elegant White Helleborines are in flower.

Butterfly Orchids are stunning and really sadly misguided vandals steal them from the wild.

A few late Early-purple Orchids are still in flower too.  These unique habitats and beautiful wildlife needs both maintenance and protection.  Details of an illustrated talk are at www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk/orchids.html

The Invasions of England as reflected in our language (including some plant names) is a subject that is also covered in an illustrated talk.  Please see  www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk/page16.html  if interested in public speakers.