Gibside's Flora

Early spring flowers like bluebells, primroses, wood sorrel and anemone have just about finished flowering now.  


Primrose

Toothwort, a parasitic plant growing from the roots of trees and shrubs is also at the end of its flowering period. 

Toothwort

As the year progresses however these will be replaced by a succession of other colourful plants.  At present you may come across bugle and ground ivy.

Bugle

Ground ivy

Another plant you may find in 'flower' is cukoo pint, also known as lords-and-ladies.  The club-like flowering part of this plant is known as a spadix and is enclosed by a curled leaf-like bract known as a spathe.

Lords-and-ladies

Later in the year look out for the very common yellow flowering wood avens and the more showy apricot coloured flowers of water avens.

Water avens

You should also come across the flowering spikes of common spotted orchids and the less numerous northern marsh orchid from June onwards. 

Northern marsh orchid

Common spotted orchid

If you'd like to see these and more of Gibside's flora you can join one of our rangers on a 'Wildflower walk' on Sunday June 24th at 2.30pm.