Butterwort
An insectivorous plant, the bright yellow-green leaves of Common Butterwort excrete a sticky fluid which attracts unsuspecting insects. Once an insect get trapped, the leaves slowly curl around their prey and digest it. The acidic bogs, fens and damp heaths that Common Butterwort lives in don't provide it with enough nutrients, so it has evolved this carnivorous way of life to supplement its diet. Common Butterwort has purple flowers that appear from May to July, giving the plant its other common names of 'Bog Violet' and 'Marsh Violet'.
Windswept heaths and moors are an iconic feature of the UK's landscape and are the result of hundreds of years of low-impact human activities such as livestock-grazing and scrub clearance. Yet development and the decline of traditional farming methods have caused many of these precious habitats to be lost - over 80% of lowland heathland in the UK has disappeared in just 200 years. The Wildlife Trusts manage many heathland habitats for the benefit of all kinds of wildlife including Common Butterwort. By volunteering for your local Trust you can help too, and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.
Foxglove
The charismatic, pink flower spikes of Foxgloves are famous as both a reminder of the hazy days of summer and of their deadly poisonous nature. The high flower stems are only produced in the plant's second year and can be seen between June and September. Foxgloves can be found in woodlands and gardens, and on moorlands, coastal cliffs, roadside verges and waste ground.
Like many of our native plants, Foxgloves are an excellent source of nectar and pollen for all kinds of insects including bumblebees, moths and Honey Bees. To encourage wildlife into your garden, try planting native flower species in your borders to provide a 'nectar-cafe' for bees and butterflies. To find out more about wildlife-friendly gardening, visit our Wild About Gardens website: a joint initiative with the RHS, there's plenty of facts and tips to get you started.
Eyebright
Eyebright is a low-growing annual plant found in all kinds of short grasslands, from the top of cliffs to windswept heaths, wildflower meadows to downlands. There are about 20 species of Eyebright and around 60 hybrids, which are all very similar and difficult to tell apart from each other. These species are generally semi-parasitic, feeding off the nutrients from the roots of nearby grasses. For this reason, they are quite useful plants in terms of keeping vigorous grasses at bay in order that wildflowers can thrive.
The Wildlife Trusts manage many grassland nature reserves for the benefit of all kinds of wildlife. Careful grazing with traditional breeds, hay-cutting at the right time and scrub clearance are just some of the ways these fragile habitats are kept in good condition - supporting wildflowers like Eyebright and, in turn, invertebrates and the larger animals that prey on them. By volunteering for your local Trust you can help too, and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.
Yellow-rattle
Once awash with wildflowers and alive with insects, our hay meadows have been drained, damaged and destroyed as a result of agricultural intensification; more than 95% of our wildflower meadows have been lost in recent years. Without care, those meadows that are left can quickly become overgrown, shading out delicate wildflowers. The Wildlife Trusts look after many meadow habitats using traditional methods, such as hay-cutting, reseeding and grazing, for the benefit of local wildlife. We are also working closely with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices in these areas. You can help too: volunteer for your local Wildlife Trust and you could be involved in everything from stockwatching to surveying meadow flowers.
Germander Speedwell
Considered a good luck charm for travellers, the bright blue flowers of Germander Speedwell are meant to 'speed' you on your way. This reputation may well have come about because of its habit of forming large clumps in hedgerows, roadside verges and grassy lanes; it can also be found on grasslands and in open woodlands. The flowers appear from April to June.
Our hedgerows support all kinds of wildlife, providing vital food and shelter. But these habitats are disappearing with the intensification of agriculture. The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with farmers, landowners and developers to promote wildlife-friendly practices, such as planting hedges and leaving field margins. We have a vision of a 'Living Landscape': a network of habitats and wildlife corridors across town and country, which are good for both wildlife and people. You can support this greener vision for the future by joining your local Wildlife Trust.
Centaury
Common Centaury is a low-growing biennial which is found on sand dunes, heaths, woodland rides, quarries and other dry, grassy areas. It is in bloom between June and September and, like other members of the gentian family, its pink flowers close during the afternoon.
The Wildlife Trusts manage many nature reserves for the benefit of all kinds of wildlife, including many different species of plants. But these precious sites are under threat from development, intensive agricultural practices and climate change. You can help by supporting your local Trust and becoming a member; you'll find out about exciting wildlife happenings, events on your doorstep and volunteering opportunities, and be helping local wildlife along the way.
Yellow-wort
Found on chalk and limestone grasslands and sand dunes, Yellow-wort is a low-growing annual that flowers between June and October. Like other members of the gentian family, its yellow flowers close during the afternoon. Its waxy, bluish-green leaves help the plant to retain water in the arid conditions in which it thrives.
Areas of rare and unique wildlife, chalk grasslands have been likened to rainforest for the diversity of species they hold. But they are being lost at an alarming rate due to changes in land use causing the decline of grazing: it's estimated that we've lost 80% of our chalk grassland over the last 60 years. The Wildlife Trusts manage many grassland nature reserves for the benefit of the rare wildlife they hold by using traditional management methods such as autumn grazing and scrub clearance. You can help too: volunteer for your local Wildlife Trust and you could be involved in everything from flower surveys to stockwatching.
Scarlet Pimpernel
Flowering between May and September, Scarlet Pimpernel is a common arable weed and is most famous for being the emblem of the fictional hero of the same name. It is sometimes also known as 'Old Man's Weathervane' or 'Shepherd's Weather-glass' as the flowers close when atmospheric pressure falls and bad weather approaches. Scarlet Pimpernel can be found in arable fields and gardens, on coastal cliffs, roadside verges and chalk downlands.
Before the Second World War, arable weeds, such as Scarlet Pimpernel, would have peppered the landscape with colour in the summer months. But the post-war intensification of agriculture and widespread use of herbicides have driven massive declines in many of these species and the wildlife that depends on them. Nevertheless, The Wildlife Trusts manage many farmland and grassland habitats for the benefit of these plants, often using traditional methods. By volunteering for your local Trust you can help too, and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.
Creeping Jenny
Bell-shaped, yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves are the defining characteristics of Creeping Jenny - a low-growing perennial that creeps through damp grasslands, pond margins, riverbanks and wet woodlands. It flowers from May to August and is most prevalent in the south of the UK. A popular garden plant, Creeping Jenny is good for pond margins and bog gardens, preferring shade to full sun.
Human activity, including the drainage of land for agriculture and development, has resulted in the disappearance of many of the UK's wetlands. The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with planners, developers and farmers to ensure our wetlands are protected. You can help too: add native plants and flowers, such as Creeping Jenny, to a wildlife-friendly pond and its margins, and provide shelter for amphibians and nectar for insects. In partnership with the RHS, The Wildlife Trusts' Wild About Gardens initiative can help you plan your wildlife garden.
Cowslip
The Cowslip is a cousin of the Primrose and is also an early spring flower. As such, it is closely associated with much English folklore and tradition, including adorning garlands for May Day and being strewn on church paths for weddings. Formerly a common plant of traditional meadows, ancient woodlands and hedgerows, it was picked in profusion across the country for many celebrations. But the loss of these habitats to the advancement of agriculture caused a serious decline in Cowslip populations and now fields coloured bright yellow with the nodding heads of Cowslips a rare sight.
Once awash with wildflowers and alive with insects, our hay meadows have been drained, damaged and destroyed as a result of agricultural intensification; more than 95% of our wildflower meadows have been lost in recent years. Without care, those meadows that are left can quickly become overgrown, shading out delicate wildflowers such as Cowslips. The Wildlife Trusts look after many meadow habitats using traditional methods, such as hay-cutting, reseeding and grazing, for the benefit of local wildlife. We are also working closely with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices in these areas. You can help too: volunteer for your local Wildlife Trust and you could be involved in everything from stockwatching to surveying meadow flowers.
