The grasses are stretching for the light, in between the wild flowers strive to get a share of the sun’s rays while bushes of lilac and white roses stake their claim to the land on the quarry rim. At the quarry edge where the rock protrudes forth and the sides plummet to the bowl below, a number of wild flowers have claimed the land as their own; daisies, ragwort, pink valerian, thistles and other species congregate.  Flowers are given a chance to hold firm among the rocky outcrops. In the quarry bowl below, another battle is being played out as hawthorn, beech and other deciduous trees defiantly stand in the way of the ever spreading invader, the dreaded Japanese knotweed.

Daisies on the Edge

Pretty in Pink – Valerian

The Golden Couple

Ragwort coming to flower

Carpet at the Quarry Edge

Following a good few photographs, none of which I intended to take at the outset, it was time to move on. But where was the Hound? A ripple of grasses, the flick of a flower and there I see the white tip of his tail giving away his location, as he follows scent upon scent in the long grass. Time to go.

In doing this blog I am finding out so much, such as the name of that pink flower is valerian together with it being claimed that the Japanese knotweed is one of the top five invasive species and spreads like wildfire. Trouble is it is doing its best to get over our adjacent wall.