Published: 16 September 2024
With the leaves falling and the weather cooling, autumn is known as the season of decline. Winter is just a few short months away. And while russet and amber leaves can be fun to walk in, you might not think that now is a good time to enjoy British wildflowers. But nature is full of surprises, and if you know what to look for, there are plenty of gems to be found.
Six British Wildflowers to Look This Autumn
Harebells
With their beautiful dusky blue nodding heads, harebells are always a joy to see. Part of the campanula family, they thrive in grasslands, sand dunes, hedgerows and near cliffs, elegant and lovely. They can grow up to 40cm in height, which usually means that they’re fairly easy to spot. Pollinating insects love them. And if it stays frost-free, you can find them right the way up until November.
Autumn hawkbit
Not to be confused with the dandelion, autumn hawkbit brings a splash of golden sunshine to meadows at this time of year. Although relatively low-growing – reaching a height of 15cm – their colour makes them stand out from any crowd. They will flower until mid-October, and finches adore their seed, so they’re a great choice if you want to attract more birds to your garden.
Toadflax
Commonly known as ‘butter and eggs’, toadflax flowers look very much like a diminutive snapdragon. They clump together to form a wonderful wash of yellow and orange in grassland, hedgerows, and along verges up until the end of October. Reaching a height of upto 75cm they can be hard to miss if they’re happy.Devil’s-bit scabious
Succisa pratensis
With smaller heads than the cultivated varieties, devil’s-bit scabious is nonetheless a sight worth seeing on an autumn walk. Common throughout the country, primarily on meadowland, these pincushion-esque blooms flower until October. As a member of the honeysuckle family, they provide a late feast for any pollinators still around. And they look simply lovely.
Ivy
People either love or hate ivy. Either way, it provides a fabulous habitat for all kinds of wildlife. And what many people don’t realise is that as well as its leaves, this climber produces sweet-scented umbels from September to November. While these flowers are never going to win any prizes when compared to the likes of harebells and hawkbit, they are a vitally important nectar source for pollinators. They’re also really rather charming.Wild clematis
Wild clematis
While wild clematis typically finishes flowering in August, it’s still worth looking out for, for its fabulous seed heads. Colloquially known as ‘old man’s beard’, you’ll find swathes of these furry seed heads throughout the hedgerows. They tend to favour chalky soil, but you can find this lovely plant throughout the country. And it will hold its seed head indefinitely – until the wind blows them away.
Autumn isn’t known as a season of flower. But there is still plenty to see, especially if you’re looking in September. Birdsfoot trefoil, red campion, meadowsweet, knautia, melampyrum arvense, and more are all in bloom right now. Filling our countryside with colour, scent, and joy. And if you look very carefully, you’ll probably spot some of them in the Holker Hall deer park!
Looking for somewhere to stretch your legs this autumn? Why not join us at Holker Hall.