A butterfly bank: second visit

About a month ago I posted some pictures of a beautiful magnesian limestone embankment along an old disused railway line at Trimdon near Durham city. This weekend we went back for another look and the flora was even better.

The viper's bugloss, which was only rosettes of leaves on our last visit, had now produced tall spires of flowers.

At the moment, this is just about the most flowery spot I know, with ....

...... bladder campion .......

...growing here with viper's bugloss ....

..... intensely fragrant burnet rose ......

..... eyebright, a plant that's partially parasitic on the roots of other plants....

..... greater knapweed .........

....... rock-rose .....

... and common spotted orchids that were too many to count, with numerous variations: this is an albino form.

Twayblade orchids, that are well hidden amongst the background vegetation..........

... and drifts of viper's bugloss, which bees can't resist.

Wild strawberries ..........

....... and wild thyme.

Magnesian limestone flora at its best!