A Familiar, Slipper and Birds Eye

 

Lady’s Slipper Orchid (part of the reintroduction programme)

Officially declared extinct in 1917 due to over zealous Victorian collectors a single plant was rediscovered in the craven district of Yorkshire in 1930. Since then the location of the last of the Lady Slipper Orchids has remained a closely guarded secret. In 2007 the RHS began to micropropagate and clone the craven plant. Gait Barrows was chosen as one of the first reintroduction sites. Whether or not they’d survive without Rob the Natural England site manager fighting a battle with the slugs and snails is debateable.

Birds-eye Primrose

Another nationally scare plant the Birds Eye Primula is native to the limestone hills and damp pastures of north Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire. Sadly the unimproved pastures it depends upon has become increasingly uncommon leading to its decline.  The common name is derived from the yellow “eye” of the flower and it’s resemblance to the eye of a male Blackbird.

Brown Hare

Look at those ears twitching! Certainly not your average bunny. Introduced from Europe in the iron age I came across this one feeding on the grass next to Challon Hall.