One of the highlights of my Summer was a trip to Tarn Moor with Bradford Botany Group. Quite a drive but so worth it! Tarn Moor or Tarn Moss is in Cumbria, near Orton. It is a Designated Area of Special Conservation. It is mainly bogs, marshes and water fringed vegetation, according to the Government website. I read that it is a basin-mire supporting nutrient poor fen. I can't tell you how this "poor" fen cheered us all up. It was a hot sunny day, eventually, although quite chilly and damp at first. I was over-excited in the first five minutes of reaching the Moss, there were so many orchids for a start. Heath spotted, Common fragrant, Early marsh, Northern marsh, Heath fragrant and Chalk fragrant and some hybrids. At this point my brain exploded and I concentrated on the other things that were there. The group identified 150 taxa (Nomenclature follows Stace 4). I learned so much that day! If any of the group read this I would like to thank you for your generosity of information. This visit has inspired me ever since.
There were such beautiful examples of round leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), perfectly curated for my pictures it seemed! I have made some sketches and plans for further prints.
My new favourite orchid, though, is the Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride).
This post is just the start!
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