Pasqueflower

This beautiful member of the buttercup family, with its deep-purple satin-sheened petals and softly hairy leaves and stems, looks too exotic to be a native British species. But although it has declined severely, it can still be found in some areas of chalk and limestone grassland. I'm lucky to live less than twenty minutes away from Barnack Hills and Holes National Nature Reserve, which has a population in excess of 20,000, one of the largest in the country. They grow on the steep slopes of this Medieval limestone quarry, and this evening I discovered that the majority seem to favour east-facing slopes, and so were already in deep shade when I arrived. But a few were still catching the low evening sun, which emphasised their textural qualities. Pure magic!