Monday 23 March 2015

The wild daffodils of Dymock - photo heavy


We were at Malvern again yesterday, to check out a Militaria Fair they hold there.  Homework done and no need to go again.  On the way out, we stopped so I could take photos of the stupendous views.  Needless to say, houses in Malvern with a view like this sell at a premium . . .



Then we drove on to the beautiful ancient church of St Mary's at Kempley, where we were meeting with my friend J.


Kempley church has stunning Medieval wall paintings, which were whitewashed over as "idolatory" in Cromwell's times.  Fortunately they have been rediscovered and restored where possible.  I have written a post about this church before, so will move on to the beautiful wild daffodils which still grow in this area.

So we left the churchyard, with just a quick photo of the daffs growing there - but they need another couple of weeks, J thinks as there is just a sprinkling at the moment.


So from Kempley we drove through Dymock to a piece of woodland where daffodils used to be picked for the Birmingham market.  J's aunty (nearly a centenarian now) and her mum and gran, used to be amongst the pickers.  Even before school to satisfy demand if Easter was early and the daffodils few in number, because then there would be a premium for them.


Another rarity these days, the scented White Violets growing on a sunny bank.


The woodland was criss-crossed with daffodil-edged rides such as this one, and if I thought this was pretty and daffodils a-plenty, I had a treat in store.


Between the trees the woodland floor was carpeted with daffodils.



There were primroses too of course.


According to J, these are still only about 2/3 out - and they are always earlier in the woods.  In the fields they are well behind, as we saw later when we visited one of the few fields which has been left unploughed by the farmer, so show this area how it used to be 100 years ago.


I took lots of similar photos, but I suspect you get the gist of this natural beauty by now.


Leaving the woodland.



Aiming towards the sun made it look like last week's eclipse again!


The daffodil field, which in full bloom, you can scarcely see any grass because of the flowers.  It has a way to go yet.


One last close up of these tiny daffodils.  We still have a few here in Wales - they like wetter woods, and I know of some in a damp cleft in a meadow locally.  See these in all their glory and you will never plant a King Alfred again.

If you want to head for the Dymock/Much Marcle/Kempley triangle on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border this coming weekend, you will not be disappointed, as the daffodils are just starting to bloom and it is a beautiful and historically very interesting area.

10 comments:

  1. Absolutely beautiful BB. But I especially love those white violets - I can only imagine the smell - wonderful.

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  2. What a lovely walk that looks.

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  3. Just imagine!! -- A field of daffodils! I love the primroses of my childhood too. We lived for a while in Primrose Valley -- aptly named.

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  4. I love violets and you just have them growing in your fields !
    Living here in the desert we do not see any of this at all.

    cheers, parsnip

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  5. The photos are lovely of the daffodils, and loved the white violets, we have the purple here, the ground must have been a woodland at some stage and they still appear.

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  6. I am so glad that you all enjoyed it. The bank that the White Violets were growing on was very sunny and undisturbed (although having said that, a hundred yards away was where mass murderer Fred West buried his first wife and daughter after he'd murdered them!) Rumour has it that he "planted" a good few more unmissed girls in this area, but Police thought it was like a needle in a haystack, searching for them, and didn't bother.

    There were Primroses, Red Dead Nettle and a few Celendines too (the latter are only just putting in an appearance) and at the edge of the wood the first wee heads of the Wood Anemones. It was pure magic.

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  7. Seeing them growing wild like that is amazing. Do you know I don't think I've ever seen them like that? It was just lovely to walk with you and see the church. The painting around the window is so beautiful. Sorry to have been an infrequent visitor. I keep looking at my watch as I've only allotted half an hour for blogging before I get back to....well shit really! xx

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  8. Em - you and me both about the blogging writing and visiting! Not enough hours in the day and about to get 10 times worse with the arrival of spring and the needs of my garden! It's the only place I have seen wild daffodils growing in such profusion. I think we used to have them here in Wales, but they are just in a few tiny little spots locally now.

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  9. The wild daffodils are just beautiful - it looks a really lovely walk. Great photos too of all the wildflowers. Loved the church photo - off to check out the previous post now!!

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  10. RR - this walk was just up your street I think. The church is stunning too. I hope you enjoy the other post about it.

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