Summer evening walk with many wildflowers
I went for an evening walk after being recommended a visit to Cradle Valley on the outskirts of Seaford. I was particularly looking for Burnt orchids but came across many beautiful flowers including three more orchids: Fragrant orchid, Common Spotted orchids and Pyramidal orchids. Other highlights were finding many of the flowers listed as chalk grassland indicator species, and these are marked with an L below.
![Ladys bedstraw pyramidal orchids Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ladys-bedstraw-pyramidal-orchids-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Barley Field at High and Over
My walk started at High and Over carpark and I headed down towards Cradle Valley via a barley field.
Barley – Hordeum vulgare
![Barley Hordeum vulgare High and Over Seaford July 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Barley-Hordeum-vulgare-High-and-Over-Seaford-July-2021-450x600.jpg)
Field weeds
I still haven’t got my head around these field weeds, so do let me know if you can help!
![mayweed or chamomile flowers high and over seaford jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/mayweed-or-chamomile-flowers-high-and-over-seaford-jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Cradle Valley flowers
Common Restharrow – Ononis repens
Restharrow was the first plant I spotted on this walk from the species list I mentioned. L
![Common Restharrow Ononis repens Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Common-Restharrow-Ononis-repens-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x600.jpg)
Black medick – Medicago lupulina
Black medick can be differentiated from similar wildflowers by its mucronate leaf tip. This just means that there is a little needle point visible on the end of some of the leaves.
![Black medick mucronate tip medicago lupulina Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Black-medick-mucronate-tip-medicago-lupulina-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x600.jpg)
Greater Knapweed – Centaurea scabiosa
L
![Greater Knapweed flower florets Centaurea scabiosa Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Greater-Knapweed-flower-florets-Centaurea-scabiosa-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Eyebright – Euphrasia
The list also had Eyebright. L
![Eyebright Euphrasia Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Eyebright-Euphrasia-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x600.jpg)
Yellow Rattle – Rhinanthus Minor
The Rattle was easily identified by the sound of the seedpods.
![Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus Minor seed pods Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Yellow-Rattle-Rhinanthus-Minor-seed-pods-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
Selfheal – Prunella vulgaris
![Selfheal Prunella vulgaris Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Selfheal-Prunella-vulgaris-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x600.jpg)
Round-headed Rampion – Phyteuma orbiculare
This beautiful flower is also known as Pride of Sussex.
![Round-headed Rampion flower Phyteuma orbiculare Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Round-headed-Rampion-flower-Phyteuma-orbiculare-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x600.jpg)
Kidney vetch – Anthyllis vulneraria
Also on the list: Kidney vetch. L
![Kidney vetch flowers Anthyllis vulneraria Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Kidney-vetch-flowers-Anthyllis-vulneraria-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Field Scabious – Knautia arvensis
L
![Field Scabious flower knautia arvensis Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Field-Scabious-flower-knautia-arvensis-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Pyramidal orchid – Anacamptis pyramidalis
Orchids in general are on the list. L
![Pyramidal orchid flower Anacamptis pyramidalis Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Pyramidal-orchid-flower-Anacamptis-pyramidalis-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
Burnt orchid – Orchis ustulata
My reason for this walk! [The following year I returned to help count these orchids].
![Burnt orchid detail Orchis ustulata Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Burnt-orchid-detail-Orchis-ustulata-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Common fragrant orchid – Gymnadenia conopsea
![Common fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea detail](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Common-fragrant-orchid-Gymnadenia-conopsea-detail-600x429.jpg)
Common spotted orchid – Dactylorhiza fuchsii
![Common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii - Cradle Valley Seaford - July 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Common-spotted-orchid-Dactylorhiza-fuchsii-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-July-2021-scaled-e1642182753271-600x460.jpg)
Bladder campion – Silene vulgaris
Campions in long grass.
![Bladder campion Silene vulgaris Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Bladder-campion-Silene-vulgaris-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Lady’s Bedstraw – Galium verum
L
![Ladys Bedstraw meadow Galium verum Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ladys-Bedstraw-meadow-Galium-verum-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Viper’s Bugloss – Echium vulgare
Fab blue flower, here mixed in with Greater Knapweed and Agrimony.
![Vipers bugloss greater knapweed agrimony cradle valley seaford jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Vipers-bugloss-greater-knapweed-agrimony-cradle-valley-seaford-jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Agrimony – Agrimonia eupatoria
Yellow flower spikes of Agrimony in amongst the meadow flowers.
![Vipers bugloss agrimony cradle valley seaford jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Vipers-bugloss-agrimony-cradle-valley-seaford-jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Dropwort – Filipendula ulmaria
This flower was in short grass. L
![Dropwort Filipendula ulmaria Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Dropwort-Filipendula-ulmaria-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-450x600.jpg)
Squinancywort – Asperula cynanchica
Also in short grass. L
![Squinancywort Asperula cynanchica Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Squinancywort-Asperula-cynanchica-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Yellow-wort flowers – Blackstonia perfoliata
I was pleased to find this flower because it was on the list but, along with the Kidney vetch, it was not seen at Crowlink. It was growing in short grass. L
![Yellow-wort flowers Blackstonia perfoliata Cradle Valley Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Yellow-wort-flowers-Blackstonia-perfoliata-Cradle-Valley-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Flowering in the Last Wood and fields behind
Phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia (a green manure) and Oilseed Rape Brassica napus from previous crops were growing side by side in this wide field margin. I think the actual crop was Wheat Triticum (just seen at rear).
![Phacelia and oil seed rape field seaford jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Phacelia-and-oil-seed-rape-field-seaford-jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Black Horehound – Ballota nigra
I had seen Black Horehound and White Horehound in the same week! This one was on the edge of the Last Wood.
![Black horehound Ballota nigra Last Wood Seaford Jul 2021](https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Black-horehound-Ballota-nigra-Last-Wood-Seaford-Jul-2021-600x450.jpg)
Chalk Grassland Indicator Species
So altogether I counted ten plants from the list, marked L, on my walk.
Read more about Chalk Grasslands from the Wildlife Trusts.
Related posts: This year was great for Orchids
Chalk grassland surveys Part 2
Chalk grassland surveys Part 3
Fourth and final day counting flowers at Gayles Farm
Seaford Head Nature Reserve in August and again later in the month