The meadows of the Clifton Washland are starting to flower with marsh marigold, lady’s smock, wood anemone and dandelions adding a splash of colour. Few people realise that there are 232 different ‘microspecies’ of dandelion in this country, with floodplain meadows being an important habitat. Amongst the first grasses to flower are meadow foxtail and the suitably-named sweet vernal grass.

Woodland plants are rare in floodplain meadows further south but wood anemone grows in grassland in several places along the Ouse, including the drier parts of Clifton Ings. Wood forget-me-not is a new plant record for Rawcliffe Meadows, though it grows in riverside woodland not far upstream at Rawcliffe Landing.

ladys smock

wood anemones clifton ings

wood forgetmenot