Squinancywort and Autumn Gentians

I thought today I would go and check out the Autumn Gentian and the Squinancywort.

At first I was getting very worried on both accounts, because I could not find any gentian, certainly at the areas where they were last year, and although I did eventually find the squinancywort it seemed thin on the ground compared to the past couple of years.

Eventually I did also find three Gentian plants tucked away. They were just about the right stage of growth for the time of year with perhaps another week or ten days to go before they come into their prime. All three were showing their normal purplish colouring. Last years "white one" and the others last year just wernt there, but I do think that two of them got taken out with probable rabbits! Lets hope this year they might just get going. I have taken a couple of photos here but will try and get up next week and hopefully get some whilst in bloom...

Also just showing how quick the Ragwort has got hold on Dalton's "deforested".