Field Notes: Flowers in the rain

Quinag conservation officer Romany Garnett reports on a wet wild flower day that went down a storm in the community

We had a good turnout for our wild flower day in celebration of National Meadows Day in early July. The focus of the day was to celebrate wild flowers through a variety of activities including painting sessions, guided walk, mindfulness and creative fun for children.

The day had been planned to take place outdoors on the machair at Achmelvich, in the sunshine, possibly even wearing floaty dresses! Instead, we pulled on our wellies for the nearly torrential downpour.

It couldn’t have been a wetter day! Despite this, the guided walk went ahead with 15-20 people turning up. "It was amazing," said one participant retuning soaked, but happy. The painting and silk art were held in Achmelvich youth hostel. The mindfulness session was relocated to the dryness of the polytunnel and the bird spotting station took place under the eaves of a gazebo. A list of 23 different species sightings were recorded from the day.

The dampness did not affect people’s spirits and, as the last of the cake disappeared into hungry mouths, we were asked: "When is the next wild flower day going to be?"

Huge thanks to the community and our partners who helped make Achmelvich Wild Flower Day happen, including: Jorine Van Delft (Achmlevich Youth Hostel manager), Andy  Summers (Highlife Highland Ranger), Roz Summers, David and Avril Haines, Vickii Campen (Coigach - Assynt Living Landscape Partnership), Alison Wood, Sandra Callus (Assynt Leisure), Mary King, Kat Martin and the Trust's Sandwood team - Don O’ Driscoll and Carrie Weager.

Photos show people enjoying a wet wild flower day at Achmelvich, by Andy Summers (top) and Romany Garnett (above).