Native Wildflower Meadow

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Nature Trail
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Native Wildflower Meadow
1
Native Irish Trees
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Deciduous Woodlands
3
Conifer Woodlands
A
Picnic Area
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4
6
Pond Fjords
B
Native Wildflower Meadow
The Boardwalk
Piazza
GOLF
PRACTICE
B
CHILDREN’S
PL AYGROUND
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4
MULTI-SPORTS
AREA
PARK
KEEPER’S
LODGE
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D UC K
HOUSES
STEPPING
STONES
JETT Y
PEBBLE
BEACH
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2
Créche
Site
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A
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Native Wildflower
Meadow
Ireland is home to a remarkably diverse range of wildflowers. The Burren in County Clare is
famous for the wildflowers found on its limestone pavements. Here in Honeypark there are
over 20 different species of native and introduced wildflowers. Here are just some of them.
1. Bluebell
Hyacinthoides Non-scripta / Coinnle Coora
Flowering Time: April-May.
Perennial bulb.
Native.
Height: 20-50cm
2. Wood Sage
Teucrium Scorodonia / Iúr Sléibhe
Flowering time: July-September.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: 25-60cm
3. Sweet Violet
Viola Odorata / Sailchuach chumhra
Flowering Time: March-May.
Occasionally native, often introduced.
4. Primrose
Primula Vulgaris / Sabhaircín
Flowering time: December-May.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: 15cm
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Native Wildflower Meadow
5. Hemp-agrimony
Eupatorium Cannabinum / Cnáib Uisce
Flowering time: July-September.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: 120cm
6. Wood Avens
Geum Urbanum / Macall Coille
Flowering time: April-September.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: 25-60 cm
7. Wild Angelica
Angelica Sylvestris / Gallfheabhrán
Flowering time: July-September.
Perennial.
Native.
8. Slender Parsley-pier t
Aphanes Australis / A. Microcarpa / Mionán Muire Caol
Flowering: May-August.
Annual.
Native.
9. Common Sorrel
Rumex Acetosa / Samhadh Bó
Flowering: May-June.
Dioecious perennial.
Native.
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Native Wildflower Meadow
10. Ribwor t Plantain
Plantago Lanceeolata / Slánus
Flowering time: April-October.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: Stems to 50cm.
11. Red Campion
Silene Dioica / Coireán Coilleach
Flowering: April-August.
Perennial, sometimes annual.
Native.
12. Ramsons / Wild Garlic
Allium Ursinum / Creamh
Flowering time: March-May.
Perennial bulb.
Native.
Height: to 35 cm
13. Meadowsweet
Filipendula Ulmaria / Airgead Luachra
Flowering time: June-September.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: 60-120 cm
14. Common Knapweed
Hardhead / Centaurea Nigra / Minscoth
Flowering time: July-September.
Perennial.
Native.
Height: 1m
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Native Wildflower Meadow
15. Foxglove
Digitalis Purpurea / Lus mór
Flowering time: June-August.
Biennial.
Native.
Height: 60-180 cm
16. Devils-bit Scabious
Succisa Pratensis / Odhrach Bhallach
Flowering time: July-October.
Perennial / biennial.
Native.
Height: 40-120 cm
17. Cowslip
Primula Veris / Bainne Bó Bleac htáin
Flowering time: April-May.
Perennial.
Native / introduced.
Height: 3-10cm
18. Lesser Burdock
Arctium Minus / Cnádán
Flowering Time: July-September.
Biennial.
Native.
Height: 60-130 cm
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Native Wildflower Meadow
Mini-beast hunt
A bonus of a wildflower meadow is the wild life it attracts, including bees, butterflies and
other beneficial insects. The world's bees and other pollinating insects are in crisis- without
healthy populations of insect pollinators, our future food security is under threat. It is therefore
important to restore and protect our threatened wildflower meadows.
You might find some of these creatures here;
1. Bumble Bee
Bombus Terrestris / Bumbóg
Often confused with Honey Bees, the Bumble Bee is larger and furrier.
There are 20 different species of Bumble Bee in Ireland. 14 true Bumble
Bees and 6 Cuckoo Bumble Bees. Bees store their venom in a sac
attached to their stinger and only female bees sting. Bees see all colours
except the colour red. That and their sense of smell help them find the
flowers they need to collect pollen.
2. Hover fly
Syrphus Ribesii / Beach
Around 180 species have been recorded in Ireland in a wide range of
habitats. Many species mimic Bees, Wasps or Bumble Bees to deter
predators. The mimicry is often very close and it makes people nervous
of them. But it’s only a bluff because no hoverfly species can sting.
3. Wasp
Vespula Vulgaris / Foiche
Wasps are distinguishable from Bees by their pointed lower abdomens
and the narrow "waist," called a petiole, that separates the abdomen
from the thorax. Typically, Wasps are most active during the day
and usually return to their nests at dusk. Most Wasps live less than one
year and some only live for a few months. Queens sometimes live for
several years.
4. Red Admiral Butterfly
Vanessa Atalanta / Aimiréal Dearg
A large and strong-flying Butterfly, The Red Admiral is common in
gardens and can be found throughout Ireland. It is attracted to gardens
where it feeds on buddleia, several other flowering species and also
over-ripe fruit.
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Native Wildflower Meadow - Mini-beast hunt
5. Peacock Butter fly
Inachis Io/ Péacóg
The Peacock's spectacular pattern of eyespots, evolved to startle or
confuse predators, make it one of the most easily recognized and best
known species. It is from these wing markings that the butterfly gained
its common name.
6. Emperor Moth
Saturnia Pavonia / Im pire
The adult Emperor Moth is a truly spectacular insect. The male of this
large, day-flying moth species is a particularly striking sight, with
prominent black and yellow eye spots, reminiscent of the eyes of an owl.
It can easily be mistaken for a butterfly due to its bright colours.
7. Lacewing Fly
Chr ysoperla Carnea / Sciathán
Lacewings are common flying insects about 12 - 15mm and with green
bodies and lovely delicate green lacy wings which lie folded on their back
when at rest. They are best known as a predator of aphids, and fully deserve
the nickname "aphid lion" as a single insect can consume 100-600 aphids
in its lifetime.
8. Ladybird
Coccinellidae / Bóín
There are 18 species from the ladybird family living in Ireland, the most
common species is the seven-spot ladybird. Most ladybirds eat aphids
or greenfly which are garden pests and this is why so many people love
to see ladybirds..