I saw on the BBC news that people want to learn more about wildflowers - some youngsters couldn't even identify a bluebell?! Seriously?
I though I'd re-share this beautiful nature reserve we visited in 2016 - I am hoping to go back this summer.
A couple of weeks ago, I did a Google search for local places to find poppy fields, luckily I found one in Sanderstead (close to home) but Ranscombe Farm Reserve in Cuxton, Kent had come up as a great place to see wild flowers.
Cuxton is near Strood, round the corner from Diggerland in Kent, if you're looking for somewhere else to take the kids.
Ranscombe Farm is Plantlife's largest nature reserve in England, with a total area of over 620 acres. Its rolling landscape includes arable farmland, large areas of ancient woodland and fragments of chalk grassland.
As you can see it was worth the 40 minute drive. We walked through the meadow of Viper's Bugloss, these flowers are mainly found on sandy and chalk soils and have bright blue, funnel-shaped flowers.
The meadow was full of oxeye daisies and poppies.
You'll see lots of bees busy doing their jobs.
If you have a good look under planks of wood, you might even find some slow worms, we also saw a grass snake, three tiny lizards and a field mouse!
We cut through the woods and ended up in a field full of broad beans and poppies.
Then the rain came! We sheltered in the woods and found a dryad's saddle mushroom. These are edible mushrooms. The woodland here is really beautiful too lots of foxgloves and lovely old trees.
We walked a full circuit back to the car park. It's a really beautiful place to go walking and to take photographs.
So, now I can cross red and blue off of my photo challenge. If I count in some of my old photos too I can cross off yellow. But I'm now on a mission to find more colourful fields.
Do get along to Ranscombe if you can, it is free and so is the parking.
For more ideas for days out in Kent take a look at Family Travel with Ellie for some great ideas.