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:rose: So beautiful, they've called it the Field of Dreams:
Britain's biggest wildflower meadow comes into full bloom with a burst of colour :rose2:
Britain's biggest wildflower garden has finally burst into bloom with a spectacular
60 different brightly coloured species carpeting the landscape.
Talented Brian Herrick, 59, and wife Denise, 61, have spent years turning this once unsightly and rubbish-strewn field
at the edge of their Somerset estate into their little piece of heaven,
which they've named the 'Field of Dreams'.
The couple, who bought estate Barcroft Hall ten years ago
now have the biggest wildflower garden in the UK,
boasting varieties from all around the world.
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Stunning landscape: Louisa Marie, 23, enjoys the thousands of wild flowers
at the Field of Dreams in Barcroft Hall, South Petherton, Somerset, south-west England
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Colourful: The bright orange Ursinia is one of the flowers in bloom
at the Field of Dreams along with the much loved golden poppy
Their 'Field of Dreams' masterpiece was inspired by visits to Kew Gardens,
Table Mountain National Park and Kirstenbosch Gadrens, both in Cape Town, South Africa.
It was feared that the variable weather would affect the flowers so the couple were thrilled
to see the first tiny blooms of Californian Bluebells and Goldfields three weeks ago.
Since then, other species have been carpeting the field,
which lies on the stunning 85 acre estate in South Petherton, Somerset, south west England.
They have also planted a Heart of Gold -
a one acre wild flower heart to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
This weekend, visitors will be able to stroll among the sweet smelling flowers
for the first time this year, when the Field of Dreams opens for 2012.
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Buzzing with nature: The wild flower meadow is an excellent environment for butterflies and bees
and is also popular with the public drawing 4,000 people last year
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Eye-catching: Purple-coloured Scorpion Weed and the Gazania
were planted in the field when work began on the project in 2010
Last year, the meadow was so popular it drew more than 4,000 members of the public
and the couple were moved at the reaction from visitors,
some of whom became tearful at the site of the extraordinary colourful display.
The Herrick's began work on the two acre piece of wasteland in 2010.
Unsightly buildings were removed and tons of rubbish and waste were taken away.
They then rebuilt the road banks and new hedges and trees were planted,
before the land was mole ploughed for drainage and harrowed to create a fine seed bed.
This year, the couple also planted a field of packed full of sunflowers,
just behind the Field of Dreams,
for every person who lost their lives in last year's devastating Japan tsunami.
They were inspired to create the field, which they've called A Ray of Sunshine,
after a recent visit to the disaster-hit country,
where they were inspired to create four wildflower meadows in the north-east of the country.
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Enterprising: The owners of Barcroft Hall Estate in South Petherton
purchased and renovated over two acres of disused land to create the 'Field of Dreams'
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Bright: Scarlet Flax and Mountain Garland are among the flowers carpet the field
and now the Herricks have been creating wildflower meadows in Japan
Around 16,000 people died when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake
unleased a wall of water which hit Japan's north-east coast.
It is even more poignant as the couple became near victims of the 2004 tsunami in Thailand.
The conservationists were on holiday with their children in Krabi, Thailand when the country was hit
by the giant wave caused by an earthquake. More than 230,000 people died in 14 countries.
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Inspiration: The owners were inspired after visiting Kew Gardens,
Table Mountain National Park and Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town, South Africa
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Harmony: Scorpion Weed, right, grows happily alongside the Spurred Snapdragon
in the wild flower meadow which is home to 60 species
Mr Herrick said: 'The philosophy of the Field of Dreams in England was that in the current climate
with such strains on families and especially the elderly,
everyone needs and should have a little piece of heaven
to promote harmony, goodwill and understanding.
'This ideal has now been transported to Japan and we sincerely hope
it will help those families who have been subjected to this terrible disaster.'
Entry is free to the Field of Dreams but visitors are asked to make a donation
to one of the couple's chosen local charities.
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Heaven: The flower species from around the world were sown
at three grams per square metre to create the awe-inspiring field
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...st-colour.html
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The World Heritage Jurassic Coast Showing 185 Million Years Of History
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The Jurassic Coast is England's first natural World Heritage Site.
Covering 95 miles of coastline from East Devon to Dorset, displaying 185 million years of the Earth's history.
Durdle Door (below)
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World Heritage status was achieved because the Jurassic Coast provides a unique insight into Earth Sciences.
It shows a geological ‘walk through time’ spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
World Heritage Sites are places of ‘outstanding universal value’ selected by UNESCO.
The Official Jurassic Coast Website
http://jurassiccoast.org/
The formation of a geological spectacle
http://jurassiccoast.org/rocks-and-f...ical-spectacle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IcE2BIh4SY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic_Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England.
It stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon
to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of 155 kilometres (96 mi).
Chartered in 2001, the Jurassic coast was the second wholly natural
World Heritage Site to be designated in the United Kingdom.
Its entire length can be walked on the South West Coast Path.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icaq4b31cIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rkmhrIpYP8
The site was featured on the television programme Seven Natural Wonders
as one of the wonders of the South West (of the UK),
and in a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers,
the Jurassic Coast was named as the fifth-greatest natural wonder in Britain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eMUdqSu2Kc
The Jurassic Coast consists of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous cliffs,
spanning the Mesozoic Era, documenting 180 million years of geological history.
The site shows excellent examples of landforms,
including the natural arch at Durdle Door,
the cove and limestone folding at Lulworth Cove and an island, the Isle of Portland.
Chesil Beach is a fine example of both a tombolo
(a deposition landform in which an island is attached to the mainland
by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar)
and a storm beach (a beach affected by particularly fierce waves).
Chesil Beach, a short distance from Weymouth in Dorset, is an ideal place to watch the sun set.
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The site has stretches of both concordant and discordant coastlines.
Due to the quality of the varied geology, the site is the subject of international field studies.
This area was home to Mary Anning, a palaeontologist who studied the fossils
of the coastline around Lyme Regis and discovered the first complete Ichthyosaur fossil at the Spittles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN0KTiJbskI
The highest point on the Jurassic Coast, and on the entire south coast of Britain, is Golden Cap at 191 metres (627 ft).
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Lyme Bay
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Pulpit Rock (below)
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8 Distinctive Red Cliffs on the Jurassic Coast (below)
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Millions of years of history
http://www.visit-dorset.com/about-th...jurassic-coast
Dorset’s Jurassic Coast was granted its UNESCO status for its outstanding geology
with parts dating back over 185 million years.
For this reason it is a hot bed for fossil hunting with hundreds of specimens
having been unearthed from the cliffs and beaches.
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Find your own piece of history
http://www.visit-dorset.com/about-th...jurassic-coast
There are many opportunities to take part in fossil hunting along the Jurassic coast
many of which are based around the stomping ground
of possibly the most famous fossil hunter Mary Anning in Lyme Regis and Charmouth.
Here you can take part in an supervised fossil hunting guided walk
and learn the skills that Mary developed over 100 years ago.
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Walk in the footsteps of giants
http://www.visit-dorset.com/about-th...jurassic-coast
The Jurassic Coast is living breathing history walk with evidence
of times gone by when giants roamed the earth waiting to be found.
This stretch of coastline provides some of the most jaw dropping scenery
and views that will live long in your heart and is a favourite destination for walkers and nature lovers alike.
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The geoneedle (below) is made from different rocks along the Jurassic Coast
and marks its western end at Orcombe Point near Exmouth, Devon.
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As the Jurassic Coast is roughly 95 miles in total length, there are plenty of things to do,
attractions to visit, events to see, towns & villages to visit.
Luxury hotels, quirky bed and breakfasts, exclusive holiday cottages,
family friendly campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks are all in the area.
The Jurassic Coast also has an amazing array of places to eat
such as restaurants, cafes and gastro pubs, many with fantastic views of the coast.
If you think the Jurassic Coast is all about fossils, think again!
The area has the best beaches, gardens and golf courses in the UK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Vd6hVH-IM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlBMOYEk4b4
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It is vital you keep yourself and others safe while visiting the coast,
please take moment to read the information below.
- The risk of landslides and rock falls increase following servere weather and sea conditions.
Residents and visitors to the county are encouraged to follow safety advice
along the coastline as landslides and rock falls can occur quickly and without warning.
Tides have also re-shaped and stripped beaches around the coast meaning
it is easier to be cut off by the incoming tides.
More information about landslides and rock falls can be found at www.dorsetforyou.com/410768. - Walking along coastal paths may also be muddy and slippery in places
so people should keep to official routes and follow warning signs at all times. - You can find more information on World Heritage Sites in South West England,
including the Jurassic Coast, the City of Bath, Cornish Mining and Stonehenge and Avebury,
as well as the North Devon Biosphere and English Riviera GeoPark UNESCO sites, by visiting the Natural England Website. - Along this stretch of coast, artists have long recognised
the opportunities for linking the creative sector with the earth sciences -
find out more about The Creative Coast project! - Explore the Jurassic Coast by bus!
The hop-on hop-off X53 service is a perfect way to visit one of the Jurassic Coast attractions,
walk a section of the South West Coast Path or just sit back and marvel at the views from the top deck.
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There's over 6,000 islands to Great Britain, and there's literally thousands of ancient stone circles (although most people only know about Stonehenge - which isn't even a real henge, unlike Woodhenge.) Ancient castle ruins, hidden treasures, medieval and modern architecture, etc.
The languages spoken in the British Isles include English, Welsh (example below of sign showing a Welsh placename :cool:,) Scottish Gaelic, and Manx on the Isle of Man.
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If people visit England, they should also visit Wales and Scotland too.
Wales has more castles than any other nation in the world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ7bpVwg6gM