Buttercups ranunculus and speedwell veronica in spring in the Irish Countryside

As I write this, in the middle of August, Ireland sits under a large rainy weather system, it’s warm with little wind but a lot of rain. So much so that there is a weather warning in place for 14 counties.

A storm will arrive later in the week, the remnants of tropical storm Kyle coming across the Atlantic.

Here, an image from May - bright colour from the southeast of Ireland with a carpet of flowers of blue, yellow and green foliage.

The blue flowers are speedwell Veronica umbrosa and originate in Georgia.

The yellow flowers are native to Ireland, well-known as meadow buttercups Ranunculus acris.

Buttercups have very reflective petals, often said to be able to determine a person’s taste for butter by reflecting light under the chin. In actual fact, the petals have thin yellow layers separated by air (a unique structure among flowers) that help to bounce light including infrared; this warms the stamen to help attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The gloss from this air-divided structure also helps to shine onto your chin.

These bright and colourful flowers have finished for the year but more fine colour will be finding its way in front of my lens soon.

Join Panoramic Ireland, here in the Irish countryside or online on a private photography workshop.