Prof Pen Holland
@anaspene.bsky.social
Quantitative ecology (especially seeds, and all who eat them), game-based/playful learning, ducks, cats, flowers, fantasy fiction and storytelling. Views my own.
My #FavouritePlant for #WildflowerHour is probably the late spring bluebells, but I always enjoy looking out for the bee orchids on campus @york.ac.uk every June 🥰
September 14, 2025 at 8:06 PM
My #FavouritePlant for #WildflowerHour is probably the late spring bluebells, but I always enjoy looking out for the bee orchids on campus @york.ac.uk every June 🥰
Tansy, field bindweed, dog rose and poppies still valiantly bringing their colourful cheer to the end of the summer for #WildflowerHour
August 31, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Tansy, field bindweed, dog rose and poppies still valiantly bringing their colourful cheer to the end of the summer for #WildflowerHour
It was a week of five-petalled #WildflowerHour beauties for me - creeping cinquefoil, scarlet pimpernel, sea-spurrey, and then glorious heather and gorse sprinkled with ragwort above the sea cliffs (still #ByTheSea)
August 10, 2025 at 7:59 PM
It was a week of five-petalled #WildflowerHour beauties for me - creeping cinquefoil, scarlet pimpernel, sea-spurrey, and then glorious heather and gorse sprinkled with ragwort above the sea cliffs (still #ByTheSea)
The sandcastles were the only thing I photographed towering #ByTheSea this week, but tormentil and heather covered the Northumbrian hills, cornflowers were in bloom and the butterflies were loving the buddleia for #WildflowerHour
August 3, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The sandcastles were the only thing I photographed towering #ByTheSea this week, but tormentil and heather covered the Northumbrian hills, cornflowers were in bloom and the butterflies were loving the buddleia for #WildflowerHour
I finished page 11 (220 panels) in my year of flower painting - five months to go! 🌸🌼
August 1, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I finished page 11 (220 panels) in my year of flower painting - five months to go! 🌸🌼
Tansy and purple loosestrife glowing in the sunshine this week #WildflowerHour
July 27, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Tansy and purple loosestrife glowing in the sunshine this week #WildflowerHour
And it’s Friday! I’ve celebrated getting to the weekend by painting my 200th tiny flower, the fuchsia that is reprehensibly but cheerfully growing out of my doorstep. The late June/early July page is so colourful and bright 🌼🥰
July 11, 2025 at 7:40 PM
And it’s Friday! I’ve celebrated getting to the weekend by painting my 200th tiny flower, the fuchsia that is reprehensibly but cheerfully growing out of my doorstep. The late June/early July page is so colourful and bright 🌼🥰
Six months and 180 flowers in, my #WildflowerHour inspired daily watercolour habit has improved my painting and flower ID, and helped me really appreciate how regular, long-term practice develops skills that can’t be appreciated day-to-day. And it brings me great joy! Six months to go…
June 19, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Six months and 180 flowers in, my #WildflowerHour inspired daily watercolour habit has improved my painting and flower ID, and helped me really appreciate how regular, long-term practice develops skills that can’t be appreciated day-to-day. And it brings me great joy! Six months to go…
Some #UrbanPlants around York this weekend for #WildflowerHour. The wildflower meadow by the Art Gallery is at peak beauty at the moment! IDs in alt text.
June 15, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Some #UrbanPlants around York this weekend for #WildflowerHour. The wildflower meadow by the Art Gallery is at peak beauty at the moment! IDs in alt text.
And celebrating flower number 163 in my #WildflowerHour daily painting challenge - it’s all about the journey (like the annual search to spot the first bee orchid of the year) but sometimes they really do work. Proud of this one!
June 2, 2025 at 6:52 PM
And celebrating flower number 163 in my #WildflowerHour daily painting challenge - it’s all about the journey (like the annual search to spot the first bee orchid of the year) but sometimes they really do work. Proud of this one!
A little late for yesterday’s #WildflowerHour #OrchidChallenge but the common spotted orchids are out in force @york.ac.uk campus west, and the bee orchids are just beginning to show their faces - full glory next week, I reckon.
June 2, 2025 at 6:15 PM
A little late for yesterday’s #WildflowerHour #OrchidChallenge but the common spotted orchids are out in force @york.ac.uk campus west, and the bee orchids are just beginning to show their faces - full glory next week, I reckon.
No hilly walks for me this week but perhaps the horse chestnut candles count as #HighUpPlants? Yellow seems to have returned as the favourite colour of my low down plants for #WildflowerHour, with false oxlip, bird’s-foot trefoil and Welsh poppies brightening my wanderings 🌼
May 4, 2025 at 7:36 PM
No hilly walks for me this week but perhaps the horse chestnut candles count as #HighUpPlants? Yellow seems to have returned as the favourite colour of my low down plants for #WildflowerHour, with false oxlip, bird’s-foot trefoil and Welsh poppies brightening my wanderings 🌼
A selection of my finds from the City Nature Challenge this weekend, doubling up for #WildflowerHour! IDs in alt text
April 27, 2025 at 7:13 PM
A selection of my finds from the City Nature Challenge this weekend, doubling up for #WildflowerHour! IDs in alt text
The ivy leaved toadflax took me to number 120 in my #WildflowerHour painting a day challenge (on average!) 🥰
April 20, 2025 at 7:18 PM
The ivy leaved toadflax took me to number 120 in my #WildflowerHour painting a day challenge (on average!) 🥰
Some (fairly) #TinyPlants with #TinyFlowers for #WildflowerHour - pinks and purples taking over the Yorkshire colour wheel now, though the dandelions are still going strong. 🌱🌸 IDs in alt text
April 20, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Some (fairly) #TinyPlants with #TinyFlowers for #WildflowerHour - pinks and purples taking over the Yorkshire colour wheel now, though the dandelions are still going strong. 🌱🌸 IDs in alt text
Is it me or are the dandelions all the size of dinner plates this year? I think they might be planning a takeover, triffid-style. I’m okay with that. #WildflowerHour
April 6, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Is it me or are the dandelions all the size of dinner plates this year? I think they might be planning a takeover, triffid-style. I’m okay with that. #WildflowerHour
I had some imaginary research published in a fabulously creative (& actually real) journal, painted a really nice flower, and the sun shone 🐢🌼☀️ journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/03/31/j...
April 4, 2025 at 9:34 AM
I had some imaginary research published in a fabulously creative (& actually real) journal, painted a really nice flower, and the sun shone 🐢🌼☀️ journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/03/31/j...
For Mother’s Day my family got me this glorious chrysanthemum, which fits with my love of LEGO and flowers, is cat friendly (🐈⬛🐈 unless they knock it off the shelf), AND is a terrible pun. 🥰
March 31, 2025 at 8:19 AM
For Mother’s Day my family got me this glorious chrysanthemum, which fits with my love of LEGO and flowers, is cat friendly (🐈⬛🐈 unless they knock it off the shelf), AND is a terrible pun. 🥰
I didn’t get many good #sepal photos this week, but I did get to 100 in my daily #WildflowerHour inspired watercolour challenge today! All in bloom within a week of painting - lovely to see some new plants creeping into the mix on page 5, including forget-me-not and honesty 🥰🌼
March 30, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I didn’t get many good #sepal photos this week, but I did get to 100 in my daily #WildflowerHour inspired watercolour challenge today! All in bloom within a week of painting - lovely to see some new plants creeping into the mix on page 5, including forget-me-not and honesty 🥰🌼
For #WildflowerHour, I found some wood anemones in the York Museum Gardens, and was very excited to spot my first coltsfoot on the UoY campus. Plus my marsh marigolds are in flower! 🌼
March 23, 2025 at 8:49 PM
For #WildflowerHour, I found some wood anemones in the York Museum Gardens, and was very excited to spot my first coltsfoot on the UoY campus. Plus my marsh marigolds are in flower! 🌼
Four pages and 80 flowers later, my #WildflowerHour inspired painting collection continues to grow. Still averaging a flower a day in 2025: it’s a lovely exercise that brings me joy and peace, whether that’s searching for blooms, getting the paintbox out or just gazing at all the pretty pictures.
March 16, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Four pages and 80 flowers later, my #WildflowerHour inspired painting collection continues to grow. Still averaging a flower a day in 2025: it’s a lovely exercise that brings me joy and peace, whether that’s searching for blooms, getting the paintbox out or just gazing at all the pretty pictures.
Purple crocus and pink primula #GardenEscapes for #WildflowerHour this week - along with violets, lungwort, gorse, speedwell and lesser celandines 🌼🪻
March 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Purple crocus and pink primula #GardenEscapes for #WildflowerHour this week - along with violets, lungwort, gorse, speedwell and lesser celandines 🌼🪻
Some incredible dandelions and daffodils blooming for #WildflowerHour #YellowFlowers but I think the cool colours take it for hue of the week 🌼🪻
March 9, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Some incredible dandelions and daffodils blooming for #WildflowerHour #YellowFlowers but I think the cool colours take it for hue of the week 🌼🪻
Hazel catkins, celandine, primula and aconites for #SundayYellow #WildflowerHour, and a bunch of welcome sunshine too 🌼🌤️
March 2, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Hazel catkins, celandine, primula and aconites for #SundayYellow #WildflowerHour, and a bunch of welcome sunshine too 🌼🌤️
Page 4 of my #WildflowerHour paintings taking shape this week. This is flowers 61-70 - a sixth of the way through the year! I am now the most distracted member of any group trying to walk anywhere because I divert towards all glimpses of colour in the grass, hedge or trees. I can live with this.
March 2, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Page 4 of my #WildflowerHour paintings taking shape this week. This is flowers 61-70 - a sixth of the way through the year! I am now the most distracted member of any group trying to walk anywhere because I divert towards all glimpses of colour in the grass, hedge or trees. I can live with this.