An annual count of snake’s-head fritillaries at Iffley Meadows in Oxfordshire recorded nearly 30,000 flowers, a dramatic increase on last year’s total of just over 6,000.

Ground nesting bird populations are in decline, and disturbance from dog walkers and other visitors contributes to the problem. Pet owners can play a key role in safeguarding these precious…

Hundreds of thousands of blooms give field a purple haze.