Flowers from the Zechstein Sea

Magnesian Limestone Flora – Flower Bunch sculpture carved in stone

Some 250 million years ago the Cadeby stone I’ve carved these flowers in, was being formed in the shallow tropical Zechstein sea.   Now this Magnesian Limestone is only found in a few places in the North East of England.  Where outcrops exist and have been subject to many decades of weathering the area has thin, lime-rich soil and this allows the growth of unique wildflower meadows.

Typically these grassland areas support scarce plant species including blue moor grass, small scabious, rock-rose and dark red helleborine, and in their turn attract insects butterflies and glow-worm.

The Common Rock-rose is a low growing, creeping evergreen shrub that favours cliffs and rocks, covering these areas in golden yellow flowers during the summer.

Rock Roses – Bunch of Flowers sculpture carved in Limestone