Fields of Wild Heather / Ling

Late summer for wild heather in the highlands is certainly right. You don't need to worry about the crowds. You'll see heather on every hillside across the highlands! Not sure about February. Everything is still dormant here on Skye. Maybe she has a very sheltered garden and a non wild variety?

She just showed me a photo she took of a field in September covered with purple Ling and mountains in background - beautiful - I want to see, experience and photograph that AND avoid summer in Europe.

Carole lives in Lenzie, Scotland, where she saw the field of purple Ling in September – having more info I found out that the internet says August is the best month but blooms through October!

I've been to the UK in late September and early October and saw heather blooming all over the moors and landscape, so it can bloom quite late. It's so beautiful -- I'm sad because I will miss it when I go to England in the spring this year.

Thank you Mardee!

Very Encouraging!

Being able to enjoy being in the moment and create lovely photographs of purple fields – while avoiding summer travels – has long been on my wish list but I didn’t think that was possible before today –

I’m excited!

Since we are going to France in April (RS) and are on the (RS) waitlist for Greece in the autumn – perhaps we shall make a plan for next autumn to see the heather / ling in Scotland!

Lots to be excited about – thanks again Mardee!
Happy travels!
julie

Heather and Ling are 2 common names of the same plant -Calluna vulgaris. Depending on the variety,they will bloom from summer through fall. Heath, the common name for Erica is a close relative belonging to the same Ericaceae family. It is similar in appearance, although with somewhat larger leaves. Erica tends towards winter and spring blooms. Perhaps this helps answe your question. You are seeing 2 different, but similar and closely related plants.

Thanks CJean!

The cultivated heathers bloom at different times to the wild varieties. Mine start flowering in autumn and continue through until late spring.

The wild varieties flower late summer through to the start of Autumn.

There are two different sorts of heather you will see on the hills. Calluna vulgaris - ling - is paler in colour and the flowers are smaller. It is typically in flower from August

Erica cinerea - bell heather- is a deepoer purple with larger flowewrs. It begins to flower from July onwards.

Thank you wasleys!

Lovely picture of the bells – I am excited to think about finally having that experience & getting my own pictures in autumn!

The smell as you walk through the heather is wonderful too. Also try and buy a pot of heather honey. It really does taste and smell oif the heather.

Oh My Goodness wasleys!

“The smell as you walk through the heather is wonderful too. Also try and buy a pot of heather honey. It really does taste and smell of the heather.”

I’m enchanted! Thank you!