Our front lawn was once a meadow, and so through the year we find wild flowers struggling to survive, this slightly blurry photo is of the hawkweed, or fox and cubs. We have native bluebells in the lawn at spring, I have seen woodland strawberries by the old wall, sadly taken by the strimmer. But the hawkweed is a striking flower, if only for its colour. It can be found in church yards, where the land still lies undisturbed and I have seen it at Lastingham church, and probably other churches to, church yards also yield the different species of wild violets to be found still existing.
Anyway, the hawkweed has no folklore or healing properties according to my herb book, but it is distinctive for its 'furry leaves'.
Apparently banned in New Zealand for its invasive habit and the species is considered a noxious weed in some states in America and also Australia.
Anyway, the hawkweed has no folklore or healing properties according to my herb book, but it is distinctive for its 'furry leaves'.
Apparently banned in New Zealand for its invasive habit and the species is considered a noxious weed in some states in America and also Australia.
I love it when little plants pop up enexpectedly in our gardens :D
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog.x
It is lovely seeing other people's blog, and I have just noticed that we also have Jacob's ladder growing as well in a border.
DeleteI love hawkweed too Thelma. We always called it 'hen and chickens'
ReplyDeleteWell another local name to add to its collection. Off to Todmorden in half an hour on the train, so not sure I will be able to keep up with my blog.
DeleteWe have this growing locally - it is such a vibrant colour. It always annoys me when the "verge mafia" cut it down so they can have a lawn verge and not a wild one.
ReplyDelete'Verge mafia' or the council are bad but they have a job to do I suppose, the farmer's partner was furious with them for cutting the verges where the owl hunted. Wales of course has plenty of wild space for plants to thrive.
DeleteI have seen hawkweed in the mountain meadows but not down here in our woods. I miss seeing a title on your header blog and I have to look up at the URL to see where I am!
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing that out, the title now resides amongst the roses, although it was on the layout page.
DeleteI believe I've taken photos of a similar flower when we were on vacation in New Hampshire a couple of years ago. They were at the base of Mt. Washington. I'll have to go look and see if they're the same. Thank you for the info on them. I love how much I'm learning about flowers and gardening thru Blogland!! xo
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
Hi Wendy, England is such a cultivated land so that the loss of mammals and wild plants is quite a problem. Everything slowly disappears whether it is birds or hedgehogs or the old meadows which hardly exist now.
DeleteSo sorry about the ankle Thelma - and down in Huddersfield too, so a long way from your home (now). Take great care of it and follow instructions - that is how my arthritic ankle began and now I find walking impossible without my stick. Hot weather must make things even worse. Best wishes to you.
DeleteThis is one of the first wildflowers I remember noticing during my New England childhood--there was also a yellow-flowered variety. It grew near vipers' bugloss--which had nasty prickles, so I learned to be careful in picking a 'bouquet.'
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