That blue flower: A spring spotter's guide
Spring is a prime time for blue flowers and my daily walks currently have several from the same plant family* lining the local footpaths. As I walked past the Donkey Field the other day, I overheard some children ask their parents** what the pictured blue flower was. It reminded me it's often mistaken for those other familial blues and this time was no different, as they said it was forget-me-not, instead of the green alkanet it actually is. As well as similar flowers, most of these plants are hairy in their nature, flower around the same time, and favour damp, shady places. Many of them are great for pollinators too, especially bees and this week's warm weather has certainly drawn them to these flowers. This makes it even more likely for these plants to be mistaken for each other and it's a great opportunity for me to put together a spotter's guide in case you find the same flowers on your outings. Staying with green alkanet, the key features which set it ...
Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a wonderful day!
Rain here, but good for the garden. My Kentucky Wonder pole beans are just coming up.
Lea
Lea's Menagerie
Great pic!
ReplyDeleteGreat picture. Like Wordless Wednesdays. Can I use your idea?
ReplyDeleteS/he's being shy, but do I detect the tell-tale tail of a Canada goose?
ReplyDeleteLea and Rusty Duck - thank you :)
ReplyDeleteEleanor - gosh it's not my idea, but one of the longest running blog memes. Strictly speaking ('cos it's good to acknowledge the source of an idea) I should have linked to the blog where lots of people leave links to their WW efforts. You're very welcome to join in :)
Two other memes I join in regularly (which aren't mine)are Garden Bloggers' Blooms Day (15th of the month) and Garden Bloggers' Muse Day (1st of the month). Then there's my own Salad Days, which is on the fourth Friday of the month. Out on the Streets looking at public planting is one of mine too, but tends to be more random than regular these days.
Helen - I think it's a pink footed goose, s/he was a bit small to be a Canada goose, though there are loads of them to be seen on the Thames in London!
BTW I just look at this photo and smile :)
ReplyDeleteI hope he didn't eat all the flowers! Pigeons here are very hungry and seem to be nipping the tops off any plant that the slugs don't get first - I wonder if geese like bedding plants! Lovely photo, great fun! C x
ReplyDeleteCaro - I didn't spot the goose at first, but when I did I just had to stop and take the photo :) I spotted the pigeons doing the same thing in the apple trees in the garden behind us today. It's been a hard spring for them and the other birds here so far this year.
ReplyDelete