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
Indeed no words are needed, this picture is speaking thousand words. BTW what is this cabbage like green flower on the left?
ReplyDeleteFantastic photo! Alex, those look to me to be different varieties of chrysanthemums.
ReplyDeleteI was staggered! This is your garden? !!!!!!!!!!!!!! (This will teach me to read the post before its title!)
ReplyDeleteMHM - thank you and yes you are indeed right. Alex should know better, seeing he or she is deliberately linking back to a landscaping company.
ReplyDeleteEsther - sadly not and much kudos is due to the company managing to bring these chrysanths on to bloom so well outside of their flowering season :)
Brilliant photo,A friend of mine has the green chrysanthemum along with a bright pink and orange.Her growing instructions told her it needs to be kept in the greenhouse,I took some cuttings,left them in the garden and they have stayed there and flowered for me every year.
ReplyDeleteFlowerlady - thank you :) It's ages since I've grown Chrysanths - I wonder if I could make them last...
ReplyDelete