The last of flowers I received for my birthday 5 weeks ago have just been discarded. But I’ve picked these from one corner of the garden
Technically these are probably weeds – but I love them, and think they look pretty in my brown jug. These flowers go by various names – Cow Parsley, Wild Carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace – and here in Leicestershire, the somewhat ugly moniker ‘keck’
Some varieties have tiny reddish purple dots at the centre of the florets – the story being that the monarch was making lace when she pricked her finger and a drop of royal blood fell onto her needlework.
Following that, they say, the plant was named after her!
Apparently throughout history this plant has been used as an antiseptic, a diuretic, a yellow dye, a contraceptive and a hallucinogenic. Personally, I just put it on the windowsill in a jug.
I bought the jug in about 1976 in Devon, from Shebbear Pottery, when I was a student on holiday. Back then, Clive Bowen had been in business about 5 years. The pottery is still going, thirty five years later and now CB is regarded as Britain's finest slipware decorator! Read about him here.
Hey, I'm a wildflower, growing in the sunshine,
Soaking up the way of life I was raised in,
running barefoot, blooming in a summer shower,
ponytail dancing
I can't help it. I'm a wildflower.
There’s a little cotton dress hanging in the closet,
I think I'm gonna borrow it, and wear it this weekend.
Painted my toes, bought some cherry lip gloss.
No rose, no daisy, can touch what I got
I'm just a girl that needs a little sun,
a little rain, an open field to play
I'm a wildflower
I think it looks lovely in you brown jug too - very fresh and countryfied. My Dad who was Wset Midlands called it 'pigs parsley' and I too dislike the Leicestershire name of 'keck'. Didn't know the Queen Anne's Lace story, thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteI'm a rosebay willow herb, daisy, dandelion and thistle girl myself...
Queen Ann's Lace reminds me of Anne of Green Gables. I like your jug and the story behind it.
ReplyDeleteI call it Queen Anne's Lace too :) It's very trendy at the mo and "they" say it's going to be big at Chelsea dahling!!
ReplyDeleteL.x.
We have always known it as 'Lady's lace, equally pretty. I love it mixed with Red campion, or even bluebells.
ReplyDeleteI've always known it as Queen Anne's Lace, and have never understood why it's considered a week. It's lovely!
ReplyDeletexofrances
A weed is simply a plant where we don't want it to be. I love wildflowers/weeds!
ReplyDeleteJane x
they give you pleasure , thats the main thing xx
ReplyDelete