Tuesday, 17 May 2011

Wildflowers Or Weeds?

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

DSCF1574

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’

queen anneI vote for Queen Anne’s Lace!

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.

shebbear pottery

shebbear clive_bowen

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

7 comments:

  1. 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.

    I'm a rosebay willow herb, daisy, dandelion and thistle girl myself...

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  2. Queen Ann's Lace reminds me of Anne of Green Gables. I like your jug and the story behind it.

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  3. I 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!!
    L.x.

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  4. We have always known it as 'Lady's lace, equally pretty. I love it mixed with Red campion, or even bluebells.

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  5. I've always known it as Queen Anne's Lace, and have never understood why it's considered a week. It's lovely!

    xofrances

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  6. A weed is simply a plant where we don't want it to be. I love wildflowers/weeds!
    Jane x

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  7. they give you pleasure , thats the main thing xx

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