I do try my best to learn the names of wild flowers so in the future I can teach my daughters what they are called. Unfortunately my memory is terrible so I don't know as any as I should.
I have, however, been pleased to see these little flowers growing all over our fields. Ladies Smock or sometimes it's called the Cuckoo flower, which is very apt as today the cuckoo has been singing its little heart out calling for a mate.
Some how when you know the name of something you notice it more and these are so delicate and beautiful.
I'm going to make an extra effort this year to learn more names of the wild flowers we have growing here. Is there anyone who reads this blog that's very good at naming wild flowers?
Our fields are abundant with the Cuckoo flower at the moment. I love reading all about the folkore connected to these plants. Do you think it's important to know their Latin names along with their familiar names that we know, Kev?
ReplyDeleteI don;t think that I have any chance of remembering the Latin names so hopefully it's not too important. Mr brother, who's a tree surgeon, needs to know the Latin names of trees but that's so he's more professional. Do you know them?
DeleteI know them as Cuckoo flowers never heared them called ladies smock before, like you I only know a few wildflowers, names I find I very regional and depending were you are in the country the name can change a lot.
ReplyDeleteYeah regional names and dialects change everything. My mum calls cow parsley "kec" for instance.
DeleteYou should have met my mother. She knew all the names of the more common garden and wild flowers (including their binomial names), she also knew their local names from all over the country, some had as many as a dozen different regional names. What a shame she didn't write it all down!
ReplyDeleteso much knowledge can be lost when some one passes away. I need to get my mother to teach me more wild flower names really.
DeleteIt is so good to see Ladies Smock in the field. I have always understood that the nectar was a major food source for the Orange Tip Butterfly, which makes it even more special.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen any butterflies around it yet. They do look good out in the field though.
DeleteI used to when we lived in the UK. My Dad knew the names of all the flowers/trees/birds/animals/stars etc,he'd take my sister and I, and the neighbourhood kids on nature walks.
ReplyDeleteI bought ID books when we moved here,which is really helpful,as we live on an alvar where the plant life is unusual.
Jane x
I just had to look up the word Alvar! I bet it's interesting seeing all the different plants to the ones you grew up with. I also bet it takes some getting used to.
DeleteI don't have a very good memory either, but I do love to see the wild flowers. Since we have been here (6 years), more and more wild flowers are growing on our land. Before we came here the land was used to grow cereal crops on, so was punished by weed killer and ploughing, but now we are here it is returning to its old original self, which is an overgrown jumble at this time of the year, apart from the fields which are being kept mown by the grazing of our animals!
ReplyDeleteI have lots of wild flowers and lots of other "weeds" that go with them! It's a balance removing things like nettles and docks and keeping the other wild plants/flowers without using sprays.
DeleteHow did you survive on a building site? 😃
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I ever have....
DeleteNo, I'm terrible. I just make up names for my GK's. But do love that Ladies Smock. Wish we had some here...in Illinois maybe we do?
ReplyDeleteDon;t make them up! Although I'm sure someone had to at the start of it all!
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