Wayside Flowers are not WEEDS
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White Dead Nettle
(Lamium album) |
Wayside Flowers are essential nectar-rich supplies for many invertebrates in the urban environment.
If we allow them to flourish they will also provide untold pleasures for the wayside walker and long-lasting memories for youngsters on their daily walkabout.
For some reason, local authorities spend many thousands of pounds in an attempt to destroy our naturally growing wild plants and growers spend many thousands of pounds suppressing wild plants in gardens and allotments.
Every wild plant has a name and a valuable connection to other plants and animals, giving a hint of its true value.
The very term, 'weedy', is a misnomer, often used to suggest weakness and something to be rid of, yet on the contrary, these plants are hardy, resilient and strong, often growing in inhospitable places and pioneering the way for a succession of other plants.
Danish Scurvy Grass has rapidly colonised roadside verges and edges over the past few years, the particular environment induced by turbulence and saline conditions enables this plant to thrive.
Medicinal
All medicines, therapeutic potions, restoratives, balms and salves as well as our digestive enzymes, derive, either directly or pharmaceutically from plants. The word 'drug' is related to the French word 'drogue', meaning dry herb. Today, most if not all licensed medicines are synthetically produced and controlled by strict regulations, but there was a time when many folk would refer to the local apothecary for their cure, and in some parts of the world this is still the case.
Herbalists today, although not strictly medical professionals have a great store of knowledge about wild botanicals and their healing properties and are often consulted on a wide range of ailments.
It's a good time of year to begin a journey of wayside or wildflower discovery and identification; for as early as February we see new shoots bursting forth from the desolation of a hard winter. it's a fascinating journey in which every wayside flower, escaping the destruction from herbicides, has a name, a story and a connection to the wider world, yet they are often overlooked, abused and obliterated, to everyone's loss.
Plant and Planet (Published 1974)
A globally scaled insight into the world of plants, an engaging read with an intriguing chapter 'Man The Manipulator' addressing our engagement and marriage to the world of plants.
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The Cabaret of Plants (Published 2015) The covers speak for themselves and in this case, can be relied upon to judge another excellent Richard Mabey outcome.
A good place to begin our search for wildflowers is along the street and into the local park.
The next stop, is a reliable field guide, with descriptions, illustrations and an accessible key to unlocking the discoveries.
The Wild Flower Key (Published 1981 and 2006) |
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