I didn't know what either of these two wildflowers were. I was attracted to them for very different reasons. The first just struck me as being rather artistic and interesting, its spiky red right-angled stems and bright yellow flowers contrasting with the backdrop of dark water dotted with flecks of spume. It has taken me a long time to identify it but I believe it's called wall lettuce (see HERE). It was growing in a crack in the concrete of the aqueduct, not quite a wall but almost.
The one below really stood out, the colour a piercing blue. I thought at first it was some kind of forget-me-not and, indeed, it is loosely related but I have now identified it, fairly confidently, as green alkanet. (See HERE). Apparently it's a pernicious weed that you don't really want in the garden, though here by the side of a lane against an old stone wall, it brought cheer to a dark spot.
I love learning new things.
Alkanet is a familiar plant down here. I once made the mistake of allowing some to grow in the corner of the garden; although it's pretty, it soon becomes an unruly straggling mess with very deep roots and had to be attacked on a regular basis, though still it persisted! I always find that once I've photographed a plant I tend to remember it better.
ReplyDeleteLike John I have an Alkanet problem in the garden too - it has very, very, very, long roots that are almost impossible to remove intact. Hence it then persists in growing again and again.
ReplyDeleteAs a small child bearing flowers home for my Grandma I was stopped by a very large policeman. His uniform was dark blue, the well-kept bicycle was huge; his gleaming black shoes enormous. I stood and quaked with fear. One had great respect for the law. I was told to pay his respects to my Grandmother and to ask her, after she had admired my "flowers", to carefully dispose of them. My policeman was a keen gardener. He wanted no weeds in Menston. "You may go". Teeth chattering, I went.
ReplyDeleteThey both look beautiful but too bad the Alkanet is so invasive.
ReplyDeleteGood to learn new plants, as long as they stay in their place.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers
ReplyDeleteHa. Blue flowers are so very rare here in Texas. Send me a rooting. Just kidding. That wouldn't work, on many levels. Not only in getting here, but having it survive. Well, lovely to see.
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