#wildflowers
Iris wild
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The California high desert, outside Bodie, CA
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Vinca minor, Apocynaceae
Lesser periwinkle was another of the groundcover species I found in the lightly shaded dry ditch running along a row of Lombardy poplars (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) edging a field.
This creeping evergreen plant native to much of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean region is a beauty in the spring and early summer months, with its propeller-shaped flowers in a particular shade of violet-blue -which has given the name to the periwinkle colour- poking through the dark, leathery foliage.
Although its vigorous habit and ability to thrive in most soils can make it an invasive species in the wrong place, it is a really valuable ornamental plant and numerous cultivars have been selected. Here are three currently in bloom at the garden centre where I work:
V. minor ‘Ralph Shugert’, named after the Michigan nurseryman who selected it, has large flowers and variegated foliage, with a thin creamy-yellow edge and veining. Some shoots grow completely albino.
V. minor ‘Illumination’, with foliage splashed with chartreuse-yellow, often taking the entire centre of the leaf. A good groundcover plant to brighten up a shadier corner where not much else grows well.
V. minor ‘Atropurpurea’, as the name suggests, produces flowers in a darker, warmer shade of purple contrasting well with the glossy green foliage.
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Lamium purpureum, Lamiaceae & Anemone nemorosa, Ranuncolaceae
I have already written about the delicate wood anemone before, but never about the ever so common purple dead-nettle: I generally try to single plants out for photos, but couldn’t walk away from this gorgeous combination.
On the sloping side of a dry irrigation ditch, in the dappled shade of a row of tall trees, the anemone’s dissected foliage was covering the ground in a dense mat, out of which were poking the bright pink lipped flowers of the dead-nettle.
The reason why this herbaceous perennial bears that common name is due to the superficial similarity between its leaves and those of the unrelated stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), however its hairs won’t cause any harm. The top part of the plant is generally a rich burgundy-purple colour, hence the other part of the common name and the species name, but it is a variable plant and looks just green when growing in a more shady position, as in these photos.
It is often considered an undesirable plant in a garden setting, some might call it a “weed”, but I let it grow in my allotment for two main reasons. It’s in bloom from early spring often until late autumn, sometimes even longer in a sheltered position, and its flowers are loved by pollinators, especially bumblebees. Its young shoots are also edible and it’s a pot herb with an interesting flavour, so I see it as a bonus leaf vegetable.
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Chelidonium majus, Papaveraceae
One of the wildflowers I strongly associate with my childhood and learnt to recognise early, I hadn’t seen so much greater celandine in full bloom in years, but probably I just visit home, in Italy, too late in the summer to enjoy the full show.
This herbaceous perennial from the poppy family, native to the Mediterranean, temperate Europe and Western Asia, has been known and used for its medicinal properties since antiquity, and for that reason it was introduced in many areas outside of its natural range. Although reportedly naturalised around settlements, I still have to spot it here up north in Scotland.
Due to its ability to quickly colonise disturbed sites and the edge of woodland, it can prove rather invasive after introduction. For instance, It seems to be present throughout the north-eastern portion of the US and listed as invasive in Wisconsin.
One thing I vividly remember learning as a kid is the traditional use of its yellow latex to “burn” warts and skin cancer and to thin calluses. Please don’t try it though, the latex is an irritant and can cause allergic reactions, while the whole plant is mildly toxic.
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Ajuga reptans, Lamiaceae
However common and widespread bugle might be across Europe and the British Isles, I don’t recall ever seeing it in the wild before finding three colonies on the edge of a field near my hometown in northern Italy, and I would remember because I just love its dense racemes of blue flowers. Due to its creeping habit and small leaves, it’s definitely easy to miss unless in bloom though.
It’s evergreen, forms a dense groundcover, flowers beautifully for a few months attracting wildlife and it’s extremely tolerant of full shade and moist ground, so I’ve lost count of the times I’ve invited customers to try it in difficult, dark spots where little else would thrive. Here below are a couple of common cultivars currently in bloom at the garden centre where I work:
A. reptans “Braunherz” has dark, purply foliage and stems which provide amazing contrast to the flowers. Seems to do well even with prolonged, hard frost and in full sun. I have some growing at my allotment and it’s just beginning to flower.
A. reptans “Burgungy Glow” has foliage variegated in cream and pink, with dark, bluish flower stems. Not as tolerant of the extremes, as often happens with variegated varieties. The flower spikes make me think of a picture to which the “invert” filter has been applied, as if the flowers should actually be yellow and the foliage bluish-green, but I’ll never complain about a blue flower!
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Flashing is normal for my wife…
“Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke
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