Bird's-eye Speedwell

These tiny little flowers could be easily overlooked, they really are tiny. The genus is Veronica but more commonly they are known as Speedwell.

When you do take a look they are beautiful, a striking blue with lovely striped petals.

And they're not just pretty to look at, they also have several uses. First off they are edible and taste rather like watercress. They can be used to make a "tea" for things like bronchial conditions and asthma or for the treatment of disorders of the nervous system, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system and metabolism.

Close Up On Cow Parsley

These images were originally shot in colour and although they were a lovely fresh green if felt they looked more striking in black and white.

Common Beauty

Over the weekend I found these beautiful Common Spotted Orchids in a meadow on the shore of Colemere. I had never seen so many orchids growing in one place and mixed in with masses of buttercups and other wildflowers it was a wonderful scene.

Fjallkvanne

Canon  EF 24 - 105mm F/4 L IS USM

ISO 100  73 mm  F/7.1   1/250 sec

I spotted this unusual looking plant alongside the path on my walk around Vrango. I had never seen this type of plant before and had no idea what it was. I thought it might be a weed so I have spent a little time researching Swedish Native plants and discovered that it is a variety of Angelica or in Swedish Fjallkvanne (Angelica archangelica ssp. archangelica)  

I had only ever seen  candied angelica as a cake decoration and had no idea that it is a herb or that it had any other uses. It is a sweet herb "herb of the angels" and is part of the parsley family. Did you know it was once thought to be a cure against witchcraft, insomnia and plague among other things and it is used to flavour gin and sweet wines. 

Prima Rosa

I could have called today's blog "Serendipity" or "Perfect Timing" but instead chose the Latin name for these lovely native wild flowers. Apparently today (April 19th) is Primrose Day.

I had no idea when I selected the pictures but doing a little bit of research I discovered that today is the anniversary of the death of the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and these were his favourite flowers. It is reputed that Queen Victoria regularly sent him bunches of Primroses and now each year n the anniversary of his death bunches or primroses are laid at his statue in Westminster Abbey. So purely by chance the pictures are a fitting post for this particular day.