When we were young we called it 'Bird's Eyes', one of it's common names, along with Angel's eyes. It grew in many places and was very common.
It's real name is Germander Speedwell and it's part of the large Veronica family (Veronica chamaedrys). There are garden varieties but the photo is of a tiny patch growing in the grass on the edge of the 'lawn'. It spreads by creeping and does no harm, yet according to the RHS website some people need to know how to remove it from their pristine lawns.
When I left a patch of grass unmown for No Mow May last year all I got was grass so it was nice to spot these in a corner by the sink-pond.
It was traditionally supposed to be effective against spells, and the flowers were said to be like St Veronica's 'kerchief, which was impressed with the face of Christ after she wiped Christ's eyes (but with her veil not a handkerchief, so that's confusing!)
And of course whenever a wild flower gets a mention, the fairy from the Complete Book of Flower Fairies by Cecily Mary Barker, first published in the 1920's, has to be included.
And his song/poem
Clear blue are the skies;
My petals are blue;
As beautiful too,
And bluest of eyes.
The heavens are high:
By the field-path I grow
Where wayfarers go
And "God Speed," say I;
"See here is a prize
Of wonderful worth:
A weed of the earth,
As blue as the skies".
I won't be digging it out as per the RHS website but will leave it to spread as far as it likes.
Back Soon
Sue
Such a pretty little flower. And I love CMBs blue fairy!
ReplyDeleteI have added birds foot trefoil and buttercups to my back bed in order to make it wild, the buttercups are already creeping around the bed.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a wonderful blue. I used to pull out all 'weeds' but in recent years I have left more to grow on. I do thin out the thugs, but I love wild flowers and one day it suddenly hit me that I was pulling out things that really wanted to grow in my garden and replacing them with things bought from garden centres that often didn't want to grow there. Now I have a real mixture and it is fun to see what pops up.
ReplyDeleteOh that is a pretty little poem Sue. As I read it I could imagine the scene, bliss. Thank you. June
ReplyDeleteI have that in lots of places in my garden - in fact, even in the paddock, where a big mass of it was left by my gardener as it was too pretty to cut! He knows I like my wild flowers left alone! I kept all the CMB books for my grandchildren, so Rosie will get to enjoy in time.
ReplyDeleteSo pretty - why would anyone want to destroy it?
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely, I've never liked pristine lawns, give me one covered in daisies and tiny wildflowers any day. I still have my 'weed' growing by my French doors, bigger and more prolific than ever. I wouldn't dream of cutting it down, the bees love it more than any of the other flowers in the garden. 🐝
ReplyDeleteIt is a delightful little blue flower. I'd love to have some in my lawn, and I hope it spreads for you.
ReplyDeleteMy lawn is a mix of grass, white clover, buttercups in the south facing lawn next to the forest, as well as purple and white violets plus random dandelions. When I mow the lawn, it is uniformly green. In a week all the flowers are back. Everything is welcome and the bees, bunnies and deer love it.
My neighbors have perfect lawns and hire a company to spray to remove weeds and ticks. They invited me to join in hiring the same company and I declined. I love my wild lawn.
What a beautiful poem and flower, Sue. Thank you for explaining about the Germander Speedwell. I'm like you...I don't usually dig out anything considered a "weed" or ugly, by more folks. Hubby does mow the "grass", even if it's mostly weeds. We live & let live on our land. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteThat flower grows here in NJ too, very low in the grass and it seems to escape the mowers. I love it, whatever its name! A kerchief is a head covering, so just a different name for veil, really.
ReplyDeleteSweet! Your header flowers are lovely, too!
ReplyDeleteLovely little flowers and not very often seen nowadays. Catriona
ReplyDeleteCan we see the sink pond? Does it winter over or you rebuild it every spring?
ReplyDeleteI have lots of weeds... the only ones I take issue with are briars and goose grass.
ReplyDeleteAnd chicken weed and rosebay willow herb
DeleteChick, not chicken. And docks and grass in the flower beds... oh dear, that's more than I thought!
DeleteWhat a pretty flower.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Lovely little flowers and lovely post. Thanks for all the interesting info!
ReplyDeleteI've never understood the push here towards perfect lawns. The lawns that I love best have little treasures like this tucked away and waiting to be discovered.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful little flowers, speedwell. Love seeing them.
ReplyDelete