flowers | Pilgrim's Perch

The emergence of spring…

February sees the first real signs of spring as it emerges from hibernation.

February sees the first real signs of spring beginning to emerge. Gardens and wayside verges that have looked bleak, bare and uninspiring are gradually being disturbed by new, tender shoots pushing up through the packed soil and winter debris.

Now is the time to look out for nectar-rich plants, whose gift is to provide food and nourishment for the insects at the bottom of the food chain – those which in turn sustain birds, bats and hedgehogs.

Look out for the following plants; admire their unassuming beauty and value their contribution to the amazing way in which wildlife is sustained.

The primrose is often one of the earliest flowers to emerge, its shy, pale yellow flowers peeping out from spear-shaped leaves. Watch for early bumble bees seeking out this delicate flower…

The pale yellow of the primrose offers a ghostly glow to the spring garden. — *Shy primroses peep forth as daylight beckons.*

If one crocus flower springs up you can be sure that more will follow… an early-flowering bulb and a rich source of nectar. Planted close to fruit trees they will encourage insects to come close and pollinate fruit blossom when that makes its glorious appearance a little later in the spring.

Bold crocus push up through grass and flower beds — *Crocus spring up in all sorts of places*

The grape hyacinth is frequently seen now. It seems to pop up almost anywhere in a garden once it is established, its bright blue spikes of numerous tiny blue flowers making it look like a miniature bunch of grapes. A welcome source of nectar for foraging insects!

A sudden flash of blue from grape hyacinths shows a welcome burst of life. — *Grape hyacinths bring a splash of startling blue*

Lungwort, or pulmonaria officinalis, displays pretty, pollen-heavy flowers that are irresistible to insects. Traditionally used as a remedy to help colds, coughs and asthma, the high mucilage content also helped treat a variety of chest conditions. (Warning: never use plants medicinally to treat ailments unsupervised.) Sight and smell, however, may be freely enjoyed!

Lungwort flowers peep through unusual foliage. — *The unusual markings of lungwort conceal it’s pretty flowers*

Peeping shyly through winter overgrowth you might spy the hellebore, or Christmas Rose. It’s also known as the Lenten Rose since it often doesn’t come into flower until the Lenten season. It is welcomed by bumble bees but less so by deer and rabbits for whom its leaves are poisonous. One writer has described its flowers thus: ‘their finely modelled bowls indulge in all manner of strange freakings, frecklings, cloudings, stripings and blotching… every individual flower a fantasia of its own caprice.’ In other words, every flower is different!

Hellebore flowers come with all manner of weird and wonderful markings. — ‘*A fantasia of its own caprice’*

But look for yourself and simply enjoy the rich array of unsung beauties in the early spring garden.

Blue sky, blue flowers…

When the sun shines at last and the sky is that deep blue that cheers the soul there can be few pleasures that beat taking time out to lie on a rug on the grass and gaze up at the eternal expanse of sky high above…

Early civilisations thought that the sky was a dome. When it rained the water came through small holes in the dome – a bit like a colander or strainer you might use for draining water from cooked vegetables.

Scientific research into the evolution of sight reveals that humans probably first started making blue pigment about 4,000 BC. Though cave paintings date to about 20,000 years ago, none contain blue pigment, probably due to the lack of available blue colorants in plants, rocks, and other natural materials.

But Egyptians are thought to have developed blue pigment using lapis stone in about 2200 BC.

Blue rock from which stunning blue dyes could be made

The rare nature of the ingredients needed to create blue meant the color was reserved for the rich, royal and elites. This may have also caused blue to be associated with divinity, as it is in several Eastern cultures.

Traditionally, blue is a symbol of calm, serenity and peace, perhaps because of its associations with water and the sky. To Hindus, blue is the color of Krishna. Blue flowers symbolize the divine, as well as joy and love. In Judaism, blue hyacinths stand for constancy and sincerity. Blue roses stand for the impossible. For Buddhists, the blue lotus symbolizes intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, and the dominance of spirit over the senses. It’s often depicted as a partly opened bud. To Catholics, blue flowers are often associated with the Virgin Mary. Blue columbines are used in art to represent the Virgin’s sorrow in childbirth and connections with the Holy Spirit.

Mary wears blue to signify her place as Queen of Heaven

Turning your gaze earthwards – and see just how many blue flowers there are… Early spring will bring hyacinths and forget-me-nots. Later, delphiniums, hyssop and iris.

Lofty blooms of agapanthus create a dramatic show..

The globe-like flowers of agapanthus come in varied shades of blue

A field of blue flax., gently waving in the breeze.

Wind-wafted flowers of flax ripple like moving water

But one of my all-time favourites is Anagelis Sky Lover (what a name!). It overflows its pot and cascades in a fall of serene, intense blue and is simple to grow in a container and enjoy throughout the summer. It drops its seeds as autumn arrives and you may well find self-sown seedlings appearing the following spring in unexpected places. A joyful happenstance.

Intense Anagelis Sky Lover flowers overflowing their pot

The rich intense shades of blue may present us with an image of ‘heavenly blue’ but we need to keep ourselves grounded. The priest and author Angela Tilby writes,
‘Do not try to anticipate heaven in this life, but keep attending to the beauty that is here, with all its promise and its limitations.’

There is so much beauty around us – let us keep our eyes open and our senses alert…

Lily of the Valley

As spring unfolds the delights of the garden gradually reveal themselves and almost every day something new unfurls tentative green leaves or delicate fresh blooms. Suddenly a new perfume wafts its way into the consciousness and we discover another hidden gem.

One such bringer of joy is the beautiful lily of the valley, or convallaria. The tiny, bell-like flowers hide shyly amongst the long spear-like green leaves like fragile strings of pearls and the sudden breath of perfume energises the senses. It is said that when the lily of the valley blooms, happiness returns. Another belief is that the nightingale, one of our songful migrant warblers, will not return until this jewel-like flower blooms.

White lily of the valley peeping through foliage — A shy lily of the valley peeps through…

Christian legend tells that the tears Mary shed at the foot of the cross fell to the ground and were turned into these pure white, delicate flowers. The Victorians loved to assign qualities to flowers – lilies of the valley represented beauty, purity, sweetness and humility – for this reason they often find place in wedding bouquets.

Wedding bouquet with white flowers — Lilies combine with other beautiful blooms in wedding bouquets

The French name, porte-bonheur, means ‘bringer of happiness’ and it is traditional to carry posies of lilies on May Day, to celebrate the arrival of spring. The scent of the plant is renowned for alleviating depression and bringing a sense of wellbeing and security. (But, like so many plants that look and smell wonderful, it is poisonous if eaten.)

A posy of lily of the valley fills a room with its glorious fragrance — A posy of lilies of the valley fills a room with its glorious fragrance

Much loved by perfumers lily of the valley provides high notes for many soaps and scents. It has always been popular – but to encounter it in its natural setting is exceptionally special.