I have wonderful childhood memories of walking through bluebell woods in England at this time of year. I can remember being overwhelmed by the perfume of those gorgeous flowers, and amazed at the depth and variety of the colour blue, contrasting with the tall fresh green stems as we waded through them. In those days the flowers were free to be picked. And we did pick them, by the armful! I doubt we have a single photo of those times, but they are imprinted on my mind’s eye so vividly with all the sharp focus and colour a camera can produce. 😃
Sadly we do not have bluebell woods here in southern Germany, and I doubt if we would be allowed to pick them these days even if there were any. So today I am sharing a humble but rather pretty blue flower instead: Muscari armeniacum
Although known commonly as Grape Hyacinths, they are not actually in the Hyacinth family. I have a few different ones in blue, white and a special one that has both dark and pale blue petals.
I have coupled the Muscari with another lovely spring flower, the Cowslip, Primula veris. This wild flower seems to have fared better here in Bavaria than the UK, and we still see it in abundance by roadsides and in meadows. But I picked these from my garden.
The small pewter/metal fairy box has this inscription on it, taken from A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
‘I must go seek some dewdrops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.’
💕
The cowslips smell lovely. 😃
The fused glass bluebell woods scene in the background reminds me of the bluebell wood at Coton Manor Garden, not far from where I grew up in the UK, which will no doubt be in full bloom soon.
Which spring flower carries special memories for you?
Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden, as I join her with a Monday vase.
Finally, here is the complete passage with the quote on my fairy box, from A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Act 2, Scene 1)
Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire!
I do wander everywhere,
Swifter than the moon’s sphere;
And I serve the Fairy Queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green;
The cowslips tall her pensioners be;
In their gold coats spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favours;
In those freckles live their savours;
I must go seek some dewdrops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.
Have a wonderful May!
P.S. The company that sent me the wrong tulips (see last week’s post) has promised to refund me for them. 👍
Words and Herbs 