Summer! July is a great time to take a walk in the field, in the meadow. How many plants grow and bloom there. In ancient times, people used some of these plants for food, for treatment and harvested for the winter. I took a few photos, especially I liked the flowering of the well-known Fireweed and the fragrant Meadowsweet plants.
Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium). Other names are Narrow-leaf Fireweed, Willow Herb, Ivan-tea.
Fireweed is a showy, clustered perennial, typically growing 0.5 to 2 meters (1–5 ft) tall. The erect stems are usually reddish, with numerous elongated alternate leaves and ending in a tapering spike of pink-purple flowers. Fireweed is a sun-loving plant that quickly forms dense colored masses. It blooms in the second half of the summer period, while the duration of flowering is a little more than 4 weeks.
Among all herbaceous plants growing in the forest, in the meadow, fireweed is considered the best honey plant. Fireweed leaves can be brewed as a tea. This tea has a very fragrant and rich taste.
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), or meadwort, is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows in damp meadows. Other names are: pride of the meadow,
meadow-wort, meadow queen, lady of the meadow, dollof, meadsweet, and
bridewort.
Meadowsweet has a very long history of herbal use, and it was one of the three most sacred herbs of the ancient Druids. It contains chemicals called salicylates, which are similar to aspirin. It's an attractive plant, ideal for growing in damp soil and boggy areas, such as the edge of a pond. Filipendula ulmaria blooms have a strong, sweet scent.
Beautiful photos, Nadezda! The meadows with purple fireweed are very pretty. Filipendula grows in a ditch near by here. They are pretty too.
ReplyDeleteSure Marit, these meadow plants are similar in our areas. I think they are pretty and simple wild plants.
DeleteWhat a lovely walk, Nadezda, and beautiful photos! Both plants are of course found also where I live and I think many people like them very much. We had an old field that wasn't used any more and for some years it looked all pink when the fireweed was blooming. Unfortunately some other plants were stronger and invaded the spot later.
ReplyDeleteHaving walks in nature is very good for our wellbeing. This summer has been a little bit tricky. First it was rather hot and then it started to rain... :D
Have a happy weekend!
You are right Sarah. Other wild plants invade empty places, beautiful plants must grow somewhere else. It's also rainy here. Happy end of July.
DeleteEven for the most dedicated gardener, it’s good once in a while to visit wild spaces to see what happens when nature is given a chance to display its full beauty. For me, this is the best of all.
ReplyDeletePreciosos prados amiga. Si me gusta pasear por ellos cuando se ven con tanta vida. Que generosa es la naturaleza regalando. La primera sí, la blanca no lo sé, no me suena de por aquí.
ReplyDeleteBuen fin de semana Nadezda.
Un abrazo.
Tienes razón Laura, la naturaleza nos regala campos elegantes en verano. Feliz fin de semana para ti tambien.
DeleteDear Nadezda!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are gorgeous. These beautiful plants have already bloomed for me.
Hugs and greetings :)
Lucja, these simple and pretty plants grow in your country as well. I count they decorate the meadows and fields.
DeleteBellas plantas te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteGracias J.P. for your comment.
DeleteDa gusto ver esos campos tan floridos.
ReplyDeleteEn España que yo sepa no se dan estas plantas, aunque aquí tenemos otras muchas para hacer infusiones como la Tila, Manzanilla, poleo, Cola de caballo, etc. que también están muy ricas.
Un cordial saludo, amiga.
Manuel, estoy de acuerdo contigo. En cada paiz hay muchas lindas plantas que crecen en los campos. Un saludo.
Deleteme gusta todo en tu blog desde el te a cada una de tud letras
ReplyDeleteGracias por visitar mi blog. Un abrazo.
DeleteTe dejo un abrazo gracia por tus palabras
ReplyDeleteSaludos desde Miami
Todo lo mejor!
DeleteBoa tarde minha querida amiga Nadezda. Que vontade de passear por esse lugar maravilhoso.
ReplyDeleteGracias, Luiz.
DeleteWe call fireweed, rosebay willowherb. It's also referred to as railway flower as it commonly grew alongside railway lines.
ReplyDeleteSue, you call fireweed as railway flower and for me it reminds red fireweeds along the fence. Interesting, is not it?
DeleteNadezda, I love to see the fields in bloom.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful captures..
Thanks for sharing.
So do I , Maria. Fields, nature blooms beautifully.
DeleteNadezda-Your photo captures are beautiful and the Fireweed just takes the show! Thank you for the lovely stroll through the meadow!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Lee. I love nature beauty in summer. Hugs.
DeleteI have just been to Ireland, where there's a lot of meadowsweet in the verges. It really does live up to its name, a wonderful smell. Fireweed, not so much, but it grows like mad in London and I like it for its bright colour and the wonderful feathery curly seed heads. I had no idea you could make tea from the leaves though - I'll look it up and find more details.
ReplyDeleteDear Jenny, I'm glad to see you on my blog. It's good that you know these meadow plants. They are simple and at the same time interesting with their smell and color.
DeleteI will be glad to read about your impressions from Ireland.