Scottish Wildflowers

[Bugbear]

Rhodos aren't native but over the past 200+ years have become the second most often seen wildflower



thistles are pretty common



and heather is number one



but, of course my favourite must be



THISTLEDOWN!

Thanks, ThistleDown. I've read there are wild roses in Scotland, as well?

[ThistleDown]

We don't have wild roses where we are, Ted, but I understand there are three or four varieties that grow in the Lowlands and at least one of those in the warm ocean air of Wester Ross. I don't know which one it is, but Mrs Macpherson has been very successful with it at Attadale. Now there's a garden to visit if any of you are in the neighbourhood

[ThistleDown]

A couple more for you, Ted:

hawthorn



and gorse



and a better one of whortleberry in its fruiting season. This was taken in Rothiemurchus and not in my garden; I can't seem to get it to such a "cultivated" stage. Maybe I shouldn't want to.

[Bugbear]

A few of those names stand out to me as being used as clan plant badges; whortleberry, for example. That's very interesting.

[saxandpipes]

Haha, gorse!

Didn't even think about that. As a kiwi, I find that one a bit hard to appreciate...

But in it's natural habitat I suppose it could be quite charming.

Cheers

Michael

[Bugbear]

Ya, sometimes they can be rascals if they escape, but not always. I have been trying to tilt my flower planting toward native wildflowers, and toward the butterfly hosts and feeders, as well as, hummingbirds. Only thing is, to most people, those plants tend to look like ugly weeds until they start blooming.

[ThistleDown]

Crocosmia "Lucifer" for you, Ted.



and Clematis "Armandi" gone wild up the house





Cheers,

Rex

[Bugbear]

You can't escape the long arm of the clematis.

[cessna152towser]

Buddleia Davidii was originally imported to Scotland from China as a garden plant but now it grows in abundance in the wild in the west of Scotland, particularly in gap sites in towns and cities, as seen here in Glasgow with xmarker ForresterModern. It attracts lots of butterflies.

[Bugbear]

Ya, cessna152towser, those butterfly bushes are neat. There's one variety that does all right down here; I think it's usually called Wooly Butterfly Bush.