Jack Go To Bed At Noon
Last year this rather exotic looking flower appeared on mine and several other allotments for the first time. Having been stumped (again) by Mr Allotment Warden as to its identity, I rushed home to find out what it was. It's salsify, aka the marvellous Jack Go To Bed At Noon - named as such because its flowers always close by midday. Here you can see both open and closed flowers - making it seem even more exotic and alien than in the first picture. I think this must be the cultivated version because the flower in my Francis Rose Wild Flower Key looks exactly the same in form, but is bright yellow in colour and called meadow salsify . Its other common name is Goatsbeard, which must be a nod to the fantastic dandelion-like clock which forms the seed head. With 'parachutes' like those shown above, who knows how far our plotted plants came from. I rather like the photographic dissection of the seedhead found in this link . Salsify is edible: its lateral shoots and fl
I like the photos.
ReplyDeleteTroy
The garden really has benefitted from the very heavy downpours we had a few weeks back and the sunshine of late. x
ReplyDeleteThat is the lush green that shout Britain to you every time.
ReplyDeleteLooking good VP! xx
ReplyDeleteThose are good views to have (minus the bins). ;-) Everything is looking so lush and green.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, wonderful, wonderful. A delight for the eyes
ReplyDeleteThe blue bin could be straightened & used as a garden focal point. ;^) As they say on my kids' Webkinz, "Good Growing."
ReplyDeleteTexas Travellers - thanks.
ReplyDeleteLouise - it sure has! It's great at the moment isn't it?
dnd - you're so right and we take it all for granted.
Flighty - thanks, but not so at the allotment. I'll tell you about it some time!
Yolanda & MMD - each time I take the picture from the top of the plot I kick myself for not straightening the bins. I'd have to empty them first though!
viooltje - thanks so much and you've been showing some goodies over at your place too I see!