Summer's silent beauty.

The countryside is ablaze with wildflowers this time of the year and you can feel spoilt for choice where to look next. There is one, though, that sits back from the crowd and can go unnoticed, and is the opposite of its cultivated cousin which adorns gardens up and down the country and is the prime focus of attention at flower shows. What is this enigma of flowers?  Wild rose (Rosa canina) or dog rose as it known in parts of the country.

The dog rose is the most commonest wild rose in Britain with pale pink or white flowers and fragrant. It is not, though, as sweet-scented as the cultivated ones which again adds to its mystic. It is a tall, stout shrub, 1-3m high, with large curved thorns.  The fruits are typically red and egg-shaped.

The common and scientific name comes from the Latin "Canis", dog, which is thought to be alluding to the plants inferiority - others think it may be referring to the plants use in veterinary medicine.  Other common names are common brier and dog brier.

Dog Rose

Dog Rose

Dog Rose thorns

Yellow Flag

This time of year yellow flag is in flower and looking resplendent with its bright yellow flowers.

Iris, the mythological Greek messenger, who came to the earth via a rainbow, gives our wild iris - yellow flag - its scientific name - Iris pseudacorus.

Yellow flag is easily identified when in flower by its rich yellow flowers, which are similar to the garden iris so popular as border plants. There are three outer petals (sometimes called falls); three erect inner petals (standards); and three large stigmas.  The leaves are long, sword shaped and flat.

They occur in large numbers by fresh water and in marshes.  The flowering time is June-August.  They occur throughout the British Isles.

Some, with many an anxious pain,
Childish wishes pursue,
From the pondhead gazed in vain
On the flag-flower's yellow hue;
Smiling o'er its shadow'd bloom,
While the flood's triumphing care
Crimpled round its guarded home.  ("Recollections after a Ramble". J Clare).

The name, flag, is from Middle English "flagge", sword, referring to the sword-shaped leaves.  These leaves can be between 60-120cm long and 2cm across, sharp-edged and pointed.

When you do come across yellow flag think of the poem above which well describes the yellow flowers smiling and gazing out from their guarded pondhead home.

Other names given to yellow flag include Jacob's sword, fliggers, daggers and fleur de lys.  The later is reference to the role taken by iris in heraldry.  The "fleur-de-lis, heraldic lily, has long been associated with the royal arms of France.  Even today, it is popular with heraldic designs.