A Wildflower Garden ( Cinquain Sequence in praise of nature )

A wildflower garden. ( Cinquain sequence )

Primrose.

Peeps through

broad-leafed rosette,

hidden in mossy banks.

Pale yellow face raised in clusters,

shyly.

Narcissus

He drowned

in this damp place,

golden sun-ray trumpets

nod, wind-kissed, sing of beauty where

he died.

Clover

Ball-head,

hue may vary,

from pink to rich purple

trifoliate - find four leaves, you're

in luck.

Dog violet

Leaf-hearts

on long runners,

sweet violet faces -

deep shady places, dense perfume,

beloved.

Lesser celandine

Star-like

bright gold flowers,

closed in dreary weather.

Wordsworth's beloved flower - adorns

his tomb.

Aconites

Glinting

meteors rain

on dewy woodland floor.

Pure white starbursts of aconites

in bloom.

Wild hyacinth.

Bluebells

their flower heads

weave aromatic carpets

on woodland and hedgerow - hyacinth

scented.

Speedwell

A blue

four-petalled eye

reflects the azure sky.

Found on disturbed ground, the common

Figwort.

Wild Arum

Arrow

shaped stalked leaf,

pale green hood cups flowers

later - orange red berries ripe with

poison.

Rosebay willowherb

Bombweed

thrives after fire,

stands tall, a handsome cone,

pink-purple cluster flowers, pods -

shrapnel.

Marsh marigold.

Kingcup,

regal golden

flowers spreading in bog,

blooms, a blaze of vibrant sunshine

yellow.

Ox-eye daisy

Early

coloniser

brightens new embankments.

Gold centred white petals, modest

sweet face.

Cow Parsley.

Cushions

of white flowers

top umbrella spoke stems.

Widespread in shady places like

hedgerows.

Wood sorrel.

Cup like

solitary,

flowers, white, veined in mauve,

fruit explodes - contains oxalic

acid.

Broom

A sweep

of golden pea-

flowers, tinged with red,

trigger released pollen, when bee

visits

Dandelion

Golden

French - dent de lion.

Seeds fly where the wind wills

from wondrous symmetry, life starts

anew.

Heartsease.

Compact,

and tufted, found

on breckland and dunes, small

yellow flowered profusion, quite

dainty.

Monks hood

A man's

height.. Our arrows

once tipped with root's poison.

Terminal deep blue flowers with

helmet.

Buttercup

Gardener's

foe - invasive!

Deep gold mirror petals,

a child's toy - Tell me, do you like

butter?

Fleabane

Supposed

to drive off fleas!

Golden yellow sunhats

daisy-like - brighten wet meadows,

ditches.

Foxglove

Purplish

pink bells open

from the base on tall stems,

placed on a finger make fairy

thimbles.

Corn poppy

Flower

crimson, spread wide

by pepper-pot seed case.

Reminds us of the killing fields

blood red.

Bee orchid

Attracts

male bumble bee.

purplish flower looks like

female bee, the male, fooled, - attempts

to mate.

Dodder

No leaves

or roots. Suckers

tap parasite to gorse

Waxy pink bell posies, entwined -

sup host.

Ramsons

White star

cluster flowers,

above broad pointed leaves.

Massed in woods. waft a strong garlic

shower.

Dog Rose

England's

flower, palest

pink and sweetly scented,

autumn's red hips. Rootstock for rose,

garden.

Honeysuckle

Woodbines

twine high clockwise,

in hedgerows and woodland

the air is laden with honeyed

sweet scent.

Nightshade

Deadly,

stout bushy plant

dull purple bell flowers.

Glossy black fruits poisonous, may

cause death.

Butterwort

Sticky

common in bogs

insectivorous plant,

leaf margins roll, digest insects

in trap.

Marsh mallow

Local

on salt marshes

pink flowers grey-green leaves

Roots used for confectionary

flavour.

Scarlet pimpernel

Poor man's

weather glass, red

flowers, purple centres,

close when sun goes in. Square stem lays

prostrate.

Spear Thistle

Scotland's

emblem.. Food plant

for goldfinches. Prickly

collar round single purple red

flower.

Columbine

Flowers

blue, with curved spurs.

Found in damp woods and fens

Latin columba, said to look

like doves.

Ground Ivy

Ale hoof

once used before hops,

to clear and flavour beer.

Violet- blue flowers, on rooting

runners

Agrimony

Yellow

church steeples. Faint

smell like apricots. Small

flowers on tall, slim, tapering

clusters.

Daisy

Gold disc,

outer white fringe

closes in dull weather.

Rosette of spoon shaped leaves holds eye

of day.