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No flower we saw was so lovely as the bluebell.
Near Culloden
|
Bluebells, Pink Campion,
and Unidentified, in the Trossachs |
At Loch Ness |
Bluebells in the Trossachs
(Don't miss the wee beastie.) |
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Bluebells
on the Isle of Skye |
Heather
at Culloden |
|
Gorse at Loch Ness |
Scotch Broom at Loch Lomond |
Gorse on the Cardross Road |
At first glance, gorse and broom may appear to be the same,
but broom is a more delicate shade of yellow and grows in a more vertical
direction.
|
Rhododendron at Armadale
Castle
on the
Isle of Skye |
Clematis
at Armadale Castle
|
The Garden at Balloch Castle
by
Loch Lomond |
Another rhododendron at Armadale was fully thirty feet high,
but its
blossoms were spent, leaving it less than attractive.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Heather ordinarily is seen in August, and thistle typically blooms in
July.
We have no photographs of Scotch thistle to share,
but you
might enjoy the "Legend of the Thistle" and "The Thistle of Scotia".
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Legend of the Thistle
Adopted as Scotland’s national emblem more
than eight centuries ago,
the Thistle
recalls the legend from ancient days
that it saved a band of weary Scottish
warriors from Danish invaders.
Beginning in 794 A.D. and for a period of more than 300 years,
the
Vikings of Denmark repeatedly invaded
the islands and coastlands of
Scotland.
On one occasion, as night fell and Scottish warriors
rested in a field, a Viking raiding party crept up to attack them.
The darkness proved more an enemy than a friend since it hid
from
the invaders’ eyes the bed of thistles
on the ground before them.
The thorny plants
pierced the bare feet of the Vikings,
causing
them to cry out in pain, awaken the Scots,
and bring destruction
upon themselves.
The Thistle is a
fitting emblem for the people of Scotland,
who for many centuries have survived the harshest conditions
and the cruelest tyrants. |
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The Thistle of Scotia
Let The lily of France in luxuriance bloom,
Let the shamrock of Erin its beauty maintain,
Let the rose of fair England still waft its perfume,
But the Thistle of Scotia will dearest remain.
'Twas the badge that our fathers
triumphantly wore
When they followed their sovereigns to vanquish the Dane,
The emblem our Wallace in battle aye bore;
Then the Thistle of Scotia must dearest remain.
It blooms on our mountains, it blooms
in the vale,
It blooms in the winter, in snow, and in rain;
The type of her sons when rude seasons assail ~
To Scotia, her thistle will dearest remain.
Author
Unknown |
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Copyright 2018 · Loretta Lynn Layman · The House of
Lynn
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