Friday, 10 May 2013

Friday Flowers

The Blue Weed and New China








































Once upon a time, I came across a single plant in my garden with the bluest of blue flowers. It had furry stems and leaves with the faintest of spots and in my ignorance I thought it was a Pulmonaria or perhaps a very bright version of the herb Borage, so I let it be.
A mistake, a very big mistake, be warned this is an invasive weed, which I have learnt to my cost seeds itself everywhere and has a tap root that reaches Australia! But it does have the bluest of blue flowers.

























The blue and white china is from a newly discovered shop called Tiger. Stumbled upon whilst shopping in Kingston upon Thames, at first glance it looked like a very up market pound shop so diverse was its stock. On closer inspection it revealed its Danish origins and had some very nice things at very reasonable prices. And something that I had been looking for....striped paper straws that look like barber's poles in bright colours. I shall be returning for another look.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, I'll be wrestling with the blue flowered weed before it sets seed again  and covers more of my garden, does anyone know its name?

Georgie

5 comments:

Martin & the Magpie said...

Kay bought this at the carboot sale last week but forgot what it's called! We'll let you know when she remembers!
Martin x

Michelle said...

Georgie could this be False-me-not?

Robin said...

I think its Alkanet. Totally gorgeous - wickedly invasive!!!
Rx

Georgie Steeds said...

Thank you Robin, yes it is indeed Alkanet......I've just googled it and it is a member of the Borage family. Apparently its roots are used for red dye.
There is also a member of the same family called Bastard Alkanet.....that's what I've been calling it all along!!!!

Kay be warned this stuff spreads everywhere, but it seems to last quite well in water. Also those hairy stems might cause allergic reactions :-(

Mugsie said...

If you really want be rid of your Alkanet, I'll gladly swao it for my ground elder, Georgie!