Broom Flowers

Broom flowers. Common broom (Cytisus scoparius, syn. Sarothamnus scoparius), a native of northwestern Europe, where it is found in sunny sites, usually on dry, sandy soils. Like most brooms, it has apparently leafless stems that in spring and summer are covered in profuse golden-yellow flowers. It makes a shrub about 1–3m tall, rarely to 4 m. It is also the hardiest broom, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°C.
Around here in North Fife on uncultivated lands loads of broom shrubs abound. A lovely sight and a powerful scent, when the flowers develop into pea-like seed pods and ripen an audible click sound is emitted propelling the seeds many metres.

Umbelliferae Hedge Parsley

Umbelliferae Hedge Parsley, the wayside is abundant with these flowers and parts of my garden, come to think of it.

A more typical view of them leaping from a bankside.

British Wild Flowers: A photographic guide to every common species [Paperback]

British Wild Flowers: A photographic guide to every common species [Paperback]A complete photoguide to all the wild flowers of Britain to accompany the bestselling Complete British WIldlife. With over 1,000 main entries covering wildflowers, shrubs, aquatic plants, grasses, sedges and rushes Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers is a definitive photographic reference guide for flower enthusiasts. Helpful information about habitats of wild flowers and useful tips to aid identification are included along with a botanical hotspots section detailing 100 rarer species. Comparison pages show different leaf shapes and flower clusters to enable quick and easy navigation to the right section of the book to make your identification. Detailed information on which places to visit in Britain particularly rich in flower species are also included, along with individual maps showing where each species can be found. This is the essential photographic field guide of the best wild flowers Britain has to offer.
304 pages
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Once a flower is identified It's easy to surf and find other interesting and useful information. You can Buy here. Collins Complete Guide - British Wild Flowers: A photographic guide to every common species

Yarrow

Yarrow
Achillea Millefolium

Yarrows can be planted to combat soil erosion due to the plant's resistance to drought.
The herb is purported to be a diaphoretic, astringent, tonic, stimulant and mild aromatic. It contains isovaleric acid, salicylic acid, asparagin, sterols, flavonoids, bitters, tannins, and coumarins. The plant also has a long history as a powerful 'healing herb' used topically for wounds, cuts and abrasions. The genus name Achillea is derived from mythical Greek character, Achilles, who reportedly carried it with his army to treat battle wounds. This medicinal action is also reflected in some of the common names mentioned below, such as Staunchweed and Soldier's Woundwort.

The stalks of yarrow are dried and used as a randomising agent in I Ching divination.

In the Middle Ages, yarrow was part of a herbal mixture known as gruit used in the flavouring of beer prior to the use of hops.

Old folk names for yarrow include arrowroot, bad man's plaything, carpenter's weed, death flower, devil's nettle, eerie, field hops, gearwe, hundred leaved grass, knight's milefoil, knyghten, milefolium, milfoil, millefoil, noble yarrow, nosebleed, old man's mustard, old man's pepper, sanguinary, seven year's love, snake's grass, soldier, soldier's woundwort, stanch weed, thousand seal, woundwort, yarroway, yerw.

The English name yarrow comes from the Saxon (Old English) word gearwe, which is related to both the Dutch word gerw and the Old High German word garawa.

Yarrow has also been used as a food, and was very popular as a vegetable in the seventeenth century. The younger leaves are said to be a pleasant leaf vegetable when cooked as spinach, or in a soup. Yarrow is sweet with a slight bitter taste. The leaves can also be dried and used as a herb in cooking.

White Yarrow.Achillea Millefolium.

Purple Vetch

Purple or Common Vetch once a meadow plant but now confined to waysides and uncultivated land. Scientific Name: (Vicia dasycarpa) This pretty flower is in the Legume Family (Fabaceae), as are so many of the pretty wildflowers. Vetch has a weak stem and can be found growing upright, but more often sprawling or climbing. Stems are solitary or few, thin, weak and often brittle. The flower is slightly less than 1 inch. Colours range from violet and white or lavender to rose coloured or solid white. 5 petals on each flower, the upper petal pointing upright. Side petals spread. 5 - 20 flowers crowd together at the end of a stem and form a one sided curved spike which is quite distinctive. Purple Vetch is a native of Europe. before the development of inexpensive chemical fertilizers, Vetch was used in this country as a soil builder for its high protein component. Blooms April - August.

A cluster of Vetch and bramble flowers being visited by a bumble bee.

Wild Rose Gall

Now the roses are going over these wasp galls are becoming more evident, quite pretty in their own way.

Bedeguar Gall or Robin’s Pincushion Diplolepis rosae

Bedeguar galls are formed on the wild rose by larvae of the gall-wasp Diplolepis rosae. A bedeguar gall is not the product of a single larva but a group of larvae, each residing in their own chamber within the gall.

Other species of wasp larvae will also make use of the gall. There are the species that do not form their own galls but just utilize those already formed by others, these are inquilines. The major inquiline is Periclistus brandtii, this has a commensal relationship, i.e. it benefits from the arrangement, but does not have a detrimental affect on Diplolepis rosae.

Diplolepis rosae over winters in the gall emerging as adult wasps in spring. The adult wasps reproduce not needing males i.e. parthenogenetically.

Cellardyke and Anstruther

Yesterday as a family we were invited to eat at a friends house in Cellardyke, our host being a fisherman naturally provided the finest and freshest local self caught seafoods. Starters was fresh crab meat with salad and various dressings on thinly cut toast followed by barbecued codling and mackerel, salads, breads and dressings. Yes we did enjoy. A wander from Cellardyke to Anstruther Harbour to walk it off and a look at his wee fishing boat. Along side was a keep net holding live Codling and a large Pollock destined for Deep Sea World North Queensferry. Fish eat Fish and being in captivity, stocks need replenishment.
Anyway I hope to be out on The Firth of Forth to help with a bit of line fishing Mackerel, weather permitting as I'm no a natural sailor.

Looking south east from Cellardyke harbour wall. From Cellardyke to Anstruther is a good half mile walk down George Street, John Street and James Street which run parallel to the shore which is hidden by the closely packed houses.

George Street.

John Street.

Anstruther Harbour.Address: , Harbour Office Anstruther Harbour , Shore Street,Anstruther,KY10 3EA
E-mail: Bill.smith@fife.gov.uk
Telephone: 01333 310836
Anstruther Harbour caters for leisure and small fishing vessels. There is approx. 400 metres of pierside berthing and 100 serviced pontoon berths for leisure craft.
Tidal access: HW +/- 4 hours approx.
Visitors: 8 no. pontoon berths are reserved for visitors (max. vessel size 10.5 metres)
For current harbour rates and dues please contact the Harbour Master.
Disabled Access:
Ramped access to pontoons. Toilets accessible.
Opening Hours
Mon - Fri 0900 to 1700 hours
Sat/Sun 0900 to 1200 hours (April to Sept)

Above the entrance to the Scottish Fisheries Museum Anstruther.
Situated on the harbour front in Anstruther, in the heart of the Fife fishing community, the Scottish Fisheries Museum tells the story of fishing in Scotland and its people from earliest times to the present.
Since it was opened in 1969 the Museum has grown in size and in the range of its galleries. Well worth a visit.

Scabious Flowers North Fife

Field Scabious flowers - Knautia arvensis. I enjoy to these wayside flowers every year, butterflies find them attractive though they are in short supply having been bashed by the frequent heavy rain showers of late.
This plant is also known as Gypsy Rose, Blue Button and Lady’s Pincushion. When it is first in flower, the stamens standing up from the inflorescences resemble pins protruding from a pincushion. However, the effect is relatively short-lived. The male stamens wither before the female flowers mature to reduce the risks of self-pollination.

The Field Scabious is a perennial herb of grassland on well-drained, especially basic soils. It is also a locally common weed of cultivation, especially in field-borders on chalk. Established plants are drought-resistant and are found naturally in open, sunny situations. It grows on dryish soil and is found naturally on roadside verges.

Order of Tiron visit Newburgh

On Wednesday 6th July a delegation from France visited Newburgh as part of a study trip in order to make contact with the former dependencies of the L'Order of Tiron.
Led by Victor Provot, President of the order of Tiron, Mayor of Thiron-Gardais, Head of tourism and guide of the Abbey of Thiron Gardais. Accompanied by Francoise Garnier, Mayors secretary and secretary L'Order of Tiron. Evelyne Jego, treasurer L'Order of Tiron on Student exchange. Marika Dalibard, International Commerce, photographer, interpreter. Fanny Pouteau, Orchards "open gardens" history of fruit trees. Teresa Priolet, Interpreter. Manon Girard, Co-ordinator of study trip, studying for her Masters degree in Cultural projects, History & History of Arts. Objectives being to represent the Community of Thiron Gardais, gather information/history of "daughters" Abbeys in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.
All in preparation for the 900th (2014) Anniversary of the completion of L'abbey de Thiron.
Met by Newburgh Orchard Group, Caroline Guthrie,Chairperson. Paul Dodman, Treasurer. Julie Reilly, secretary.
Newburgh History Society, Gordon Pitkethly, chairperson.
Community Council, Andrew Arbuckle Fife Councillor.
Newburgh Action Group, Pat Dalrymple.

Last year Kevin Rielly contacted Victor Provot in his research into the origins of the Pear trees found in Lindores Abbey, one the oldest in Scotland at (82ft) tall. In return Victor sent a book on the apple & pear trees found in the Perche Region of France and an indication of a planned visit to Lindores Abbey.

An engraved glass present designed by by Paul Dodman being received by Victor Provot.

Lindores Abbey, and its Burgh of Newbugh their History and Annals being presented by Gordon Pitkethly as chairman of Newburgh History Society.

Victor Provot and Gordon Pitkethly connect.

A good exchange.

Victor Provot presenting to Caroline Guthrie Chairperson of Newburgh Orchard Group.

Kevin Reilly honoured.

A happy bunch. From the left:- Caroline Guthrie, Victor Provot, Kevin Reilly, Paul Dodman, Gordon Pitkethly, Julie Reilly and Andrew Arbuckle.

Medal Thiron-Gardais as received by Newburgh office holders.

Plaque of the Association L'Ordre de Tiron to be screwed firmly down on a wall at Lindores Abbey.

Food provided by Newburgh Orchard Group, Newburgh Action Group, Community Council, Tayside Community council and John Pearson (baker). A wonderful and delicious spread of cooked meets, river caught wild salmon, salads, pies, fresh fruits, brandy preserved pears, very more-ish fresh cream and strawberry scones. A feast.

Food.

The Order of Tiron had much influence in Scotland, a Monk having drafted the famous Declaration of Arbroath.

Lindores Abbey and Its Burgh of Newburgh: Their History and Annals [Large Print] [Paperback] Alexander Laing (Author)

One of the books presented to the Delegation from Thiron-Gardais.

Lindores Abbey and Its Burgh of Newburgh: Their History and Annals [Large Print] [Paperback]
Alexander Laing (Author)
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. The original can still be viewed in the Laing Museum Newburgh.
There is a wealth of material in Laing Museum and Library.
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630 pages
Click here to buy. Lindores Abbey and Its Burgh of Newburgh: Their History and Annals

Hebe Flowers

Hebe flowers.Hebe is a genus of plants native mainly to New Zealand, named after the Greek goddess of youth. I have several in the garden hedge, one a much smaller white flowering variety. It is often abuzz with nectar loving bees, moths and other insects, flowering for over two months, a joy.