Now is a great time to see nature at its best. The good weather has left the countryside full of amazing sights and sounds. I took these photos when I was out and about. Have a look out for these when you are in the garden or out on a walk. I have also included snipits of information and folklore on some of them.

Enjoy,

Colette

Butterflies

The orange tip (female on left, male on right)

The Peacock

Trees and bushes

Blackthorn

This is a deciduous, sometimes dense, thorny shrub which grows abundantly throughout the country. This native plant belongs to the family Rosaceae and is called Draighean in irish.

'An old remedy for summer fevers and indigestion in children was to stew sloe leaves with clover blossoms. Strain the liquid and take it after meals and rub the stewed leaves on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. If a white froth came on the mixture while it was stewing, it was a sign the cure would be effective.'

From the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. NFC S. 36:247. From Laois.

Hawthorn

The Hawthorn (sceach gheal in irish) is a bush or small deciduous tree with spiny branches. In about mid-May, the hedgerows and fields of Ireland come alive with great clusters of its beautiful white flowers. In autumn this 2-10 m tree is laden with bright crimson mealy but edible berries called haws. The Hawthorn is native to Ireland and its genus name Crataegus, from the Greek kratos, which means strength, is thought to be a reference to the hardness of the hawthorn's wood.

How do you tell the difference between ther blackthorn and whitethorn?

FlowersBoth trees have creamy-coloured flowers with five petals. They’re on display around the same time and are both valuable to wildlife, supporting hundreds of insect species. But there are some key differences: Blackthorn blossoms before its leaves start to show, whereas hawthorn flowers after its leaves

have emerged. This is one of the best tips for identifying the two species in spring. Blackthorn usually flowers first, from around March to June. Hawthorn flowers from around April to June. Hawthorn petals are rounded and fuller than those of blackthorn.

Violet

Cow Parsley

This member of the carrot family is very common in Ireland and most of northern Europe and adorns most roadside verges at this time of year. Cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) is a hollow-stemmed, tall plant that grows rapidly in April, coming into flower with a mass of white flowers in May, and lasts through to June.Cow parsley has many country names, such as wild chervil.

While many of us see it as a weed and a pest researchers at the University of Padova in Italy studied several plant species when looking for a source of the lignin podophyllotoxin, which as a result of recent research has shown promise as a starting compound for the production of several anti-cancer drugs. Scientists have always struggled to find a good source of lignins until it was discovered that the entire cow parsley plant is a source of the closely related deoxypodophyllotoxin, with highest concentrations in the roots. Studies in South Korea have shown that this substance also induces cell cycle arrest, followed by cell death, in cervical carcinoma cells.So, it is now hoped that cow parsley could provide a cheap and abundant alternative source of these lignins.

It’s incredible to think that this plentiful plant, which many of us rush by on a daily basis without so much as a glance, could one day help to save lives!

Sycamore

Celendines

Daisies

Years ago daisy chains were made by children by splitting the stalks with the thumbnail and passing the next flower through until the head came to the split, and so on until the fragile was joined to form a crown or necklace.

Daisies can be eaten and are even medicinal. Daisy leaves are a common addition to salads. Wild daisy tea is used to treat coughs, bronchitis, inflammation, and more. Wild daisies are also sometimes applied to the skin for wounds and diseases.

Primrose

In Irish its name is sabhaircín (pronounced sour-keen).This eye-catching flower and its supporting plant are edible and supposedly taste like lettuce. I’ve never actually nibbled on a primrose, but it’s good to know they are safe for consumption, and good for garnishing spring dishes.

Primroses were prized plants in Ireland by those who brewed their own cures and concoctions in days gone by. Primroses were widely used as remedies for muscular aches and pains, rheumatism, paralysis and gout. The leaves and flowers of the plant were used both fresh and dried. Roots were only used when dried, and a special infusion of the roots was used to treat headaches.

The primrose was also used to relieve painful toothaches. Those suffering would rub the aching tooth and gum with a primrose leaf for two minutes. Primroses were also touted as a cure for jaundice – a yellow flower for those yellowed by jaundice.

Pig lard and primrose were combined to create a salve or ointment for burns. In Cork a tea made of primroses was used to treat insomnia. And being a versatile herb, this little plant was used to cure both “man and beast.” Horses with coughs received a nasal treatment of crushed dried primrose roots strained in milk.

Primroses and May Day: Primroses grow well in Ireland. There was a deep connections between the primrose and May Eve when it was widely used to protect against the faries.Traditionally primroses, together with yellow gorse shrubs, were used to decorate the door and threshold on May Day (Là Bealtaine).

“Guard the house with a string of primroseson the first three days of May.

The fairies are said not to be ableto pass over or under this string.”

From Co Kerry. From the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. NFC S.455:237. In rural Ireland in days gone by the butter making season began in May. To promote good milk production in their cows, farmers rubbed primroses on their cows’ udders at Bealtaine (May Day). Primroses scattered on the doorstep supposedly protected the butter from thieving fairies.

Today the tradition of the May Bush is still held in the west of Ireland. Primroses are tied to a stick or bush and put in the front garden of the house. Primroses are also scattered outside the doors to bring good luck to the house for the year.

The Celtic Druids And The Primrose:The Druids often carried primroses during their Celtic rituals as a protection from evil.Fragrant primrose oils were used to purify and anoint during these ancient rites of the Druids. This little yellow flower grew abundantly in Ireland and was easy for them to collect.

Primroses and Hens:In years gone by Irish folk often kept their pig and chickens inside their very own house, sharing their living quarters with their animals.Primroses were never brought indoors if the hens were laying eggs or hatching indoors.Primroses and Tír na nÓg: Oisín, the legendary son of Fionn MacCumhaill, made Tír na nÓg famous, when he followed his golden haired Niamh to this land of eternal youth.Old Irish myths claim primroses bloomed in Tír na nÓg. Anyone who might return from this legendary land would always carry a bunch of primroses.

Cowslip

Dandelions

Whin, Gorse, Furze Aiteann in Irish.

Gorse was once extremely important to people living in the Irish countryside. It was often used for thatching roofs and provided excellent fuel for cooking. Gorse is very resilient against fire, and burnt stubs can sprout new shoots from the roots. Its dense, prickly bushes also made it a particularly useful hedgerow shrub.

From our folklore: 'Get a few handfuls of the yellow blossoms of the furze and boil them in water. Give the water as a dose to the horse and this will cureworms'. From the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. NFC 782:356 from Co Kerry.