In May 2011, after four years of life on McNutt's Island, we moved to Montreal. This blog remains, though, as a (sort of) daily record of our time on the island, and a winding path for anyone who would like to meander about among its magical places. For additional perspectives and insights I recommend Greg's book, Island Year: Finding Nova Scotia (2010), and my Bowl of Light (2012). I'll continue to post once in a while.


Wednesday, August 4, 2010

fancy lace

Queen Anne's lace is one of the most common field flowers in North America, but somehow I'm only beginning to get to know it. I planted these seeds in my little wildflower garden two years ago. Now the garden is filled with what I think of as Acadian lace. It's one thing to admire it along a roadside but something else to watch it up close every day. I never knew it had so many lovely stages of development.
Its tiny flowers blush pink as they open.
I have only seen the small wild bee sipping nectar here, and small flies. The larger bees don't seem to visit.
Each fully opened flower -- made up of a myriad of tiny blossoms -- has a dark red heart at its centre. It fades away as the flower matures.
They have a graceful sculptural quality. Strong wind does not affect them, as they only bend and sway.
And they have a delicate sweet fragrance. I never knew that. These flowers remind me that the more I look the more I see.

2 comments:

Piecefulafternoon said...

ONe of my favorites too - and they fill in nicely in the garden.

Karen said...

I love Queen Anne's lace, it's my favorite weed. I hate when we have to mow the fields and it is all taken down.

Nice photos...