Blue Eyes
Below are photos I took in the late afternoon, yesterday, of corn speedwell or birds eye speedwell (Veronica arvensis). The blossoms are very small and I had to lie in the cold damp grass to get these. The seeds germinate in the fall and grow slowly throughout the winter and then really put on a show in the very early spring as they take over the more shady parts of the lawn. Then they die back in the summer. Slender speedwell, similar, spreads by stolons. This blue baby is abundant in our unsuccessful lawn as we do not use weed killer or fertilizer unless it is absolutely necessary! Our lawn is mostly mowed weeds. Corn flowers seem to grow almost anywhere in the U.S., so you may have some in your lawn.
For a weed they are really quietly lovely and the early pollinators seem to find them essential.
And below is a photo painting. While it is a challenge using the mouse to paint light and dark and colors I have fun creating things that can be immediately erased when I make an error.
They grow here, or something very much like them, but tend to be on heathland or land that is grazed by sheep. They make an amazing show sometimes when they have been left undisturbed for enough years.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful little flowers
ReplyDeleteThey remind me of ground ivy, the leaves mostly. I'll look when the lawn starts blooming to see if there are blue flowers in with the lavender. Check out Tennyson's poem, "The Flower."
The photo painting is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOur lawn won't be visible for quite some time.
My kind of lawn!
ReplyDeleteWeeds or not, i'd love to have those flowers here!
ReplyDeleteSo very pretty. We do not have the pleasure of this weed, but I have seen it and it is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely! I especially like blue flowers.
ReplyDeleteLove the flower. Love your photo enhancement.
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely little wildflower (not weed!). my baby blue eyes are growing well but have not bloomed yet and last year I was surprised and amazed to find growing along the edge of the street blue pimpernel. I always knew the red version, scarlet pimpernel, but had no idea there was a blue version. looks very much like speedwell only it has 5 petals.
ReplyDelete