“Earth’s flaunting flower of passion fadeth fair To ripening fruit in sunlit veils of the air…” #Fruits found for #WildflowerHour: rose hips, elderberries, white bryony berries, snowberries, crab apples, sloes, haws, blackberries, dogwood berries, holly berries, sweet chestnuts.

Forbidden lovers Pyramus and Thisbe are sometimes called the original Romeo and Juliet. In Ovid’s tale, a tragic misunderstanding leads to both their deaths under a mulberry tree. Their blood stains its once-white fruit dark red, forever marking their doomed love. #FolkloreSunday

Echinacea purpurea was introduced to England from Virginia in the late 17th century. In 1699, Oxford Physic Garden’s Jacob Bobart called it Dracunculus virginianus, “little dragon of Virginia” – perhaps inspired by its traditional use for snakebite or its spiked, flame-like cone.

“And in the feathery aster bees on wing Seize and set free the honied flowers, Till thousand stars leap with their visiting: While ever across the path lazily flit, Unpiloted in the sun, The dreamy butterflies… “ – from ‘The Garden in September’ by Robert Bridges (1844-1930).

In the modern Celtic Ogham Tree Calendar, Vine (sometimes interpreted as Bramble) rules Muin, the 10th month of the calendar, from 2nd–29th September. Both plants are laden with ripening fruit at this time of year making them fitting symbols of autumn abundance. #FolkloreThursday

The morning glory, Ipomoea tricolor, is the second birth flower of September. In old England it was known as “life of man” for its flowers are in bud in the morning, open by noon and wither by evening. In the Victorian language of flowers it is an emblem of affection. #folklore

September’s birth flower, the Aster, takes its name from the Greek word for ‘star’. Legend tells that Astraea, goddess of innocence and truth, fled the troubled Earth, becoming the constellation Virgo. Looking sorrowfully from heaven her tears fell to Earth, where asters bloomed.

Last day of August: “… The turn has come; Night-hidden messengers have touched the scene; And, in the morning, when we greet, we say 'My love, my dear, the summer days have been.'” — from ‘The Turn of Summer’ by Augustus Radcliffe Grote (1841-1903).

“All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” Found for this week’s #WildflowerHour: snake’s head fritillary, wild carrot, selfheal, common knapweed, yellow rattle, oxeye daisy, and cock’s-foot. #Seedheads

Summer slips into autumn, and the rose undergoes a magical transformation: as the petals fall away, ripening hips take their place, glowing like fairy lanterns. An old weather saying foretells what might follow: “Many hips and haws, many frosts and snaws.” #FolkloreSunday

St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) bears dark red spots, said to appear on 29 August, the day St John the Baptist met his terrible fate. His gold-flowered plant was also known as Sol Terrestris, the “earthly sun”, its light believed to drive away spirits of darkness. #folklore

St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) bears dark red spots, said to appear on 29 August, the day St John the Baptist met his terrible fate. His gold-flowered plant was also known as Sol Terrestris, the “earthly sun”, its light believed to drive away spirits of darkness. #folklore

It’s raining at last and there’s a fabulous, intense scent of petrichor outside. The word comes from Greek petros (stone) and ichor (the fluid said to flow in the veins of the gods), beautifully evoking rain releasing an almost divine essence from the earth. A wonderful word!

Tomorrow’s full moon falls in Weodmōnaþ, the Anglo-Saxon name for August. Writing in AD 725, Bede explains it means “month of weeds”, referring to plants flourishing abundantly at this time. The Anglo-Saxons measured their months by the course of the moon. #FolkloreThursday

Dahlia ‘Pink Suffusion’ from my garden, wishing you all a happy Wednesday. 🌸 #gardening

Virgo, the sixth zodiac sign, begins around 23 August and lasts until 22 September. An earth sign represented by the Maiden, it has ancient links with harvest and is traditionally shown holding an ear or sheaf of wheat. Virgo’s brightest star is Spica, Latin for ‘ear of grain’.

The sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is the flower dedicated to St Bartholomew, whose feast day is 24th August. In late summer its brilliant blooms shine like reflections of the sun. Traditionally known as “St Bartholomew’s Star”, it is a symbol of constancy and devotion. #folklore

The wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis) is a rare relic of ancient woodland. It bears fruits known as chequers, once sold at markets and given to children as sweets. Said to taste like dates, they were used to flavour beer and may have inspired the name of ‘Chequers Inns’. #FolkloreSunday

Late in August, the gracious sun, His pleasant task completing, Smiles at the work so nearly done, And reddened the apple cheeks every one, With ripening kisses; and then begun Was the feast of the high-top sweeting. – from ‘The High-Top Sweeting’ by Elizabeth Akers (1832-1911)

Flowers from my garden, wishing you a beautiful day! 🌸 #FlowersOnFriday

It’s said that the tiniest fairy folk often choose flowers as their homes. When bringing cut flowers inside to display in a vase, always remember to leave their stems long so the blooms stay well above the water. This allows the fairies to escape safely and dry! #FolkloreThursday

The Agapanthus or ‘African Lily’ is the ‘flower of love’, its name derived from Greek ‘agapē’ meaning love and ‘anthos’, flower. A piece of its root kept as an amulet is said to protect those who fear thunderstorms and to ward off thunder. #folklore

Wildflowers found for this week’s #WildflowerHour challenge: one of my favourite #CommonNames is “viper’s-bugloss” for Echium vulgare (blue flowers with red stamens, centre left). See thread for more about the name and a list of all the other flowers too.

For #BlackCatAppreciationDay tomorrow: An old tale tells of a woman spinning late at Halloween when a black cat came to her door. Welcomed to her fireside, it warned fairies wished to feast there and might harm her for staying up. By dawn it was gone. Never again did she spin late on Halloween!

Echinacea takes its name from the Greek word “echinos”, meaning hedgehog, inspired by its prickly central cone. Long valued as a medicinal herb, in flower magic Echinacea is also associated with strength and is said to increase the potency of spells. #folklore

In folklore, harebells are believed to belong to fairy folk, who shelter beneath them. They must never be tampered with! These flowers may help mortals see fairies and glimpse their realm. Witches are said to use the juice in flying ointment or to transform themselves into hares.

A gift for my lovely neighbour who has invited me for coffee this morning. A posy of flowers from my garden, arranged in a jam jar with a pretty pink bow! 🌸

Knapweed’s hard flower head gave it names like ‘hardhead’ and ‘ironhead’; ‘knapweed’ comes from ‘knop’, meaning knob. ‘Mat felon’ recalls its use to treat felons, swellings beside the fingernail. In parts of Britain, its flowers were given to the bereaved. #FolkloreThursday

According to legend, during a solar eclipse in 1177, the shepherd boy St Bénézet had a vision telling him to build a bridge across the Rhône at Avignon. When he protested that he must tend his sheep, he was told the angels would watch over his flock while he carried out his task.

A legend inspired by the Poems of Ossian tells of Malvina, weeping for her beloved, killed in battle. A messenger brings her a sprig of purple heather, his final token of love. Her tears turn it white. Though a symbol of her sorrow, she wishes white heather to be lucky evermore.