GREEN THUMB SUNDAY

Today is not only Canada Day it is also the day on which Smoking becomes outlawed in England in all enclosed places...because of both these events I was torn between posting a photo of Nicotiana or a Maple Leaf...I couldn't decide so opted to post a photo of my all time favourite Clematis; it started flowering on Monday and I know I've weeks of fabulous blooms to look ahead to.

Clematis florida 'Sieboldii'

Also known as c. ‘Sieboldiana’, this plant was introduced by Dr Philipp von Siebold to the Leiden Botanical Garden in Holland and then to the British Isles in 1835. The flower is reminiscent of that of the Passion Flower. Sadly we lost our Passion Flower a few years ago and we never replaced it and to be honest I probably now don't have the room as other plants have filled it's space. There is some fascinating folklore about the Passion Flower..................according to Brewer's Phrase and Fable, "the leaf symbolizes the spear; the five anthers, the five wounds; the tendrils, the cords or whips; the column of the ovary, the pillar of the cross; the stamens, the hammers; the three styles, the three nails; the fleshy threads within the flowers, the crown of thorns; the calyx, the glory or nimbus; the white tint, purity; and the blue tint, heaven." The blooms supposedly stay open three days also, and so could indicate either the time between the crucifixion and resurrection or the three years of Christ's ministry.

Some say that the petals represent the apostles; as there are only 10 petals you have to discount the two who supposedly weren't present at Calvary (Judas and Peter). So, in the Language of Flowers, the plant came to stand for "religious superstition."