#353 - Rosebay Willowherb tops

Strolling past the great bank of weeds that border one side of the stream, I noticed that the leaves at the very top of the Rosebay Willowherb plants were like fiery chrysanthemums.

#343 - Marigold, Ragwort and Rosebay Willowherb

Orange, yellow and fuschia - August colours. 

#274 - Dream Catchers

The sun is lower in the sky this season and shines across the top of the tall weeds, irradiating the thistledown and seed plumes of the Rosebay Willowherb. The silvery, silken strands are held delicately between the curved, outflung arms of these open seed cases.

#261 - Rosebay Willowherb Flowers

It's time for the Rosebay Willowherb again, one of my very first posts was about these beautiful, two-tone-purple flowers which are everywhere at this time of year. I'd never really looked at one a year ago, now they seem like old friends. 

#121 - Seed Heads on Stone

Beautiful shapes, Rosebay Willowherb seed heads curve so wonderfully. This was a hurried picture, but I like the lines and the non-colours. All the year bleached white and gone. I picked up the ashes from the vets today and tomorrow the children and I will take them to our special park and scatter them on the hills.

#25 - Seed capsules

I just discovered that Rosebay Willowherb is called Fireweed in America because it frequently grows where the land has been burnt - apparently it became widespread in Britain after the war, appearing in bomb craters and burnt out buildings. The name suits the leaves which burst into glorious flames as the flower dies. Before that though the plant is very demure, I especially love the delicate shades of pink and mauve on the long seed capsules, I couldn't actually edit this photo at all as any adjustment seemed to change the colours from their subtle gradations, so it is exactly as I took it.

#22 - Fireworks

Really can't think of these Rosebay Willowherb leaves as dying, more like going out in a blaze of glory. I love the way they curl out - as the seedpods burst open it seems the whole plant explodes, turning from it's humble mauve and green into a froth of pale cotton wisps and these glorious colours, like fireworks.

#3 - Green Leaves and Rosebay

Went to my beautiful buttercup meadow only to discover that it had been mown and was now looking rather forlorn, such a shame, but perhaps you have to mow wildflower meadows once in while. The hedgerows though were still full of purple spires, Rosebay Willowherb apparently. I saw some very bright green, new leaves which I thought would look startling against the red-brown mud path and I found that the Rosebay Willowherb flowers were exquisitely detailed on their own.