Three-Lobe Beggar-Ticks*





 veerdelig tandzaad* or Bidens Tripartita (link here) a plant I had never consciously noticed before - thanks to the internet I was able to determine what it is, exactly! It has sprung up along this recently created water's edge; it's quite tall, appr. one meter and the stem has a distinctive deep purple colour; it's wonderful to see how fast plant life has materialized along these edges in such a short period; last winter this was a plain field, hemmed in by a road, another field, a vliet and a sloot (canal in English, a sloot is a narrow canal, a vliet is wider than a sloot, I'm afraid this is all the explanation you're going to get, ha)
this Spring six straight slots were dug into the field, like comb's teeth, from the vliet; this means there are twelve new strips along which water's-edge-loving-plants can grow and wild life can crawl in and out of the water as the slopes are very gentle, plus the small peninsulas create mini biotopes all of their own, I noticed a lot of white clover growing there as well, which is good news for the bees and a smallish hole, possibly a vole! There's now also a path from this spot back to the road, so I can now enter the woods along the 'old' footpath and return via the new field path. Django got all excited as he spotted these horses on our way back home, not sure whether it was safe to pass, the foal was just as nervous as he was. The mare and I, both in our own way, reassured our young ones all was indeed safe: she by ignoring Django (and me) completely, continuing to graze the sweet grasses and I by murmuring reassurance; this is definitely the best horse medicine you can get after a long day in the office.


I am also sewing quite a lot, modifying clothes mainly and there's an old shirt is in the dye pot, no images just now, patience

16-09-2014 P.S.

Rijk Plantae
Klasse Spermatopsida
Orde Asterales
Familie Asteraceae
Geslacht Bidens
Soort Bidens tripartita

Comments

Marti said…
Saskia, can you use this "new" plant for dyeing?

Slowly I think I am going to be joining you in making over some clothes because yesterday I ripped my favorite denim shirt on a barbed wire fence. It is a jagged rip on the sleeve so if I can't mend it I think I will cut off the sleeves and wear the body of the shirt as a vest with pieces of my dyed cloths sewn on in a sort of patchwork...
Mo Crow said…
in Australia a common weed is Bidens pilosa aka Farmers Friend for the way the barbed seeds attach to clothes and animal fur
Saskia said…
hi Mo, apparently it also has a several medicinal uses, or at least that is what I've found on the internet in just a quick search! Alas, it doesn't grow in Europe.....

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