Cowslips
Author
Discussion

ali_kat

Original Poster:

32,135 posts

243 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
Can anyone help me please?

We have some growing in the orchard biggrin

Am I correct in thinking that they are a protected plant? Google isn't much help frown Some pages say yes some nono

If so, do I need to notify the local conservation team (we are in a conservation area already). I'll be letting the Estate's Gardeners know anyway (as they mow the lawns hehe).

thumbup in anticipation.

carlovers

424 posts

215 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
wish that would happen to my mrs on the top landing.

neilsie

952 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
i believe they are Ali - if wild. but no, you don't need to inform anyone. it is illegal to pick the flowers , collect or dig up wild cowslips

Edited by neilsie on Tuesday 3rd March 18:47

coolcatmaz

3,521 posts

224 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
yes they are a protected plant Ali, and no I don't think you do have to notify anyone that you have them.

when I was a wee girl and lived on the farm we used to have a whole bank of the field covered in them............literally thousands of them.

DrTre

12,957 posts

254 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
try and find your local BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) which is probably online. That might say.

Brown and Boris

11,838 posts

257 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
We stil have them on the railway embankment by our house. Very prett too. If yuyou can I would avoid cuting them down until they have flowered although they are pretty tough from what I can see (ours grow amongst scrambling blackberry briars)

coolcatmaz

3,521 posts

224 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/biodiversity

In Norse mythology the plant was dedicated to Odin's wife, Frega, the goddess who held the keys to happiness and sexual love.


Coco H

4,237 posts

259 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
we have lots growig in our garden. I strim them occasionally

Don

28,378 posts

306 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
They are protected (IIRC) and you are extraordinarily lucky to have them!

There's a local farm down our way that has done a "Cowslip Field" as a conservation measure - it's now a once-a-year local attraction and attracts a couple of hundred people (all making a charitable donation). They only open one weekend, I think.

The whole field turns bright yellow. In a good way.

Edited by Don on Tuesday 3rd March 19:13

Gaspode

4,167 posts

218 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
I thought they were just to stop the cow's mouths from fraying....
getmecoat

ali_kat

Original Poster:

32,135 posts

243 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
woohoo I'll let the gardener's know not to mow that area then biggrin

thumbup Thanks for your help smile

sleep envy

62,260 posts

271 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
her what knows about gardens said they're protected

Blib

47,130 posts

219 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
DrTre said:
...Biodiversity Action Plan
confused

I don't like that phrase for some reason.

frown

TheEnd

15,370 posts

210 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
COWSLIP (PRIMULA VERIS)

Wild flower and member of the Primrose family. Its name derives from "cowpat",(Old English "cuslyppe")

" According to legend, St Peter dropped the keys to Heaven and where they landed Cowslips grew "


Heaven's keys? I think they might be a narcotic...

Simpo Two

91,055 posts

287 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
If you play your cards right you might be able to get an EU grant not to dig them up nuts

ali_kat

Original Poster:

32,135 posts

243 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
I was really pleased that I a) noticed them; b) knew what they were (before I looked them up) and c) alarm bells rang about them being protected hehe

thumbup PH biggrin

The Excession

11,669 posts

272 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
@The End
huh huh huh fnurk fnurk fnurk giggle wobble oh my you said 'cuslyppe'

Wings

5,925 posts

237 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2009
quotequote all
ali_kat said:
woohoo I'll let the gardener's know not to mow that area then biggrin

thumbup Thanks for your help smile
They will grow every year, so no need to worry about mowing over them after they have flowered.

By coincidence, just fronting my home I usually have a colourful display of cow slips growing, but this year none, so was thinking today that possibly somebody had dug them up.

ali_kat

Original Poster:

32,135 posts

243 months

Monday 16th March 2009
quotequote all
This is what i saw first - cowslips



but now we have these growing with them, which are also looking to me like cowslips, same leaves and petal formation - but pink???



as you can see, they are growing as part of the same plant here...



I'm confused, Google doesn't help frown

This is not a planted area of the garden, it is underneath the apple trees in the 'wilderness' bit...

Can anyone help to identify them please?

thumbup


Blib

47,130 posts

219 months

Monday 16th March 2009
quotequote all
Purple. You can find purple cowslips.