The wildflower challenge this week, while the weather is fine is to find the tiny orange/red flowers of Scarlet Pimpernel. There is a small patch against the railings on the path alongside the village hall, hiding in patches of field madder (I did get some odd looks when down on my knees taking photos!)
The Scarlet Pimpernel was the code name for the fictional hero Sir Percy Blakeney, a British aristocrat leading a double life rescuing French aristocrats from the guillotine who would sign his messages with a drawing of this flower.
It’s many other common names eg 'John-go-to-bed-at-noon', Poorman's Weatherglass', or 'Weather-teller' are a clue to why you need a bright day to spot it. The flowers only open in good weather and will often have closed by mid afternoon.
The botanical name Anagallis is from the Greek ana ‘again' and agállein 'to delight in' The pleasure of seeing the flowers opening again to welcome the returning sun is something we can relate to! Arvensis means “in the fields”. Once a common and sometimes problematic arable weed, it is now mainly confined to roadside verges and waste ground. There is a stunning blue variant, more common in southern Europe.
From the novel “The Scarlet Pimpernel” by Baroness Orczy, written in 1905:
“ They seek him here, they seek him there
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere”
A fitting description for a flower that seems to be here one moment then gone the next depending on the sun.