This fine specimen of Lamprocapnos spectabilis, known more commonly as bleeding heart, is located at the southwest corner of Clark's Greehouse & Gifts. I spotted it there Thursday, headed inside for a meeting, and came back between showers Sunday afternoon to take a closer look.
Omniscient Wikipedia tells us that this lovely spring bloomer is native to Siberia, northern China, Korea and Japan; and probably was introduced to English gardens ca. 1840 by Robert Fortune, a Scots botanist and plant hunter.
From England, it crossed the Atlantic with hardy pioneer gardeners and has been a staple in old-fashioned flower beds ever since.
The "bleeding" part is the droplet-shaped projection at the base of the heart-shaped flower.
The term bleeding heart sometimes is used, too, in a dismissive sort of way to describe people perceived to be too compassionate --- but that usage most likely is related to depictions in religious art of the Sacred Heart of Jesus rather than to the springtime flower. Even though the guy to whom the heart belonged originally most likely would never have suggested that one could be too compassionate.
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Don't forget the Lucas County Historical Society's 50th --- yes 50th, this is our birthday year and we'll be celebrating a little later on in the summer --- annual meeting this evening in the Lodge at Pin Oak Marsh. Here's a flyer to remind you.
2 comments:
Beautiful photographer of the bleeding hearts. Thanks for sharing.
Does that mean the photographer is beautiful or the bleeding hearts are beautiful. Guess it reads the photographer!! Enjoy.
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