One day, the old woman-Winter with her companions Frost and Wind decided not to let Spring come to earth. All the flowers were frightened by the threats of Winter, except for the snowdrop, which straightened its stalk and forced a gap in the thick snow cover. The Sun saw its petals and warmed the earth with warmth, opening the way for Spring.

According to one ancient legend, snowdrops were the first flowers on earth. When God drove Adam and Eve out of paradise, it was winter on earth and it was snowing. Eva froze and began to cry. The snowflakes took pity on her and several of them turned into flowers. Eva was very happy about this. She had hope for forgiveness, and flowers - snowdrops - have since become a symbol of hope.

There is one old story, which in its plot resembles a fairy tale.Long ago, there lived a brother and a sister. Their parents died early, leaving a house on the edge of the forest, and the children were forced to take care of themselves. The brother hunted in the hunting craft, and the sister busied herself with the housework. And then one day, when my brother was not at home, my sister decided to collect cleaner snow in order to wash the floors in the upper room. Spring was just coming into its own, and therefore there was still a lot of snow in the forest. My sister took two buckets and went into the forest. She wandered quite a distance from home. But the girl knew the forest well, and therefore was not afraid to get lost. But another misfortune lay in wait for her here: the old goblin, driving around his possessions on a lame wolf, saw a girl, and realized that such a neat mistress would not interfere with him. He grabbed her and took her to his lair. But the girl was not at a loss - she pulled a string of beads from river pearls left over from her mother and began to mark her path with beads. But they fell without a trace into the snow. The girl realized that her brother could not find her and wept bitterly. The clear sun took pity on the grief of the orphan, melted the snow, and in the place where the pearls fell, the first spring flowers grew - snowdrops. Through them, the brother found his way to the goblin's lair. As the goblin saw that his shelter had been discovered, he squealed and took to his heels. And the brother and sister returned to their home and lived happily ever after.

And here is another beautiful Polish legend about the origin of the snowdrop.
It was a harsh winter outside. A family lived in a hut in the mountains. The father of the family went around the world in search of work, and his wife and two children were left to wait for him. At the end of January, the boy suddenly fell ill and the sorceress determined the ailment, but fresh flowers and leaves were needed for his treatment. Then his sister went in search of plants and saw that everything around was iced and covered with snow. She threw herself on the ground and began to weep bitterly. These hot and hearty tears of the girl broke through the snow cover, reached the ground and woke up the delicate flowers - snowdrops. They began to fight their way through the thick layer of snow and finally crawled to the surface. And wherever the girl cried, white flowers rose from the ground. The young beauty picked them up, brought them home, and the little brother was saved.

Crocus

According to legend, saffron (crocus) arose from the drops of blood of the young man Krok. Krok competed with the god Hermes in discus throwing, and Hermes accidentally killed him.

Primrose

In Norse mythology primrose - the keys of the goddess Freya, with which she unlocks the doors of spring. According to another belief, these are the keys to paradise that St. Peter dropped to the ground. According to Celtic belief, the primrose was considered the keys to marriage and was part of the love potion.

Many Slavic peoples primrose was revered as golden keys, opening the way to the whole green kingdom in spring. Throughout the long winter, the heavenly Lada languishes in the captivity of thick clouds and fogs. But in the spring, the goddess of love, sun and harmony, washed with spring waters, comes into the world with generous gifts. Where the first lightning fell, and primroses grow to unlock with their keys earth's interior for the lush growth of herbs, bushes and trees.

According to one of the ancient Greek legends about primrose, primrose came to earth from heaven. The inquisitive young man studied all earthly sciences and decided to learn the heavenly world. But for this it was necessary for him to forge the golden keys, go along the silver-star path to the center of the Galaxy and open the gates. It is not at all easy to do this, because the path to the gates of the Galaxy was guarded by numerous stars. But the young man was persistent. He forged golden keys and went to Milky Way. There was silence, only numerous stars slightly rustled their silvery wings, flying from place to place. And suddenly in this silence voices began to be heard:
"Don't tremble!" - said the star on the right. "Forget everything!" - added the star, shining in front of the young man, and looked at him with deep sadness and sadness.
However, the young man did not flinch and continued to walk forward. “Forget everything!” the burning star repeated ahead. “Forget everything! Forget the verdant earth, and your youth, and childhood. look at the son disappearing into the stellar nebula ... "
And then the young man could not stand it. His arms and legs trembled, the stars swirled in his eyes, his ears rang, and when the daredevil woke up, it turned out that he was lying on the ground ... And the golden key, which he held in his hands, took root in the ground and turned into a primrose flower.

Primula is attributed magical property discover hidden treasures. According to legend, a woman dressed in white with a golden key appears in the fields. All primroses plucked in her presence gain the ability to open treasures hidden deep underground. At the same time, she says that a person can take any wealth, but let him not forget "the best" - meaning a flower, to use it next time.

There is another legend about the origin of primrose. In one of the beautiful meadows there lived a blond princess - an elf who fell in love with a beautiful young man, but for some reason he did not notice her. In desperation, the princess asked the sorceress for the young man to reciprocate. And the sorceress turned the princess into a primrose - a flower that is the first to bloom in spring, and it is absolutely impossible to pass by it. Since then, the village youth goes to admire these flowers as soon as the snow melts.

In England they thought that tubular-bell-shaped drooping primrose flowers are a refuge for fabulous fairies and gnomes in times of bad weather. They sing praises to the flowers that shelter them, rejoicing that they can find shelter in golden corollas in heavy rain, when the bright rays of the month are covered with clouds. That lucky person who hears the singing coming from the magical flowers of the primrose will live in joy and prosperity for many years.

According to the Old Norse sagas, these are the keys of the fertility goddess Freya, with which she opens the spring. This goddess is beautiful, young, charming. Her necklace is a rainbow, which the dwarves forged for her. And where this rainbow necklace touches the ground, golden keys fall from it to the ground and, having fallen, turn into a primrose.

According to ancient Greek tradition, primrose arose from the body of the young man Paralysos, who died of love, whom the gods, out of compassion, turned into a fragrant flower; hence it was believed to cure paralysis, and in medicine it was until recently called the "paralytic herb."

The legend of the royal primrose
Volcanologists claim that primroses predict volcanic eruptions. Each volcanic eruption on the island of Java took a lot of human lives until the inhabitants paid attention to the plants that were found only here, on the slope of the fire-breathing mountain. It was a royal primrose. Interestingly, she bloomed flowers only on the eve of a volcanic eruption. Now the inhabitants of the villages nearby from the volcano systematically monitor the savior plant and, as soon as it begins to bloom, hastily leave the villages. And they say that the primrose has never let them down. Now scientists are interested in this property of primrose.

Caucasian highlanders claim that the magical purisula - the royal primrose - growing high in the mountains, once blossomed at an inopportune time. The whole tribe, seeing the blooming purisula, hastily left their native lands, in which an earthquake soon broke out.

Lungwort

In the inflorescence of the lungwort, you can simultaneously see blue and red flowers, hence the legend that blue flowers- Adam, and the red ones - Eve. In fact, young flowers are pink, and old flowers are blue.

Tulip

Tulip flowers are very loved Turkish sultans wishing to have carpets of fresh flowers in their gardens. At the time of night feasts in the open air, at the behest of the lords, tortoises with lighted candles attached to the shell were released into the vast flower beds. The will-o'-the-wisps among the beautiful flowers were magnificent. The Persian poet Hafiz wrote about the tulip: "Even the rose itself cannot compare with its virgin charm." One old manuscript says: “This flower has no smell, like a beautiful peacock - songs. But the tulip became famous for its colorful petals, and the important peacock for its unusual plumage.”

The legend of the tulip says that it was in the bud of a yellow tulip that happiness was concluded, but no one could get to it, since the bud did not open, but one day a little boy took a yellow flower in his hands and the tulip opened itself. A child's soul, carefree happiness and laughter opened a bud.

In the language of flowers, a tulip means a declaration of love., and this is also preceded by the legend of the Persian king Farhad. Unrememberedly in love with the beautiful girl Shirin, the prince dreamed of happy life with your beloved. However, envious rivals started a rumor that his beloved was killed. Mad with grief, Farhad drove his frisky horse onto the rocks and crashed to death. It was in the place where the blood of the unfortunate prince hit the ground that bright red flowers grew, from now on the symbol of passionate love is tulips.

The first country where tulips were introduced into culture, most likely, was Persia. Now it is difficult to establish which species were the ancestors of the first plants, but it is possible that they were wild Gesner tulips ( Tulipagesneriana) and Schrenk (Tulipaschrenkii ), distributed in Asia Minor and Central Asia. From Persia, tulips came to Turkey, where they were called "lale". The name Lale is still the most popular female name in the countries of the East. TO XVI century, about 300 varieties of tulips were already known.

Europeans first met the tulip in Byzantium, where this flower is still one of the symbols of the successor Byzantine Empire- Turkey.

Narcissus

Narcissus was so much sung by poets of all countries and ages, like no other, except just a rose. Mohammed himself said about him: "He who has two loaves, let him sell one to buy a flower of narcissus, for bread is food for the body, and narcissus is food for the soul." And the Persian king Cyrus called him "the creation of beauty - an immortal delight."

In the language of flowers, "narcissus" means deceptive hopes, desires, selfishness.

About the origin of the flower exists ancient greek legend about the beautiful Narcissus. The river god Cefiss and the nymph Lirioessa had a son, a beautiful young man who rejected the love of the nymph Echo. For this he was punished: when he saw his own reflection in the water, he fell in love with him. Tormented by an insatiable passion, he died, and in memory of him there remained a beautiful, fragrant flower, the corolla of which leans downwards, as if wishing to once again admire himself in the water. The parents of the young man at one time turned to the oracle Tireseus. The soothsayer said that Narcissus would live to old age if he did not see his face. Narcissus grew up a young man of extraordinary beauty, and many women sought his love, but he was indifferent to everyone. When the nymph Echo fell in love with him, the narcissistic young man rejected her passion. The nymph withered from hopeless passion and turned into an echo, but before her death she cursed: "Let the one whom he loves not reciprocate with Narcissus."

There are many more stories, fairy tales, stories about plants, we recommend separately Anna Saxe "Tales of flowers.

Flowers, as a symbol of beauty, are loved all over the world. Legends, poems and songs have been composed about them since ancient times. Flowers can express your emotions and feelings. So, for example, a rose is considered a symbol of love, a carnation is a symbol of fidelity, and a forget-me-not is a memory of a loved one. Many other flowers are symbols of human feelings.

In this article we will talk about spring plants for making flower arrangements.

Kinds

Plants that bloom in spring are classified as herbaceous perennials in their structure and properties. In form, they are divided into rhizomatous, bulbous, bulbous and bush.

Rhizome and shrub perennials form flower shoots in autumn. Next year, in the spring, after a short growth, they bloom. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, divide the rhizomes.

Corm plants every year form new organs (both underground and aboveground). At the top of the old corm, a daughter corm grows from the thick lower parts of the leaves. In the year of flowering mother plant flower buds are laid.

Bulbous plants are usually ephemeroids. For a short spring period, they manage to form leaves and bloom. Then, by the middle of summer, their aerial part disappears, and the bulb remains in the ground and inflorescences are laid in it for the next year.

perennial spring plants every year they form new above-ground shoots, and flowers and leaves appear from renewal buds. Only their underground organs remain to hibernate.

Spring flowers have good cold hardiness. Some of the bulbs begin to bloom as soon as the snow melts, at low positive temperatures.

What flowers are most common?

Here are the names and a short description of some spring plants.

Crown anemone- a plant native to southern Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. It is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant. Her flowers are very beautiful, large, can be both simple and terry. The color of the flowers is different, the size of the flower is 7 cm. It is propagated by sowing seeds in the ground or by dividing the tubers. Soils likes loamy, fertile with good water permeability. The plant is required to cover for the winter or dig up the tubers after the end of the growing season. The dug out tubers are stored at a temperature of about 4 degrees.

Astra alpine- a plant from America, Eurasia and Africa. It is a perennial rhizomatous plant about 30 cm high. It forms a low, profusely flowering dense bush. The flowers are purple, pink, carmine, white. Flowering continues from late May to mid-June. Propagated by sowing seeds, cuttings or dividing rhizomes. It grows in places open to the sun, soils likes fertile, loamy.

Periwinkle native to western and southwestern Europe. Represents perennial with shoots up to one meter long. It blooms in May with small flowers of pale blue. Periwinkle grows in a smooth, green carpet that winters under the snow.

The plant propagates by spring division of shoots. Periwinkle is frost-resistant, loves partial shade, grows on light, well-fertilized soils, does not like waterlogging.

spring whiteflower- a plant from Central Europe. It is a perennial bulbous plant about 30 cm high. Flowering occurs in April in the form of broadly bell-shaped flowers, at the ends of their petals there are white or yellow spots. The plant has a delicate aroma.

Propagated by seeds and young daughter bulbs. Grows on fertile permeable soils. The white flower is moisture-loving, grows in lowlands near water bodies, in partial shade.

Aquilegia native to Europe, Asia and America. The height of this perennial plant is up to 40 cm. It blooms in May, the flowers have a different color. Propagated by seeds, cuttings and division of the bush. Aquilegia are frost-resistant, love moisture, grow well in semi-shady places on any soil.

carnation pinnate- originated in Europe, Asia and America. It is a soddy-herbaceous rhizomatous low plant. It blooms with single fragrant white or red flowers. Has fringed petals. Flowering begins in mid-May. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. Likes bright and sunny places. Soils prefer loamy, fertile. The plant is cold hardy.

Hyacinth orientalis native to Iran, Asia and the Mediterranean. Perennial bulbous plant up to 30 cm high. Bell-shaped flowers of various colors, simple or double, are located on the peduncle. The plant is very fragrant. Propagated by children and scales of bulbs. Hyacinths prefer lungs sandy soils with the introduction of humus. They are planted in sunny places protected from the wind. Relatively frost-resistant, but in very cold winters they can freeze slightly.

Dicentra origin from North America. Herbaceous plant up to 30 cm high. Flowers can be pink or white, they are located in short inflorescences. Flowering begins in May. Propagated by spring division of bushes or green cuttings in summer. The plant is winter-hardy, grows on nutritious, loose soils. Does not tolerate dry soils, shade-tolerant.

Doronicum is a popular early flowering plant. Flowering occurs in May bright flowers luminous yellow color. The soil is suitable for it loose, clay with the addition of organic fertilizers. Grows in bright and semi-shady places.

Iberis- an indispensable shrub for rocky gardens. Its white flowers are collected in a dense umbrella. It grows widely, forming a dense carpet, blooms in May-June. grows in solar heat place. The soil for it should be dry, permeable, with no big amount humus. Propagated by cuttings, rooted shoots, seeds.

Iris dwarf originally from the south of Europe. Perennial rhizomatous plant with peduncles up to 15 cm high. It blooms in early May with yellow or blue single flowers. Propagated by sowing seeds or division of rhizomes.

Crocus originally from Central Europe, Asia, the Mediterranean, the Crimea, the Caucasus. The original corm perennial up to 17 cm high. The flower appears even before the formation of leaves from the corm. Usually one or two flowers appear on one plant, white, purple, orange or yellow, funnel-shaped and 2.5 cm long. It blooms in April. Propagated by corms or seeds. Prefers sunny places and light nutrient soils.

bathing suit- an unusually beautiful plant. She has bright yellow spherical flowers on strong peduncles. Bathing suit has a delicate aroma. Blooms from late May to June. It grows in a semi-shady cool place. The soil needs to be moist and rich in nutrients.

May lily of the valley native to Eurasia. It is a perennial rhizomatous plant. It blooms in May with drooping small white flowers. Lily of the valley is a very fragrant plant. Propagated by division of rhizomes in late summer or in early spring. It grows well in the shade of shrubs on well-fertilized, light and moist soil.

Hellebore- delicate spring flowers, opening their white, pink or red flowers immediately after the snow melts. Forms a lush bush up to 40 cm tall and grows in one place for many years. Grow it in a semi-shady and cool place. The soil needs fresh, rich in humus, clay, neutral.

Narcissus native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. This is a perennial bulbous plant up to 50 cm high. The flowers are mostly white and yellow. Flowers can be both simple and double. Has a strong aroma. Propagated by dividing bulbs. Prefers places open to the sun and breathable soils with a neutral reaction.

Imperial hazel grouse originally from Asia. Perennial bulbous plant up to one meter high. The flowers are bell-shaped, drooping, form an umbrella-shaped inflorescence. Above the inflorescence is a bunch of leaves. Perianth is yellow, orange and brick tones. Blooms in May. Propagated by sowing seeds in the ground and bulbs. It grows on light, moist and fertile soils in partial shade in a place closed from cold winds.

Tulip- its wild forms are common in Central Asia. It is a bulbous plant with an erect stem, on which there are large beautiful flowers bright colors, there are white color. According to their forms, tulips are divided into lily, goblet, cup-shaped and others. They are terry or simple.

Tulips are propagated by seeds or bulbs. Grow in well-lit, sunny places, protected from the wind. Prefers sandy or loamy light soils, sufficiently moist.

Violet horned or viola origin from Europe. It is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 30 cm high. The flowers are brightly colored or white, bloom in May. Propagated by seeds or cuttings. Grows in well-drained soils.

Varieties of flower beds

• Border flower garden in the form of a line 10-30 cm wide from one or more rows of flowers - a common design option for a flower bed. Low compact flowering plants are suitable for such a flower garden. It is used to give clarity to borders, mixborders, groups, flower beds, etc.
• Rabatka- a strip 50-100 cm wide, completely planted with flowers. Such a flower garden is made in the form of a specific pattern with alternating colors in appearance and color. They have rabatki along paths, fences, ponds.

• Tapeworm- separately standing plants. For solitary plantings, tall accent plants (peonies, hazel grouse, dicentres) are used. Spectacular tapeworms emphasize other, lower plants, create volume. Single tapeworms look great on green lawns.
• Group- free picturesque planting of flowers on an area from two to thirty square meters. Such landings are placed inside the allotted area. The contours of the group are made sinuous. Groups can be simple (from one plant species) or complex (from several).

Groups are placed in the foreground near paths, ponds, in front of bushes, along walls. Plants are suitable for groups, long time preserving decoration.

• Flowerbed- a plot of the correct form, planted with ornamental plants. Most often, flower beds are made in parks, in front of administrative buildings, in city squares. A flower bed can be either from one type of plant or several.
• Mixborder- Mixed work. It is a picturesque strip 2-4 m wide, filled with decorative deciduous and flowering plants, located in spots or geometric patterns. The mixborder may be of an irregular oblique shape.

How to apply?

One of the design options for a flower garden can serve as a rockery. He is small plot approximately 5-6 sq. m, where among the stones they plant ornamental plants. This interesting option registration of suburban and suburban areas, gardens and parks.

Rockeries will look especially good with natural uneven terrain. Depending on the location on such flower beds, both sun-loving (sedum, awl-shaped phlox, armeria, irises, primroses, shavings, dicentres) and shade-tolerant plants (kupena, aquilegia, etc.) are planted.

Springarius- a small cheerful garden with spring bulbous, bulbous and rhizomatous plants. First of all, snowdrops grow on islands open to the sun, followed by crocuses, scillas, corydalis and chionodoxes. Then muscari, hyacinths, daffodils and tulips appear. Even later, styloid phlox, obrieta, liverwort, viola, forget-me-not and daisy bloom.

Alpine slide- an area reserved for mountain plants. On such a site, paths are arranged, terraces and stairs are made. Stones, reservoirs with waterfalls, streams can serve as elements of equipment. Plants grown on alpine hills are considered unpretentious. For the rock garden, the following spring plants are recommended: styloid phlox, periwinkle, obrieta, gentian, etc.

Care rules

Even the most unpretentious flowers require care. Its main elements are:

• Landing different for each plant species, but there is general rules:
  1. do not plant in too hot, sunny and windy weather;
  2. do not plant plants in too wet soil;
  3. annual seedlings are planted after the threat of frost;
  4. biennials are planted in early autumn;
  5. bulbs and tubers are usually planted at a depth of 3 times their size.
• Mulching- covering the soil with a layer of bulk organic material. This event allows you to keep moisture under a layer of mulch, reduce weed growth, fertilize the soil and protect it in winter period from freezing.

• Watering required by every plant, but to varying degrees. It is preferable to water with rainwater from a watering can or with a hose with a sprayer. Cannot be watered with cold water. Best time watering - early morning or evening. For deeper soil moisture, it is better to water once abundantly than often little by little.
• pruning performed individually for each species. If you want to prolong flowering, then remove faded flowers.
• Winter protection- shelter of plants with covering material, spruce branches, dry foliage. Shelter should be carried out when stable weather with slight negative temperatures is established.
• top dressing- adding substances necessary for plant nutrition to the soil. For feeding perennials, organic fertilizers (cow and horse manure, humus, compost) and mineral (nitrogen, phosphorus and potash) fertilizers are most often used. Mineral fertilizers should be applied in accordance with the instructions on the package. Excessive amount mineral fertilizers can lead to weakening of plants. For each type of plant top dressing is carried out individually.

SNOWPLASKS Russian legend says that one day the old woman Winter with her companions Frost and Wind decided not to let Spring come to the earth. But the brave Snowdrop straightened up, spread its petals and asked for protection from the Sun. The sun noticed the Snowdrop, warmed the earth and opened the way for Spring.

CROCUS There is a Greek myth describing the appearance of these flowers: "The god Mercury had a friend named Crocus. Once, throwing a disc, Mercury accidentally hit a friend with a disc and killed him. A crocus flower grew from the ground, stained with blood."

PRIMULA Throughout the long winter, the heavenly Lada languishes in captivity of thick clouds and fogs. But in the spring, the goddess of love, sun and harmony, washed with spring waters, comes into the world with generous gifts. Where the first lightning fell, primroses grow to unlock the bowels of the earth with their keys for the lush growth of grasses, bushes and trees.

Lungwort An ancient Slavic legend says: "... If you heat the nectar from twenty pink and twenty purple flowers of the lungwort, then your heart will become healthy and kind, and your thoughts will be pure ..."

FATHER-AND-STEPMOM A wicked woman plotted to kill her husband's daughter because she didn't want him to go meet her and his ex-wife. She lured her to a cliff and pushed her off. Meanwhile, the mother, having discovered the loss of the girl, rushed to look for her, but she was too late, the girl was already lifeless. She rushed to her stepmother and, grappling, they flew to the bottom of the ravine. And the next day his plant covered the slopes, the leaves of which were soft on one side and hard on the other, and towered above them. yellow flowers, reminiscent of the blond hair of a girl.

FORGET-MENT Once upon a time, the goddess of flowers Flora descended to earth and began to bestow names on flowers. She gave a name to all the flowers and wanted to leave, but suddenly she heard a faint voice behind her: - Do not forget me, Flora! Give me a name too! Flora looked around - no one was in sight. She wanted to leave again, but the voice repeated itself. And then only Flora noticed a small blue flower in the forbs. - Well, - said the goddess, - be a forget-me-not. Together with the name, I endow you with wonderful power - you will return the memory to those people who begin to forget their loved ones or their homeland.

Narcissus A beautiful young man rejected the love of the nymph Echo. For this he was punished: when he saw his own reflection in the water, he fell in love with him. Tormented by an insatiable passion, he died, and in memory of him there remained a beautiful, fragrant flower, the corolla of which leans downwards, as if wishing to once again admire himself in the water.

TULIPS The legend about the tulip says that it was in its bud that happiness was contained, but no one could get to it, since the bud did not open, but one day a little boy took the flower in his hands and the tulip opened itself. A child's soul, carefree happiness and laughter opened a bud.

Lilies of the valley There are many legends about the origin of the lily of the valley. An old Russian legend connects the appearance of the lily of the valley with the sea princess Magus. The tears of the princess, saddened by the fact that the young man Sadko gave his heart to the earthly girl Lyubava, fell to the ground, sprouted into a beautiful and delicate flower - a symbol of purity, love and sadness.

HYACINTH Once a Genoese ship sank in a storm off the coast of Holland. Its wreckage washed ashore. And a few weeks later, the children playing on the sandbar noticed, almost at the very edge of the surf, a flower never seen before: its leaves looked like tulip leaves, and the stem was completely planted with many beautiful flowers, similar to small lilies. The flowers smelled unusually, and no one could explain where such an outlandish miracle came from.

Ancient beliefs about spring flowers become relevant on the eve of the onset of spring, as they are a storehouse of information about the characteristics of plants, the nuances of growing and caring for them. Forms flower legends and an opinion which specimen will successfully fit into the design of a spring flower garden, with which relatives the flowers will be comfortable, which ones should be discarded.

Miguel Angel Blasquez of the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants in Valencia, who analyzed this work for science, explains that a fundamental step has been taken in understanding a phenomenon intuitively understood but not yet confirmed: plants are able to process important amounts of information and make their own conclusions.

"The plant has a security code that ensures it will not bloom out of time and will not generate flowers in places other than the top." It is clear that plants somehow calculate the average temperature so that they know whether it is autumn or spring, but we still do not know how.

The first flowers as a symbol of spring

Try to mentally imagine the image of spring: the silhouette of a young long-haired beauty with a variety of flowers and herbs woven into curls will appear in your imagination. Perhaps you will see a beautiful forest landscape with a stream, thawed patches and the first snowdrops breaking through the bare soil.

Question. What is the importance of these three jobs? But then the question was how the information written on the leaves is transmitted to where the flowers appear, the tip of the stem. It has always been assumed that this must be a mobile signal called florigen that travels from the leaf to the top and activates the genetic color program. This was known because if you took the leaves of a plant that was flowering and grafted into another that didn't, they immediately started producing flowers.

But what is the chemical nature of this signal? How does he travel? It is here that these works bring together ideas of the type that have and provide a molecular explanation. What is an explanation? What the Japanese and German teams found is that at the moment of flowering, there are two proteins at the tip of the stem that physically interact, that is, the connection of these two proteins, which contributes to the emergence of a flower. But what is the nature of this molecule?

For some, the associative series will lead to a vision of a bright festive event - beloved by the beautiful half on March 8, and someone will even feel the breath of the breeze carrying the aromas of herbs reviving after winter.

Definitely, your virtual picture will not do without flowers. Can you remember the names of the representatives of the flora that bloom first? Check yourself and loved ones!

The main contribution of the Swedish research group is to answer this question. This is similar to how a switch works. Yes, flowering occurs only when two proteins are together, they do nothing separately. In this way, the plant ensures that it will not bloom out of time and will not generate flowers in places other than the top.

It's like a security key. Returning to the beginning, what is the information perceived by the plant in the environment? There may be several types, but at the moment we know mainly two: the length of the days and the temperature. The difference between the length of the day and the night, which we call the photoperiod, is what plants can perceive through some of the photoreceptors that are found in the leaves. But, in addition, temperatures give us information about the season of the year, because in fact, in March and October, the days are just as long.

The desire to know the nature of the universe and get closer to the creator encourages humanity to move forward and shock the world with new scientific discoveries, including achievements in the artificial cultivation of wild plants without reference to the season.

However, no matter how far people go in their experiments, they always rejoice at the appearance of the first flowers that made their way without their participation, and the legends invented about wild-growing specimens are fueled by a general interest in spring nature.

The plant also captures the temperature if it decreases or increases, although in this case we have not yet identified the receptors. average temperature? Are the plants able to calculate the average value? We don't know the details, but it's clear the plant can't be fooled by a day of isolated heat in the middle of winter. We believe that there must be a mechanism based on accumulation, which has reached a certain threshold, starts the flowering program without turning back. All this remains to be seen, but it is clear that plants can take in data and process information of a completely different nature and complexity before deciding the right moment to flower and reproduce.

A beautiful legend about the appearance of a snowdrop is associated with the first couple in love - Adam and Eve. It says that when the unfortunate lovers expelled from paradise wandered through the snowy desert in winter, Eve could not stand it and burst into tears of repentance. The heart of the Lord trembled, and in order to console his daughter, he turned her tears into living white flowers that grew despite the cold.

There is a fairy tale in which the snowdrop acted as an assistant for snow. The goddess Flora arranged a ball for flowers, and the snow wanted to get on it. The snowdrop took pity on the intruder and carried it away, hiding it under a chiton. Now the silvery friend always warms the plant in frost.

Tragic legends in folklore are not uncommon, there is a similar one about the snowdrop. The vile Serpent once stole the sun, not wanting spring to come. However, there was a daredevil, a young man who was not afraid to go down into the asp's lair and managed to free the fiery star. The cost of liberation was the life of a young man - he died from wounds received in a battle with a reptile. Droplets of his blood seeped through the snow into the soil and white flowers grew in their place, resembling the pure soul of a guy, flowers.

Here he is simply known as the Scots. It originates in Africa, from a vast area stretching from Zimbabwe and Mozambique to the Transval region of South Africa. It merges dry savannah and riverbank ecosystems into semi-arid areas, losing leaves during the dry season. Likes to live with strong sun exposure, tolerates dryness and salt well, but requires fertile, potash and well-drained soil. In the regions of origin, the black and brown wood is used by the indigenous people to make sculptures and eat roasted seeds.

In January and February, it partially renews its leaves and begins to bloom. At the end of winter and early spring it looks beautiful when the countless red flowers contrast with the green leaves. The five petals fall quickly, but the tubular bowl, about 2 cm long, remains. Ten stamens are exposed because they are larger than the sepals. The flowers produce nectar in abundance, attracting insects and birds that enjoy the fresh water accumulated in the bowl.

As soon as the people do not call yellow primrose: ram (due to the waviness and fluffiness of the leaves), the key to summer (due to the shape of the inflorescence, similar to a bunch of keys and its sunny color).

Mature seeds should be placed in water at room temperature for two days. After a month or so, they begin to sprout. The fruits are flat pods 5 to 15 cm long, which are woody and open on the tree, releasing seeds with arils. Enter the rhythm of the most beautiful season of the year and find out what are the ideal flowers to grow in residential areas. A cold farewell is replaced by the flower season, one of the most pleasant this year. The streets and wooded parks are filled with flowers again and make the days brighter and more joyful.

The origin of the primrose explains the medieval tradition. Once, the Apostle Peter, the permanent guardian of the gates of paradise, dropped a bunch of golden keys that opened the magical entrance when he heard the news that some sinner was trying to enter the Kingdom of Heaven without permission. The imprint of the key set remained on the ground where he fell, and the first flowers sprouted there. They have become living keys that unlock the doors to warmth and flight.

How about taking advantage of the season to bring spring into your home? It may seem challenging task, nose the right advice- and a little willpower! - You can grow certain types of flowers at home. Landscaper Gilberto Elkis explains that there are four main growing sites, both indoor and outdoor, that serve multiple species. These are: lighting, irrigation, ideal soil and maintenance.

Lighting: The main command is to adjust the plane to the sunlight conditions. It depends on the need of the species, which can be: full sun, semi-shade and shade. Irrigation: Irrigation of the ideal amount of water is related to the conditions of the place where the flowers are located. For example, indoor plants require less water because evaporation is slower due to shade and no or no air circulation. On the other hand, outdoor plants require more irrigation in different seasons.

And they say that the primrose is able to show hidden treasures.

If you happen to see a woman in white robes with a golden shining key on the field, hasten to pick the primroses growing in front of you before her image disappears. These flowers will help you find even a treasure buried deep in the ground. They can be used repeatedly.

For indoor plants, landscape designer Gigi Botelho explains that on very dry days, like summer, they need to be watered every other day. Even in wetter times, watering every two to three days is sufficient. Outdoor plants, in turn, require daily attention in the summer and on other days in winter. An expert reveals a great trick to make sure irrigation is ideal: Since you can't determine an average for each plant, since each has its own needs and size, test your fingers if the soil is wet.

The British still believe that under the petals amazing plant fairies, gnomes and fabulous elves are hiding. If you hear singing coming from under the cap of a flower, you can.

The ancient Greeks believed that primrose had medicinal property and helps paralyzed people recover. According to legend, this flower is the personification of the beautiful young man Paralysos, who died of love.

It should never be soaked, he advises. Ideal soil for planting: It is divided into substrate, general soil or mixed soil. This latter is usually divided in half by half, with half substrate, half common. According to Gigi, the use of a substrate is ideal because it is richer and contains the right amount of organic and mineral materials for plant growth, in addition to being free of pests and weeds.

The substrate also reduces the shock of a transplant of sorts. So if you're planting a new species or repotting and don't know the soil environment, it's ideal to use a substrate, he explains. You can use regular or mixed soil when you have more time to observe what you have planted because these are soils that require more plant care and may need more fertilization and pruning.

And in the Scandinavian sagas, “primus” are the keys of the fertility goddess Freya, falling from her rainbow necklace and opening spring.

With what various legends do not associate delicate flowers of lily of the valley:

• the tears of the sea princess Volkhva, rejected by the famous epic hero Sadko;
• drops of the divine sweat of the ancient Roman warrior Diana, which fell on the grass during her escape from the enamored Faun;
• the beads of the scattered necklace of the beautiful Snow White;
• the place of residence of the wood elves;
• the burning tears of the Mother of God, which she shed under the cross of her crucified son;
• pearls, into which the happy laughter of Mavka, a fabulous forest creature in love, has turned.

Many legends associate the lily of the valley with love experiences, so for centuries it has been considered a symbol of love among different peoples.

Maintenance: Must be performed at least once a month at least. Landscaper Gilberto Elkis argues that the choice of flowers or plants should be made according to the area of ​​the house where they will be protected. "It's mostly necessary because of the lighting," he says.

"If you stay indoors you get some sun, but if there's a balcony with sun on the day, you might want to change the options a bit," he says. The landscape index shows the best options for the home environment, which usually receive small plants.

The legend of the ancient Celts deserves attention, according to which a rare plant is the treasure of the elves, scattered around the world.

One day, young hunters accidentally noticed a magical man in the forest with a precious burden and followed him. Their eyes saw a whole mountain of pearls lying under a sprawling tree. When one hunter touched the pearl hill, it crumbled. Forgetting a precaution, the whole group rushed to collect mother-of-pearl balls, and attracted the elven king with their noise. Seeing the outrage, he turned all the pearls into fragrant silver flowers ...

Indoors The easiest species to grow indoors are arboreal and are part of the dracaena family such as green pleoma and zamiokulka. They are very durable, require little maintenance and water, and provide contrast in environment thanks to the green and intense color.

Balcony For the site it is necessary to choose the species to be grown in pots, maintain the winds very well and require more attention in irrigation and fertilization monthly and bimonthly. Choose from fruits or spices such as basil, thyme, and rosemary. "Dragon begonia is also good because it blooms all year round", says the expert.

To this day, elves rub lilies of the valley with napkins woven from moonlight and take revenge on the greedy representatives of humanity.

Legends and are of interest to novice gardeners and breeders. After all, they help to better recognize the essence of an outlandish plant and understand how to properly care for it.

Iris is considered one of the first plants that appeared on earth. The first "cockerel" attracted all animals, insects, birds with its beauty. The wind and water admired him, thanks to which the seeds of a wonderful flower scattered around the world, sprouted, and the gift of nature won the love of all the inhabitants of the Earth.

Garden When the place gets at least four hours of sun a day, you can choose more traditional species with roses, azaleas and lavender, as well as pines and elk trees, which can be pruned. Tropical Garden This is the perfect place for a beach home with plants that do well in humid or coastal areas. Gilberto points to a selection of philodendrons, alpine, helicon and caliber, which bloom well in spring and summer.

Modern garden. The atmosphere is quite fashionable, in order to provide a modern and sophisticated air to a residence with straight lines and simple architecture. For this, colors, textures, shapes and flavors of different types should be used in combination with a smooth finish such as granite.

The iris adorns the coat of arms of blooming Florence, because these beautiful flowers have grown around it for centuries. And they got their name from Hippocrates, who compared the plant with a rainbow, along which the goddess Irida descended to earth. Since then, they talk about irises only as about Irida flowers.

Ancient Roman and Greek myths repeatedly mention the "iris" as a rainbow flower that gives people hope. The Egyptians considered the "Cuffed" to be a symbol of eloquence. The Arabs called it the flower of sorrow and planted its variety with white inflorescences on the graves of deceased relatives.

Therefore, many hearts feel inspired as they watch the renewal of life flowing out of the cold, barren land after the winter that has just passed. Spring is the time when most plants bloom and this act in nature symbolizes the rebirth of life.

In the spring months, the birth season of the eternal and silent stage of life begins, the earth begins to warm up with an increase in the duration of natural light hours due to the tilt of the earth's axis towards the sun. We can trust that nature will once again offer a "new spring" as it has done since the first days of creation, giving its season its wonderful name.

In the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, irises grew in places where lightning struck during the wrath of the Thunder God Perun, the popular name "Perunik" has survived to this day.

The Japanese have built a cult around the perennial - the whole country is famous for its iris gardens. The words “iris” and “warrior spirit” are denoted by the same hieroglyph, even a separate day is dedicated to admiring the flower - March 5. Magic iris talismans are made for boys, a healing decoction is prepared from a mixture of the inflorescence of a plant and an orange - May pearls. All household utensils are decorated with images of pointed petals of a rainbow flower.

An ancient Greek story is associated with the name of the rain flower. Hyacinthus was a god, but his glory faded in the rays of the beauty of Apollo. Hyacinth and the god of beauty Apollo were friends, and often competed in agility and athletic skills.

Once, Apollo unsuccessfully threw a discus and hit Hyacinthus, inflicting a mortal wound on an opponent in games. The youth's blood splashed onto the grass, and subsequently, blood-red fragrant flowers sprouted from the soil.

The appearance of the flower of sorrow is associated with Trojan War. Allegedly in those days, two strong warriors Ajax and Odysseus claimed the rights to possess the weapons of Achilles (Achilles) after his death. The elders gave the subject of the dispute to Odysseus, and the offended Ajax pierced himself with a sword, unable to withstand the insult. The plant that emerged from the bloody drops of a suicide bomber is shaped like the first letters of his name - Α (alpha), Υ (Upsilon).

Oriental poets (Navoi, Firduosi) sang hyacinth as "curls of houris" because of the softness and fringe of its petals.

Introduce spring garden without this flower it is impossible, because the breeding of tulips has long been considered an occupation worthy of noble, clairvoyant persons. Legends about him are devoted to coloring.

For example, a red tulip is considered a symbol of true love between the Tajik girl Shirin and the poor stonecutter Farhad.

When the time came for Shirin to get married, she gave herself an ultimatum that she would give herself to someone who would dig a canal from the river to her house overnight. Farhad rushed to complete the task and almost finished the job, but the vile prince, who claims to be the girl's hand, deceived the poor fellow, saying that he had already agreed on the date of the wedding with Shirin. In desperation, Farhad killed himself by hitting his head on a pickaxe, and scarlet tulips grew from the soil, irrigated with drops of his blood. Shirin remained a virgin, loving Farhad until her death.

Many are trying to test the superstition about the yellow tulip: "If you open its bud, you will get happiness." They say that such an action was only once succeeded by a child who was simply sincerely surprised at the beauty of an unprecedented flower. The tulip itself opened the petals to the baby - and he was happy!

The British believe that the fairies who settled in the garden of an old woman once endowed tulips with different shades. When she saw the little guests sleeping peacefully in the buds, she was not too lazy and planted several more rows of plants.

AMARANT (Whoutley, or "devil's seeds")

Exotic culture came into fashion in the Middle Ages, it was imitated by artists, architects and poets, new ideas transformed garden landscapes.
At the end of the fifteenth early XVI V. Spanish conquistadors, who rushed to conquer the American continent, faced an amazing and original people who created a powerful, highly developed state on the territory of present-day Mexico. The culture, religion, worldview, lifestyle of the Aztecs were so outlandish that they were neither accepted nor comprehended by the newcomers. Quite quickly, a strange civilization was destroyed, but the stories of the Spaniards about what they saw to this day excite the fantasy of the world community.
Overseas cities were buried in the luxurious flowering of many picturesque plants, temples, dwellings, and clothes were decorated with them. The mirror of the reservoirs reflected floating gardens, which the Europeans failed to recreate. The botanical collections numbered thousands of unprecedented species; on plantations, among other plants, sweet potato, maize, and whatley were cultivated, which served as the main source product for the preparation of exotic dishes. The cult of plants was felt in everything. Poets composed poems for them and sang in songs, babies were called by the names of their favorite flowers. The rulers constantly equipped expeditions in search of new species, and the right to own a single copy was defended in battles. Tribute was collected from the conquered peoples with flowers, seeds and plants.
But most of all, the Spaniards were shocked by the rituals of sacrifice to the main deity Uitzilopochtis. Like the Christian custom of communion, associated with the use of "flesh" and "blood", the American natives used the whatley porridge flavored with dark honey and human blood for ritual worship. The ceremony included the obligatory eating of the mash, which was done with reverent pleasure, causing the Europeans to shudder and thus sealing the fate of the plant in America. It was declared diabolical, a ban was imposed on cultivation on pain of death, mercilessly suppressing the slightest attempt to comply with religious canons. So, undeservedly for a long time, the woutli was consigned to oblivion - cartilaginous amaranth, or white-seeded (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., or, synonymously, A. leucocarpus S. Wats.). A lot of time has passed since then, the plant has long been rehabilitated and to this day occupies the minds of scientists around the world, admiring a large number of unique useful substances contained in it.

CLOVE (Divine flower)

The name carnation comes from the Greek words "Di" and "anthos", which can be translated as "divine flower". There are many legends about the origin of this majestic plant. One of them says that the goddess of hunting Artemis, returning after an unsuccessful hunt, could not cope with the rage that choked her and, in a frenzy, unleashed her anger on a shepherd walking in a flowering meadow. The terrible goddess deprived him of his eyes. Realizing what had happened, she threw them to the ground in desperation. Later, two red slender flowers sprouted in their place, symbolizing the innocently shed blood. Carnations were revered not only on Olympus. Cultivation of carnations began to be practiced first in Ancient Greece, then this tradition migrated to the territory of Great Rome. There he was revered for his wonderful delicate aroma and delicate double flowers. But the carnation came to Europe from the East - from Tunisia, from where it was brought by the crusader knights. In France and England, she was the flower of the upper classes - the kings decorated their clothes with her. In Belgium and Germany, where it was a symbol of loyalty and courage, the authorities allowed the common people to grow cloves. It was the Germans who gave the flower the name "carnation" - for the similarity of its aroma with the smell of spices. After the Germans, the Poles began to call him that, and then the Russians.

MUSHMULA

The origin of the medlar is China, from there it migrated to Japan, and then to Europe. Even in ancient times, the plant was domesticated in Azerbaijan. Currently, in many southern regions of the former USSR (in Ukraine, the Caucasian republics, in Moldova, Central Asia), medlar is bred as an ornamental and fruit plant.

LEGEND
A young man lived in one Azerbaijani village. He fell in love with a rich but sickly girl. He could not woo her, because he had neither sheep nor decent clothes, and he walked barefoot. The young man's mother could not look at his suffering. She decided to help him: she went to the garden and wanted to cut down a medlar tree in order to sell her valuable wood. But as soon as she touched the bark of a tree, she heard a groan: "Don't kill me, I'll be useful to you." The woman did not cut down the tree. And in the spring, as soon as the fruits appeared, she collected unripe medlar berries and took them to the shoemaker so that he could make a composition for tanning leather from them, and then sewed boots for her son. From ripe fruits, she cooked a delicious marshmallow. There were so many medlars in their garden that year that they began to sell them in the market. And soon the son was able to buy himself new clothes.
Having dressed up, he went to his beloved girl, but she was sick. The young man asked the servants to give the girl juice and marshmallow. The girl tasted the goodies, she liked the taste of the medlar, she asked that they bring such a treat to her. The young man began to come every day to his beloved and bring her medlar. Soon the girl felt a surge of strength, she no longer wanted to lie on the mat all day. She began to go out into the street, meet with a young man.
In his new clothes and high boots, he was so handsome that the girl also fell in love. She told her parents that she agreed to marry the young man. And soon they played a wedding, at which the wine from the medlar flowed like a river.

LUBKA TWO-LEAF OR NIGHT VIOLE (Platanthera bifolia)

Russian name - Night violet - because of the fragrant flowers that smell only at night.
According to legend, during the Zaporizhian Sich, the Cossacks wore
dried tubers of the two-leaved love on the neck, and they saved Cossack lives more than once, returned strength.
The Tatars usually stopped pursuing the Cossacks when they left the persecution in the desert steppes, believing that they would die there.
However, the Cossacks were saved by the dried tubers of Lyubka, which they chewed. The tubers quenched hunger, thirst, restored strength.
The Tatars interrogated rare captives, tried to find out what saves them in the hungry steppe.
The Cossacks died, but they did not give out secrets.
After some time, the Tatars nevertheless learned about the mysterious properties of Lyubkin's tubers and began to wear amulets themselves.
In the old days, healers gave two tubers of Lyubka two-leafed to those who were thirsty to master the miracle power. They said: “To draw white across the sore spot - you will forget that it hurt. Black is for the enemy. Touch the root to him - everything that you wish for him will come true. The girls were given tubers to be loved by the guys. This is where the Russian name Lyubka came from.

VERBENA

How often in old books is the name of this plant. The very word smells of the delicate aroma of dried flowers, the aroma of bygone times. What secrets are associated with this modest flower?
Vervain was revered by the Druids because it resembled the oak, the sacred tree of the Druids. Druid priests were in awe of verbena, they were sure that it heals all diseases. From it they prepared magical and secret drinks. They gathered in the spring on moonless nights, when Sirius rose in the constellation Canis Major, and collected vervain in iron bowls, trying not to touch it with their hands. The Druids believed that verbena kindles the dark flame of love, reconciles enemies, and removes spirits. If you put in a house, garden, field, orchard - there will be only profit. Druids gathered verbena at the moment of sunrise, in the first minutes of sunrise, when their feet were buried in dew. But if you pick on the full moon, grind it into powder and pour it into the home of the spouses, then they will start to quarrel and may disperse. Grass with diverse properties, gives joy, and can bring pain, flour. It all depends on who, when, for what it was collected.
The belief that verbena is sacred and magic herb, is a very ancient belief. In Norse mythology, it was the sacred herb of Thor, in ancient Persia - the sun.
The ancient Greeks and Romans also considered verbena a sacred plant. Verbena was dedicated to Mars and Venus, and the verbena wreath symbolized marriage and protected from conspiracies and spells, cleansed houses and temples. The clergy of ancient Rome cleansed the altars of the temple of Jupiter with vervain. Brooms were made and swept over them. Among the Celts, this plant was used in magic for spells and conspiracies. Among the Iranians, verbena granted wishes. The first Christians called vervain "the grass of the cross" because it was watered with the blood of the crucified Christ. In the Italian witchcraft tradition, verbena is dedicated to DIANA, the patron goddess of witches. Neo-pagan witches use it as an ingredient in ritual cleansing baths.
Verbena is a traditional ingredient in love potions, as it is believed that undiluted vervain juice promotes the fulfillment of desires, and in addition, makes it immune to disease, endows with the gift of clairvoyance and protects against spells.
Its juice was able to harden iron when forging tools.
Ghosts and evil spirits fled from her. The lucky man, who had a magic vervain with him, was invulnerable during the battle, neither a dagger, nor a sword, nor a sword could hit him.
Once Pliny the Elder wrote that the Gauls sprinkled the room where the feast took place with an infusion of verbena grass, so that the meal was fun. Pounded and cooked in wine, it seemed to give a drink against snake bites.
Verbena was the herb of peace. Ambassadors carried it when setting off to negotiate peace with the enemy, held it in their hands while the negotiations were going on, it lay between the negotiators. If peace was out of the question, then the vervain was thrown away. The magicians believed that if you rub the body with it, you will get everything you want. With its help, they expelled fever, made friends, cured all diseases, cleansed the house and the estate with all the buildings from the evil spirit. But for this, it was necessary to collect it in the evening at dusk, so that no one could see, even the Moon and the Sun, and it was necessary to pay the Earth, in the form of a compensation, honeycombs with honey or something tasty, sweet. Pull the grass with your left hand so that the heart feels it faster and lift it high into the air so that the stars see the vervain. Before digging its root out of the ground, it was necessary to encircle a magic ring around it with a golden or silver object. Iron killed the magical power of vervain. The magicians advised to dry the leaves, stem, and root separately; Definitely in the dark.
According to Christian legend, it was first found on Golgotha ​​at the foot of the Cross and used to stop the blood from the Savior's wounds. And since vervain was applied to the wounds of Christ at Calvary, it cannot be torn without overshadowing oneself sign of the cross. For this reason, it was sometimes called the "holy herb" and endowed with the power to ward off all evil, stop bleeding and heal deep wounds.
However, it was necessary to collect it with great care, only in certain phases of the moon, repeating secret words and spells. If this is not done, all her virtues are lost.
Verbena is one of 12 magical plants Rosicrucians. As an herb of love, verbena helps against anger, extinguishes emotions, and puts you in a cheerful frame of mind. Verbena was actively used in alchemical practice as a sign of cosmic substance. Albert the Great believed that verbena brought profit to the house. True, there was another opinion that it was helping to spread lies.
Wreaths of vervain crowned the heads of singers and poets. And on thin stems it was possible to predict the future. For example, the patient had to take a sprig of vervain with his left hand, if he feels better, he will die, if worse, he will get better. They believe that Verbena will help a soldier escape from captivity.

CLOVER

Legend tells that Saint Patrick used three leaves on one stem to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity - the leaves depicted God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The first mention of the connection between the baptist and clover occurs at the beginning of the 18th century in the diary of the wandering Protestant Caleb Threlkeld. He wrote: “This plant (white clover) is worn by people on their hats every year on March 17th, the day they call St. Patrick's Day. They say that with the help of the shamrock he explained the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
Therefore, clover (Trifolium dubium), or shamrock, has become a symbol of Ireland. On St. Patrick's Day, you should drink at least a glass of alcohol in some Irish bar. There is a so-called "Patrick's Cup" - a unit of measure for whiskey that was drunk on St. Patrick's Day. Tradition instructs to put a leaf of "shamrock" (sour) in a glass before drinking a glass of whiskey. Since then, the people say "Drain the Shamrock" ("Drowning the shamrock").
But clover Trifolium dubium is not unique to Ireland, nor is strong porter, red hair or rain. Dr. Charles Nelson, a leading Irish botanist, said: “The Irish clover only exists on St. Patrick's Day. On all other days it is just a young clover. Two myths are associated with this variety of clover: they say that it grows only in Ireland and never blooms. But it is found in a wide variety of places, from Tasmania to North America and South Africa. It is likely that it grows under my door.
Indeed, there is some ambiguity about clover in a country that claims to own it. The national flower is painted on the jerseys of the Irish football and rugby teams, on the tails of Aer Lingus aircraft, and on the stationery of the Irish Tourist Board. But the official symbol of Ireland is the 12-string harp.
The only country where clover is national symbol, is the Caribbean island of Montserrat, originally formed as an Irish Catholic colony: there a shamrock-shaped stamp is stamped on the passport.

RHODIOLA ROSE (Golden root)

The smell of a freshly dug rhizome resembles the aroma of a rose, hence the scientific name given to this plant by Carl Linnaeus - Rhodiola rosea.

For many centuries, this plant was considered the highest value and in traditional medicine used to promote health and maintain active longevity. The healing properties of Rhodiola were highly valued in ancient Tibet. It was forbidden to export the plant outside the country. Chinese emperors equipped special expeditions in search of a golden root. It was secretly transported across the border by smugglers as the greatest value. The indigenous population of Altai carefully concealed the places of growth of Rhodiola. The ways of using this plant were surrounded by a secret that was passed down from father to son, and sometimes went to the grave with the owner.
Special tea from Rhodiola rosea was drunk by Chinese emperors and Altai hunters, Scandinavian Vikings and shepherds in the Pamirs.
But here's the paradox, in the East, rhodiola was smuggled (if someone found a root, they were executed without delay), and in the West they were used as a dye for fabric.
In the old days, there was a belief that the one who finds the root of Rhodiola will be healthy and happy for two centuries. Together with the deer horn, the root was presented to the young spouse to multiply the family.

BLUEBERRY

They say that in ancient times, dwarves lived in the fields, lived and helped the peasants. But they helped secretly, so the peasants, not knowing anything about them, now and then frightened them with a sickle or a hoe. And the gnomes went into the forest, built their new houses under the blueberries, hoping that the blueberries would protect them from any evil and no one would bother them anymore.

CHINESE TALE OF GINSENG

Ginseng lived in China - a root that has the powerful power of turning into animals and humans. People at that time did not yet know about its existence. But the great prophet and philosopher Lao Tzu discovered its healing power and gave people his signs. Fleeing from anxiety, ginseng fled to the north, but could not hide here either: another scientist, Lao Han Wang, with the help of his medicinal herbs rediscovered his location. "A long time ago, no one remembers when, two ancient Chinese families Xi Liadnji and Liang Xer lived next door. A fearless warrior named Ginseng was famous in the Xi Liangji family. He was brave and kind, protected the weak, helped the poor. These qualities passed to him from ancestors who descended from the king of forest animals - the tiger. The warrior Son Shiho - a representative of the Liang Seer clan - unlike Ginseng was insidious, evil, cruel and rude, but very beautiful and stately. Once upon a time, a terrible monster attacked the country "Yellow dragon. All the men rose to fight the monster, and only Song Shiho went over to the camp of the enemy and became a loyal assistant to the yellow dragon. Ginseng, on the contrary, volunteered to go into battle with the dragon one on one. Desperately fought with the dragon Ginseng. The monster vomited but Ginseng survived, and not only survived, but also threw the enemy to the ground. sister Ginseng beauty Liu La and fell in love at first sight. At night, she crept up to the rock, cut the rope that the captive was tied to, helped deceive the vigilant guards, and rode away with Song Shiho. Ginseng rushed in pursuit of the fugitives and overtook them. Nearer and nearer came the sound of his horse's hooves. And now Liu La, in fright, hid behind a rock, and the soldiers, dismounting, began the duel. They fought for a long time, but Ginseng was a more experienced and courageous warrior: he began to win. Here he raised his sword for the last fatal blow. Liu La screamed in horror. Ginseng shuddered (after all, his sister was screaming), looked around and then received a treacherous blow in the back. Song Shiho was ready to celebrate victory, but, mortally wounded, Ginseng straightened up and plunged his sword into the traitor's chest up to the hilt. And then life left him. Liu La bitterly mourned the death of her brother and beloved. Then she gathered her strength and buried them, but did not leave this terrible place, but spent the night nearby. And the next morning, at the burial place of Ginseng, she saw a plant that had never been seen before, which grew there overnight (the plant grew only on the grave of the hero Ginseng, the grave of the traitor Song Shiho was overgrown with grass). So people called this amazing plant ginseng, in memory of the hero from the Xi Liangji clan.

LOTUS

The Thai folk name for this plant is Bua Luang. IN ancient india this amazing plant had about a hundred different names, but they are very little known. The lotus that grows in the Volga Delta (Caspian lotus) is also called the Caspian rose, Astrakhan rose or Chulpan rose. Fun fact: lotus (lotus) is one of the popular names for a relative of the lotus - water lilies.
A great many myths and legends are associated with the lotus. He was a symbol of many phenomena. In general, in the east it is perhaps the most famous and sacred plant. But the vast majority of these beliefs are united by the basic concept denoted by the lotus: primordial purity, light, etc. This is explained as follows: the rhizomes of the lotus are immersed in silt, in mud; but its flowers and leaves are pure and unblemished. Flowers are raised high above the water, above the earth, above everything negative. They follow the sun and keep eternal purity.
One of the Indian proverbs says: "Lotus flowers are a ship on which a drowning person in the ocean of life can find salvation."
The ancient Egyptians found a place for the lotus even in numbering. The number 1000 was denoted by a hieroglyph in the form of a schematically depicted lotus.
The nymph Lotis was turned into a lotus (ancient Greek myths).
In ancient Greece, stories were spread about people eating lotus - "lotophages" ("lotus eaters"). According to legend, the one who tastes the lotus flowers will never want to part with the homeland of this flower:
"For nine days an irritated storm carried us through the dark
fishy waters; on the tenth to the land of lotophages,
Those who saturate themselves with flower food, the wind rushed us,
Having stepped out onto solid ground and stocked up on fresh water,
Hastily, we set up a light lunch at the fast ships.
Satisfying my hunger with food and drink, I chose
Two of our most efficient comrades (there was a third
Herald with them) and sent them to know what we had reached
People who eat bread on a land abounding in gifts.
They found peaceful lotophages there; and sent to our
Lotus-eaters did not do evil; them with friendly caress
Having met them, they gave the lotus to taste; but only
Everyone tasted the honey-sweet lotus, instantly
I forgot everything and, having lost the desire to return back,
Suddenly he wanted to stay away from the Lotus-eaters, so that delicious
Lotus to collect, forever abandoning their homeland.
By the power of them, weeping, dragging them to our ships, I commanded
Tie them firmly there to the ship's benches, while the rest
He gave orders to faithful comrades, without any hesitation,
Everyone board the nimble ships, so that none of them,
Enticed by the sweet lotus, he did not renounce returning home.

These events, described by Homer, took place more than 30 centuries ago on the island of Djerba, which lies in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of South Tunisia.
There is even an opinion that if a person did not cultivate the lotus, now this plant would be on the verge of extinction, if it were still present in modern flora at all. Therefore, almost all species are listed in the Red Book.

CRANBERRY

From time immemorial, cranberries have been considered a Russian berry. There is a legend that even Alexandre Dumas, traveling around Russia and never seeing cranberry thickets (and he hardly had a chance to make his way through our peat bogs), did not want to admit it and wrote in his notes that "I once rested in the shade of a spreading cranberries".
Americans, on the other hand, have a different opinion, assuring that the birthplace of the berry is North America. The Delaware Indians called her "ibimi" and believed that she came from a land soaked in the blood of people who died in a fight with giants. And now she, you see, is considered a symbol of the United States. And we, in our student years, enthusiastically sang: "And anyway, in terms of the number of cranberries / America will not catch up with us!" Alas, it catches up and overtakes. Americans manage to consume 340 million pounds of cranberries a year, putting production on an industrial basis. Special plantations began to be created there in 1816. Cranberries are processed not only into fruit drinks and jams. They make an unusual product called "crazins" - a hybrid of the words "cranberry-(cranberry) and" raisin "(raisin): the berries are sweetened and dried. It turns out a typical American snack in bags, however, unlike other snacks, crazing is very useful. The main one some of the American cranberries are used to make the sauce that no Thanksgiving roast turkey can do without.We treat cranberries more like homemade.Harvested in three terms.In September, they are firm, but ripen and soften in storage And if you put it in jars and fill it with cold water, it will be stored all winter. In late autumn, when frost sets in, the berries are the most juicy and sour. They are stored already frozen, but after thawing it is better to use them immediately - otherwise they will deteriorate. "Or they rub it with sugar. In the spring, snow-covered cranberries are harvested. It is sweeter, but there are already fewer vitamins in it and it is not stored for long. Still, it's a shame that America outdid us in collecting cranberries. However, soon, perhaps, we will begin its large-scale production. In any case, a project is already being developed to grow varietal berries in the Sakhalin Region.

SABELNIK MARSH (Swamp Knight)

ABOUT medicinal plant SABELNIK MARSH, which for its healing power is called "cutting off the disease", there is such a legend. In ancient times, peaceful people lived in the Russian North. But powerful enemies drove him from his native lands to dense forests and swamps. From the rotten marsh mists, severe, deadly ailments came to people. And then they prayed: “Lord, send us help and salvation!” And in the night a bright rider appeared. Like red lightning, his saber flashed, cutting through the thick swamp fog. And in the morning the damp cold earth was strewn with purple flowers. Roots, leaves and stems wondrous plant healed from all diseases. The people were saved, and the plant, in memory of its miraculous phenomenon, was named Sabelnik, and since then it cuts off diseases, restoring health to people.

AIRUS ORDINARY (calamus swamp, calamus, Tatar potion, cake, javr)

Acorus calamus L. Fam. Araceae - Araceae
The generic Latin name is related to the Greek word "acog"; "koge" - an eyeball, since in ancient times calamus was used to treat eye diseases, The appearance of the specific Latin name is associated with the history of its penetration into Western Europe. In the East - India, China - calamus is widespread and known as a medicinal and spicy plant. From the East, it came in dried form to Ancient Greece and Rome. Even Hippocrates wrote about the wonderful medicines from the calamus root. In the Middle Ages, the fragrant root was brought through Istanbul and to Europe, but only in a candied form as an exact sweetness, and the Turks carefully kept the secret of this “cane of incense”. Nevertheless, in 1574, the Austrian ambassador to Turkey managed to send the botanist Clausius, director of the Vienna Botanical Garden, a parcel with fragrant calamus rhizomes suitable for planting. Clausius accepted the gift with great gratitude in full confidence that he was the only owner in Europe of an exotic and, undoubtedly, beautifully flowering plant. He himself chose the landing site in the corner of the pond. The plant turned out to be unpretentious and grew rapidly, and in the third year it bloomed. But what was the disappointment of botanists when they saw not beautiful flowers in the plant, but a nondescript cob with many yellowish-green flowers. On top of that, the plant did not set fruit and propagated exclusively by pieces of rhizome. The disappointment of botanists was reflected in the Latin name of the plant, which literally means "ugly cane." Almost simultaneously with the Vienna calamus, it was acquired by the Prague Botanical Garden, from where the plant soon settled in the ponds and still waters of Western Europe.
But the surprises for nerds didn't end there. It turned out that for Eastern Europe this is not an exotic at all, but an ordinary plant, known as “Tatar grass”, or a Tatar potion. According to legend, calamus was brought to our country during the time of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. The Tatars considered calamus to be a plant that purifies water, and were convinced that where it grows, you can drink it without risk to health. Therefore, the Tatar horsemen carried pieces of living rhizomes with them in saddlebags and threw them into all the reservoirs they encountered. The rhizomes quickly took root, and soon the banks of the reservoirs were overgrown with a continuous belt of a fragrant plant. Apparently, because of this, in our country there are two areas of calamus completely isolated from each other - European and Far Eastern. Due to its unpretentiousness, calamus has spread widely throughout Western and Eastern Europe, but isolation from the homeland has not gone unnoticed. Deprived of specific insect pollinators living in India and China, and not capable of self-pollination, the plant does not set fruits and reproduces exclusively by vegetative means.
Calamus is an ancient spice that rivals the bay leaf. Its dried rhizomes have been traded in the Middle East for 4,000 years. It gives dishes a unique taste and smell. Candied calamus replaces ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg.
Dioscorides said that the best calamus is white, dense, not corroded, not porous, full, with a pleasant smell. Avicenna recommended it as a cleanser, for diseases of the stomach, liver, as a diuretic. In his opinion, calamus "thinns the thickening of the cornea and helps with thorns, but its squeezed juice is especially suitable in both cases."
In the Middle Ages, calamus was considered beautiful disinfectant. It was chewed for prophylaxis during epidemics of typhus, cholera, influenza, festering ulcers and wounds were sprinkled with calamus powder. The fragrant plant was used in rituals; on the feast of the Trinity, floors and even yards were covered with its leaves.
Russian herbalist of the 18th century. reports: “Ir, or water paradise grass ... Its root is reddish on the outside, white on the inside, thick with a finger, light, composed of many knees, covered with fibers and has a piercing and deliberately pleasant smell. It contains a lot of oil and volatile salt."
Currently, the use of calamus in medicine is limited. It is used primarily as an appetite and digestive aid, sometimes as a tonic for central nervous system depression. Used in folk medicine as stomachic, decoction wash their hair with hair loss, drink with toothache. Calamus rhizome powder is taken orally (at the tip of a knife) for heartburn, inflammation of the kidneys and Bladder. To strengthen the gums, root powder is mixed with tooth powder. Calamus is also introduced into the composition of fees for diathesis in children and fees used for gastric ulcer with low acidity. A decoction of rhizomes is prepared from a ratio of 15.0 g of crushed rhizomes per 200 ml of hearth. insist on cold water 8 hours in a warm place, shaking frequently. Take one tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.
Calamus marsh is a perennial plant from the aroid family, it has a horizontal branched rhizome, at the raised end of which a bunch of xiphoid leaves are formed, covering each other with pinkish bases. Its leaves are similar to iris leaves, but longer and thinner.
Avicenna gives the following description of it: “These are the roots of a plant similar to papyrus. For the most part, it grows in stagnant and flowing waters. On its roots are whitish knots with a nasty smell, to which a slight fragrance is mixed. Obviously, the subjective perception of the smell of the plant manifested itself here, since ancient and modern authors emphasize its pleasant, but slightly intrusive smell. Moreover, all organs of the plant are fragrant, with the exception of thin roots. By mid-summer, a trihedral stem with a cone-shaped inflorescence - an ear appears from a bunch of leaves. The cob is covered with a bract. In a non-flowering state, it differs from similar plants only in smell.
The rhizome contains up to 4% essential oil, tannins, resins, ascorbic acid, acorin glycoside.
In Western Europe, it is used to make vodkas and liquors. Essential oil is used in perfumery to flavor soaps and creams.
According to the book by Kuznetsov M.A., Reznikov A.S. "Tales of Medicinal Plants"

Kalina

There is a short legend about viburnum: There were once viburnum berries sweeter than raspberries. Beautiful girl fell in love with a proud blacksmith who did not notice her and often wandered through the forest. Nothing helped and then she decided to burn that forest. The blacksmith came to his favorite place, and everything burned down there. Only one viburnum bush survived, watered with burning tears. And under the bush the blacksmith saw a tear-stained beauty. His heart stuck to the girl, he fell in love, but it was too late. Together with the forest, the beauty of the girl quickly burned down. And viburnum returned the guy the ability to respond to love, and in extreme old age he saw the image of a young beauty in his bent old woman. But since then, viburnum berries have become bitter, like tears unrequited love. And there was a belief that a bouquet of viburnum, applied to a suffering heart in love, soothes pain.
The Hutsul legend sternly explains the birth of viburnum. About the times when Bukovina was flooded with human blood, when enemies burned their homes. About a fearless girl who led a detachment of enemies into an impenetrable thicket. And a viburnum bush grew on the site of the death of the Hutsul. And the ruby ​​berries of the viburnum glow, like drops of the blood of a hacked girl. Apparently, since then, according to popular belief, all girls who died before marriage turn into thin, fragile viburnum bushes.
And how many sincere and tender songs have we composed about viburnum, how many wise fairy tales have been created? From distant childhood, we carefully keep in our memory the magic viburnum bridge, on which the Russian hero, Ivan, the peasant's son, defeated the 12-headed snake.
For the Slavic peoples, viburnum has always been a symbol of a bright holiday, kindness, beauty, love and family happiness, personified modesty and innocence. According to ancient customs, viburnum was considered an indispensable participant in the wedding ceremony, it was decorated with a wedding loaf. Girls wove wreaths from flowers, embroidered on towels.
Viburnum blooms luxuriantly at the end of May with fragrant white boiling. And, like a bride in a white veil, you involuntarily admire her, from afar you catch the exciting aroma of her flowers. And bees tirelessly circle over it, nectar in viburnum flowers is stored no less than in linden - a honey tree.

COMPOSITION AND APPLICATION:
The fruits of viburnum contain up to 32% invert sugar, tannins, pectin, glycosides amygdalin and viburnin, microelements: phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc. A wide range of vitamins: C, B9, K, E, A and a number of organic acids. The bark contains viburnin glycoside, resin, starch, flobafen, phytosterol, acids: (valeric / ascorbic / palmitic / caprylic), many tannins, triterpene saponins, carotene, flavonoids. Viburnum roots contain astragalin, peonozide, sterols, essential oil.
In folk medicine, the bark, flowers and berries of viburnum are used as a disinfectant, hemostatic, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic and choleretic agent.
"From 99 diseases": Kalina is useful for inflammatory and skin diseases, peptic ulcer, edema, gastritis, colitis, neuroses, epilepsy, vascular spasms, scrofula, convulsions, insomnia, treats sore throat, hypertension, liver disease. Used for bronchial asthma, dyspepsia, catarrhal gingivitis, periodontitis, cholecystitis, hemorrhoids, stomach cancer. Completely dissolves the goiter.
Increases the power of heart contractions, improves bowel function, stimulates metabolism, activates the activity of the liver, has a vitamin, tonic effect. Berry juice treats eczema and boils, addiction to alcohol. Juice is taken for pulmonary tuberculosis, shortness of breath. The high iron content in viburnum fruits increases hemoglobin, reactive compounds normalize the condition blood vessels, clear them of cholesterol.
Viburnum may be contraindicated for gout and kidney disease.

• SNOWDROPS

Russian legend claims that once the old woman Zima with her companions Frost and Wind decided not to let Spring come to earth. But the brave Snowdrop straightened up, spread its petals and asked for protection from the Sun. The sun noticed the Snowdrop, warmed the earth and opened the way for Spring.

CROCUS

There is a Greek myth describing..." target="_blank"> 3.

• CROCUS

There is a Greek myth describing the appearance of these flowers: "The god Mercury had a friend named Crocus. Once, throwing a disk, Mercury accidentally hit a friend with a disk and killed him. A crocus flower grew from the ground, stained with blood."

PRIMROSE

All the long winter heavenly Lada Tom..." target="_blank"> 4.

• PRIMROSE

Throughout the long winter, the heavenly Lada languishes in the captivity of thick clouds and fogs. But in the spring, the goddess of love, sun and harmony, washed with spring waters, comes into the world with generous gifts. Where the first lightning fell, primroses grow to unlock the bowels of the earth with their keys for the lush growth of grasses, bushes and trees.

LUNGWORT

An ancient Slavic legend says..." target="_blank"> 5.

• LUNGWORT

An ancient Slavic legend says: "... If you drink the nectar from twenty pink and twenty purple lungwort flowers, then your heart will become healthy and kind, and your thoughts will be pure ..."

COLTSFOOT

One evil woman thought..." target="_blank"> 6.

• COLTSFOOT

One evil woman plotted to kill her husband's daughter because she didn't want him to go meet her and his ex-wife. She lured her to a cliff and pushed her off. Meanwhile, the mother, having discovered the loss of the girl, rushed to look for her, but she was too late, the girl was already lifeless. She rushed to her stepmother and, grappling, they flew to the bottom of the ravine. And the next day, his plant covered the slopes, the leaves of which were soft on one side and hard on the other, and yellow flowers towered above them, resembling the blond hair of a girl.

FORGET-MENT

One day, the goddess of flowers Flora will sleep..." target="_blank"> 7.

• FORGET-MENT

One day, the goddess of flowers Flora descended to earth and began to bestow names on flowers. She gave a name to all the flowers and wanted to leave, but suddenly she heard a faint voice behind her: - Do not forget me, Flora! Give me a name too! Flora looked around - no one was in sight. She wanted to leave again, but the voice repeated itself. And then only Flora noticed a small blue flower in the forbs. - Well, - said the goddess, - be a forget-me-not. Together with the name, I endow you with wonderful power - you will return the memory to those people who begin to forget their loved ones or their homeland.

daffodils

A beautiful young man rejected love..." target="_blank"> 8.

• daffodils

A beautiful young man rejected the love of the nymph Echo. For this he was punished: when he saw his own reflection in the water, he fell in love with him. Tormented by an insatiable passion, he died, and in memory of him there remained a beautiful, fragrant flower, the corolla of which leans downwards, as if wishing to once again admire himself in the water.

TULIPS

The legend of the tulip says that and..." target="_blank"> 9.

• TULIPS

The legend about the tulip says that it was in its bud that happiness was contained, but no one could get to it, since the bud did not open, but one day a little boy took the flower in his hands and the tulip opened itself. A child's soul, carefree happiness and laughter opened a bud.

DREAM GRASS

All flowers have a mother, only..." target="_blank"> 10.

• DREAM GRASS

All flowers have a mother, only the dream-grass has an evil stepmother. It is this evil stepmother who annually drives the poor flower out of the ground in spring before other flowers appear.

lilies of the valley

There are many legends about the origin..." target="_blank"> 11.

• lilies of the valley

There are many legends about the origin of lily of the valley. An old Russian legend connects the appearance of the lily of the valley with the sea princess Magus. The tears of the princess, saddened by the fact that the young man Sadko gave his heart to the earthly girl Lyubava, fell to the ground, sprouted into a beautiful and delicate flower - a symbol of purity, love and sadness.

HYACINTH

Once off the coast of Holland, but..." target="_blank"> 12.

• HYACINTH

Once, a Genoese ship sank in a storm off the coast of Holland. Its wreckage washed ashore. And a few weeks later, the children playing on the sandbar noticed, almost at the very edge of the surf, a flower never seen before: its leaves looked like tulip leaves, and the stem was completely planted with many beautiful flowers, similar to small lilies. The flowers smelled unusually, and no one could explain where such an outlandish miracle came from.