THE HUMBLE DAISY

There are around four thousand species of Daisies, that have different shapes, sizes and colour. The one below is the Common Daisy, or Bellis Perennis, which is native to Europe. Although it is pretty, it is often considered to be a weed, because it takes over lawns, and is extremely difficult to get rid of.

The flower buds and petals can be eaten raw in salads, and are high in vitamin c. Through history Daisies were picked and juiced, so bandages could be soaked and used on injuries from war, or for healing purposes after surgery. Daisies are still used in homeopathic remedies today.

Another interesting fact is that the Daisy is actually two flowers in one. The white petals count as one flower (or whatever colour the petals happen to be), and the yellow centre is counted as another.

The flower opens at dawn, and are one of the bees favourite flowers. Many of us will remember making Daisy chain's as children, while sitting or playing on lawns. Whether we consider the humble Daisy to be a pest or a pleasure, their simplicity is undeniably beautiful.

Photo and content by white.tiger