With a flower so famously used in the titles of songs and films, we are shining the spotlight on Morning Glory, our September Flower of the Month #FOTM.
Botanical Information
Morning Glory is the name given to a collection of around 1000 different species of flowers in the Convolvulaceae family. These plants run the gamut from edible flowers to poisonous weeds and everything in-between. Their colouring varies too. Most often the flowers are blue or violet but can be found in yellow and pink.
Morning Glory tend to open early with the sun which is where they got their name but a few of the family are night bloomers like Ipomoea Muricata. The most commonly seen type of morning glory in Britain is the Convolvulus breed know also as bindweed it is a wild-flower and sometimes considered a pest by gardeners. For all that Convolvulus are havens for insect life and are used for pollen and for food to many native species of Lepidoptera.
Morning Glory and their meaning
Their common name may suggest the beauty of a fresh morning however, Convolvo means 'I intwine' similar to a lover's embrace but with ominous undertones, as implied by their other common name bindweed.
As so often with flowers the colour of the bloom changes the meaning, with the usual connotations pink flowers mean romance, white for purity, purple for nobility and so on.
The Victorians felt the meaning of Morning Glory was sustained love, love that has not ended, the other meaning was unrequited love and hence, abstinence. Gardeners who have struggled with this resilient and abstinent plant sometimes call it cornbine and devil's guts.
Where can I find Morning Glory in the North Wales Landscape?
Morning Glory is a flower that can be found in unexpected places both cultivated gardens and wild walks, here are a few of the best places to enjoy the beauty of Wales. Enjoy the natural beauty of the flora and fauna on the Nant Llech walk, a winding trail that leads to South Wales' highest waterfall. You'll find the antique water mill and other hidden treasures along the way.
Dinefwr Park in Carmarthenshire has been named a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ due to high diversity of wildlife and ferns, but it also has an abundance of architectural beauty, with a 17th century mansion and castle ruin, there are many secrets to explore. In Wales, wherever you are you are liable to find morning glory, in hedgerows or trailing over crumbling walls in one form or another.
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Want to know more?
Checkout the links below for more information about this beautiful Summer favourite, and where to it on your visit to Mid/North Wales.