Every Place Is A Garden

  I love it when I conveniently "forget" to mow a piece of the property.  Wildflowers pop up everywhere making the otherwise shabby looking area look bright and happy.  Son had replaced a few boards on the pier and tossed the old ones on shore near the base of the pier.  We had good intentions of hauling them to the burn pile but got sidetracked along the way so there they sat.  Grass grew up between the boards creating a terrible mess for about ten feet.  It was in the midst of this mess that I found one bright spot.  A wildflower had grown right along with the grass giving its beauty to the world.  When I spied the tiny blooms, I immediately plopped down on the pier boards and started weeding.  Every place is a garden if you want it to be!

  This particular wildflower is called St. Andrew's Cross Flower.  The name comes from the fact the positioning of the four petals resembles the X shaped cross that has been dubbed St. Andrew's Cross.  The story of St. Andrew states that while he was crucified on a cross, he had requested to not be hung from the same type cross as Jesus.  He deemed himself not worthy to be compared to Jesus.  He was tied to a X-shaped cross instead.

  The tiny yellow flowers of the St. Andrew's Cross Flower create small seed capsules that contain many seeds.  These seeds will drop and grow wherever they are allowed but not to the point that the plants become a nuisance.  The plant was often used as a medicinal herb years ago.  It was used as a treatment for snake bites,   It was also a "go to" herb for everything from toothache to giving strength to children with "weak legs".  All parts were used in one way or another.  Me?  I just think it is pretty and will probably save a few seeds to toss back with my wildflower garden behind the canebrake!