It rained a lot today…

I went looking for poisonous Birthwort (NL: Pijpbloem, Aristolochia clematis) which earned a fatally flawed reputation as a remedy for women’s reproductive system ailments, due to the Doctrine of Signatures. Some still advocate its use for birth control and other uses but there is lots of evidence linking it to cancer of the urinary system, cancer of the liver and kidney failure or at least kidney damage. I steer well clear of this plant, it is quite striking in appearance and in the spring the leaves look very exotic. All parts are poisonous.

I also found Tansy (Tanacetum vulgaris) in bloom. Some cut leafy stems are drying in amongst my wardrobe clothes, to ward off moths.

Here is Comfrey (Symphytum uplandica). Still looking verdant and potent after flowering.

Edible Goat’s-beard (Tragopodon pratensis).

And lastly, Soapwort with pale pink flowers. Called Bouncing Bet in the US and Saponaria officinalis in Latin.