Sunday 15 September 2013

Bear's Breeches

What a lovely name for a plant!

As you have probably guessed if you are a regular visitor to this blog, I love plants. These particular specimens are large with attractive jagged leaves and lupin-like purple and white flower spikes in late summer. Known as a mediterranean plant, our mild welsh climate means I can hang on to it for a few years at least. The plant all but disappears with the winter frosts, but the dark glossy leaves gradually appear again in springtime.



If you enjoy history you have probably seen the leaves of this plant replicated at the top of Corinthian stone columns.

The first depictions found date back to Ancient Greece. 
 


'Bear's Breeches' doesn't sound like Greek to me, I hear you say. Well, what about Acanthus. Now that's a far more sophisticated name for such a splended architectural plant.  But I'm still waiting for the bear to turn up in my garden to claim his trousers, or do they wear denim these days?
 


 

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