Gentian

I bought one of these last week. It's on the tray my mother is carrying in the photo. They're a nice colour.

I love gentians and have tried to grow them in my alpine trough. Sadly, the birds shred them within a few hours - so I have given up. I will just have to admire photos like this, instead!

Had some two gardens ago but had to move in the winter when they were still covered in ice and snow so they had to stay there :(

Beautiful.
Amy, this is lovely.
Gone to my GoY fav. photos of blue flowers.
Thank you for a lovely picture.
:o)

Lovely Amy! such an intense blue, think it might be a different species to mine as mines plaler and has a white stripe down the sides, very pretty plants arent they!

Thankyou TT ,

I have a paler one PP , it,s not lookiing so good I think maybe the birds have attacked it as they have Spritzes , must be to do with the colour ,Odd .........

lovely blue, nice pic

Is this related to a purple liquid I used many moons ago called (I think) Gentian Violet that I was given when I got very sore breastfeeding ?? I remember it worked very well even tho' it stained a lot. Perhaps my timewarped memory is failing me ....

I can,t answer that Terry60 sorry ,perhaps somebody else can !

Yes, Terry60 - I looked like an American Indian from some strange tribe too. It did stain dreadfully. It used to be used as an antiseptic and I seem to remember it did work. Oh, gosh that was literally last century! Think it's used today to make bacteria visible under a microscope.
However, back to today - Gentians are gorgeous and this one is a lovely specimen, Amy.

Oh heck, Magnoliatree I didn't think I was THAT old !! My son was born in UK in 1982 and I remember my midwife swore by this old remedy to help cracked nipples during breastfeeding .... sorry chaps, I know this is too much information !!!

My first was born in 1963, Terry60. And that was in the 20th century - we're now in the 21st century aren't we? Perhaps I'm losing it.

I know Magnoliatree, I lost the plot a long time ago !!!!! - it's just that these centuries are slipping by - do you remember that song 21st Century Schizoid Man ???

The herbal gentian blue... is a very old remedy...a mild fungicide that was used to cure "thrush" in nursing babies...It is used as a stain also.

Thanks Lori. My midwife had initially tried all sorts of modern lotions and potions that didn't seem to give much solace - then she resorted to this "old fashioned" remedy. Well all I can say Lori is that it worked a treat and I would recommend it any day (i.e if it's still available) - despite the stains !!

I guess I'm as "time-warped" as you both, Terry60 and Magnoliatree, when someone says..."in the last century" I'm thinking 18 something or other...when they are actually referring to the 20th century! Yikes...this life is flying by! Now I know why it is that each generation in it's turn begins to feel out of sorts with the rest of society as they reach their seventh or eighth decade.... the young generation is living at the pace they will call normal but we oldsters see it as accelerated...as will they when their youngsters come along...would like to think it's going to be a continuum.....
I was thinking that since this is such a lovely blue perhaps I should try to add it to the rockery around the spring...beautiful colour...blue's my FAV!

You are so right Lori - perhaps that's one of the reasons why I love staying in my little old town, as time takes on a different essential quality there - it's as if you are able to absorb the seconds and minutes of each hour and take the time to observe the simple beauty of what nature is offering right in front of our eyes - whenever I sit timelessly and contemplate my view, I realise that each day is precious .....

Like you say Lori, when willl the race slow down - remember life before cell phones ???

Only too well, Terry60... instantaneousness (emergency numbers and survival aside) is becoming the new addiction...we can't wait for anything anymore... 21st century Schizoid Man? LOL.It's possible to be so many places at once...shopping and on the phone, driving and on the phone, waiting in queue and on the phone!. I hear so many people saying "I couldn't live without my phone/blackberry!" Arghh! I need to find a little old town ...lucky you...long may you enjoy it! btw...just wondered how those lovely grapes are doing ...have you had a feast yet? these are the strawberry grapes? I repeat..Lucky You! Beulah peel me a grape! ahahahaha....

I've almost finished eating all the grapes Lori - just a few shrivelled ones left !!