A Scottish Palette

Walking along the old railway line with the dogs I was struck by how early the heather is flowering this year. Normally it doesn't start till the end of the month but it's out in all it's glory already. Sadly there was no blue sky to set it off to it's best advantage but there is definitely a purple haze along the path.

The detail of each and every plant is so stunning. It was a bit difficult to take my macro pictures as the greyhound is always on the lead so I only had one hand available for the camera. It seems to have worked!

 Purple is definitely the colour of the season now, and there are many varieties of knapweed on view too.

 And then there are the many varieties of grasses to tone down that purple.

The other purple on view is much softer, almost going into pink, and I was amazed to discover that strong yellow centre. It's yarrow or to give it it's official name Achillea millefolium. It has many other names too, such as Nosebleed, Poor men's pepper, Staunchweed and Knight's milfoil. It's a member of the daisy family and in this close-up you can appreciate why. It's also linked to the hero of Homer's tale of the Trojan war, the mighty warrior Achilles who, it is said, carried the plant with him and used it to stop the bleeding of his fellow soldiers. Sadly it couldn't save him.

All these riches along a now no longer in use railway path in the Scottish Borders! And harking back to ancient days. Life is so full of wonders.