Meadowsweet Musings

I noticed the gorgeous meadowsweet while driving through the lanes near Colwall yesterday evening. One of my favourite summer plants (well one of many) and like honeysuckle its intoxicating perfume epitomises the ease and sweetness of summer (even without the fullness of July sun we might hope for). Apparently some people find it a little ‘sickly sweet’ but for me it’s like honey and cream, both in colour and scent. The flowers are a creamy- yellow in frothy clusters (so while very distinctive from poisonous plants to be wary of, e.g hemlock, if you’re not sure then best not to touch or gather it). As the name suggests it’s a plant of the meadows, though usually preferring damp meadows or where water rises and falls (so also on a river bank, or a roadside ditch). You’ll notice all sorts of pollinators enjoying its nectar and it’s also food for several species of moth, such the emperor moth, grey pug, Hebrew character, lime-speck pug, mottled beauty, and the satellite.

Valued for its sweet scent, in times gone by it was strewn on floors to sweeten the room and for special occasions such as weddings, and was a favourite of Elizabeth 1st. Like elderflower it is a great for flavouring all sorts of things and for making wonderful summer drinks. Here are some websites with lots of suggestions https://foragerchef.com/meadowsweet-flowers/ https://www.wildfoodie.co.uk/post/meadowsweet-the-sweet-relief-herb

Drinks https://spiritsbeacon.com/guides/how-tos/summer-in-bloom Medicinally it was valued for its soothing and painkilling properties (like willow bark it contains compounds similar to those used to form aspirin) so it makes a wonderful tea, uplifting as well as soothing (as always consult a trained herbalist if you want to use plant remedies to help manage any medical conditions).

While it is abundant it does occur to me that insects and moths might need it more than we do. I’m all for foraging in modest amounts, but perhaps the best part of foraging and walking in the meadows is the finding and gathering of beauty, inspiration and connection to the wider community of living things. Enjoy the summer sweetness of meadowsweet in the meadows or buy seeds from a good source to welcome it into your own garden https://plantwild.co.uk/product/meadowsweet/ 

Sources and for more interesting information see https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/meadowsweet and https://whisperingearth.co.uk/2012/07/06/meadowsweet-queen-of-the-meadow-queen-of-the-ditch