Blue In The Pink

I used to grow and sell yarrow. In gardening circles it is known as Achillea. It never occured to me that it has a connection with Achilles. Evidently his soldiers used to use it to treat their wounds during the Trojan War. The wild flower is white and sometimes pinkish, as in my image. The cultivated version comes in cerise, yellow and terracotta as well. It's a tough and easy plant and insects love it.

I've seen many more white butterflies this season than I usually do and far fewer blues. It was lovely to see this perfect common blue fluttering amongst the yarrow before the rain set in.