Helenium

Today's the day ......................... to sneeze

It may not be remotely like the seriously hot conditions prevailing just now in Europe and America, but it is a wonderfully orange and yellow time of the year.  

I love the way the garden looks just now, overflowing with bright colours like these Helenium 'Mardi gras'' and the yellow 'red hot pokers' - not to mention all the montbretia, marigolds and calendula.  

Apparently the common name for Helenium  is 'sneezeweed', based on the former use of their dried leaves in making snuff. It was inhaled to cause sneezing that would supposedly rid the body of evil spirits ...................