From the ice age...

12:12pm Monday 31st March 2008

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MOST botanists agree that the first flowering plant to grow in Britain at the end of the last ice age was the marsh marigold.

The flower, which is simple in structure and soon wilts when deprived of water, grows in clusters in marsh areas all over Britain. Because East Lancashire is a wet area, the marsh marigold is especially common in our area.

As the ice melted, huge swampy areas were formed and in spring and summer the marsh marigolds grew in huge sweeps all across the area. It is a member of the buttercup family and should not be picked for two good reasons.

Firstly, once picked the flowers soon die and secondly the chemicals contained in the fluid areas of the stems can cause a rash on those people with sensitive skin.

In any case, like all our flowers, they look at their glorious yellow best when left in their natural habitat.