Seona Anderson 23/06/2024 Seona Anderson 23/06/2024

EGLANTINE

Shakespeare Species Eglantine: the leaf of eglantine, whom not to slander, out-sweetened not thy breath. The Eglantine or Sweet Briar was a popular and fragrant wild Rose.

Seona Anderson 22/06/2024 Seona Anderson 22/06/2024

STANIEL (KESTREL)

Shakespeare Species Staniel (Kestrel): And with what wing the staniel checks at it. The Kestrel, famous for its hovering abilities makes only one appearance in Shakespeare’s works.

Seona Anderson 22/06/2024 Seona Anderson 22/06/2024

RED-HIPPED HUMBLE-BEE

Shakespeare Species Red-Hipped Humble Bee: kill me a red-hipped humble bee on top of a thistle and…bring me the honey bag. There are 6 red tailed Bumble Bees in the UK. This is a beautifully observed image from nature.

Seona Anderson 20/06/2024 Seona Anderson 20/06/2024

FERN

Shakespeare Species FERN: We have the receipt of fern seed: we walk invisible. There is a tradition in many parts of Europe that finding the fern seed gave you treasure or powers such as invisibility. This was often linked to Midsummer. Happy Solstice!

Seona Anderson 20/06/2024 Seona Anderson 20/06/2024

PARROT

Shakespeare Species PARROT: that ever this fellow should have fewer words than a parrot, and yet the son of a woman! Parrots have been popular companion birds since antiquity with an ability to speak.

Seona Anderson 18/06/2024 Seona Anderson 18/06/2024

GOOSEBERRY

Shakespeare Species Gooseberry: all the other gifts appurtentant to man… are not worth a gooseberry. Falstaff, the great giver and receiver of insults often uses nature based imagery.

Seona Anderson 17/06/2024 Seona Anderson 17/06/2024

ONION

Shakespeare Species Onion: Mine eyes smell onions. I shall weep anon. Onions were widely grown as vegetables and Shakespeare refers to Onions making your eyes water on several occasions.

Seona Anderson 16/06/2024 Seona Anderson 16/06/2024

BUTTERFLY

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, BUTTERFLY: I saw him run after a gilded butterfly. Butterflies are a recurring motif in Coriolanus but appear elsewhere as symbols of summer and beauty. There are 59 Butterfly species in the UK.

Seona Anderson 15/06/2024 Seona Anderson 15/06/2024

CATERPILLAR

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, CATERPILLAR: Bushy, Bagot and their complices, the caterpillars of the commonwealth. Caterpillar is used as an insult in several Shakespeare works.

Seona Anderson 14/06/2024 Seona Anderson 14/06/2024

CHERRY

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, CHERRY: O, how ripe in show thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow. Cherries symbolising lips is a regular image in Shakespeare’s works.

Seona Anderson 14/06/2024 Seona Anderson 14/06/2024

Fleur-de-luce

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, IRIS: have I a soul on which I’ll toss the fleur-de-luce of France. The heraldic symbol of France is based on an Iris. Introduced garden species of Iris such as Iris germanica were popular in Shakespeare’s time.

Seona Anderson 12/06/2024 Seona Anderson 12/06/2024

SNIPE

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, SNIPE: If I would time expend with such a snipe but for my sport and pleasure. Iago describes Roderigo as a ‘Snipe’, an unworthy hunting target. Snipes have undergone declines in recent decades.

Seona Anderson 12/06/2024 Seona Anderson 12/06/2024

WILD THYME

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, WILD THYME: I know a bank where the wild thyme blows. The flower filled bank is the favourite bed of Titania, Queen of the Fairies. There are several wild Thyme species in the UK.

Seona Anderson 10/06/2024 Seona Anderson 10/06/2024

STRAWBERRY

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, STRAWBERRY: the strawberry grows underneath the nettle. The Bishop of Ely compares Prince Hal with the Strawberry and Falstaff with the Nettle, a dubious guard under which to flourish.

Seona Anderson 09/06/2024 Seona Anderson 09/06/2024

HONEYSUCKLE

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, HONEYSUCKLE: So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle gently entwist. Honeysuckle is a sweet scented climber which grows wild or in gardens.

Seona Anderson 08/06/2024 Seona Anderson 08/06/2024

WAGTAIL

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, WAGTAIL: Spare my grey beard, you wagtail. The only mention of the dainty Wagtail is as an insult in King Lear.

Seona Anderson 07/06/2024 Seona Anderson 07/06/2024

FENNEL

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, FENNEL: even such delight among fresh fennel buds shall you inherit at my house tonight. Fennel was and is a popular herb & vegetable and is also used metaphorically in Shakespeare in several plays.

Seona Anderson 06/06/2024 Seona Anderson 06/06/2024

MUSKROSE

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, MUSKROSE: and stick muskroses in thy sleek smooth head. Muskroses have long been cultivated for their scent and spread around the world by humans.

Seona Anderson 05/06/2024 Seona Anderson 05/06/2024

BARBARY PIGEON

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, BARBARY PIGEON: I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen. Barbary Pigeon is probably a Guinea Fowl.

Seona Anderson 05/06/2024 Seona Anderson 05/06/2024

BURNET

Shakespeare Species Quote of the Day, BURNET: The even mead that erst brought forth the freckled cowslip, burnet and green clover. Burnets are found in summer grasslands.