Canada and the Maple Leaf

For this post, I am doing Canada and the Maple leaf. I felt that I could not finish my blog without doing Canada and the maple leaf because it is the most famous plant emblem. It is on the Canadian flag, has been on Canadian coins and on the coat of arms.

The Maple Leaf:

The maple leaf can have from three up to nine lobes. During the Autumn, leaves turn to green, yellow, orange and red. Maple trees grow in Europe, Asia and North America, especially Canada.

Canada:

Canada is situated in the very north of the continent of North America. Its main languages are English and French. Its population is around 35 to 36 million which makes it the 37th largest populated country in the world. Canada is famous for its maple syrup, ice hockey and amazing scenery, for example, The Rocky Mountains.

Connection between Plant and Country:

The maple leaf has been an emblem of Canada since the 1700's. The Native Indians had been using sap from the maple tree for food  long before any settlers had come. When the settlers came, they were fascinated with the different colours and beauty of the trees. The leaf quickly became a symbol of the country. It became official when in 1964 on the 22nd of October it was adopted by the parliament.

Websites Used:

http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/canada-population/
http://www.ask.com/home-garden/maple-trees-grow-859d849a8120abb1
http://softschools.com/facts/plants/maple_tree_facts/640/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_leaf
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Canadian_maple_leaf_2.jpg
http://www.canadianaconnection.com/2009/10/the-maple-leaf/

England and the Rose

I chose to do this post on England and the Rose. I am doing England to complete all the countries in Britain as well as Ireland. This rose is sometimes known as the "Tudor Rose" when it is being associated with England.

The Rose:

     Roses can come in many different varieties and colours. They can be genetically modified to become what the grower wants them. The Tudor Rose is just the ordinary red rose. These roses grow on bushes with spiky stalks and blood red leaves. They are very common for giving away to someone you love as a romantic present.

England:

England is the last country Great Britain that I have not yet done. It has a population of  around 57.5 million people which makes it the largest country in Great Britain. Its capital is London and Queen Elizabeth lives there in Buckingham Palace. England is well known for its Royal Family and castles, such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

Connection Between Plant and Country:  

It was King Henry VII who initially made the Tudor Rose into an emblem of England. The War of Roses had just finished against Richard III and he had just married Elizabeth of York and celebrated with red and white roses. Because of these two factors, King Henry made the rose an official emblem of England. It is called the Tudor Rose because King Henry was the first Tudor monarch and he first initiated it.

Websites Used:

http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamUnif/Emblem.html

http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/england-population/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floral_emblem#/media/File:Tudor_Rose.svg

Welsh anthem (Land of my fathers)

                          https://youtu.be/3kUnCwV3AYE

Wales and the Leek

For this post, I am doing Wales and the leek. there are many different emblems of Wales including the daffodil, the leek and the red dragon that features on their flag. I chose to do the leek over the daffodil as the leek has been a symbol for longer.

The Leek (Cenhinen):

The leek belongs in the same vegetable family as the onion and garlic. It has been associated with the Ancient Egyptian diet as archaeologists have found it on wall carvings and also have found dried leeks in excavations.

Wales (Cymru):

Wales is a small country in Great Britain. It has a population of around 3 million. Its capital is Cardiff which has around 348 thousand people living in it. Wales is known for its rugby and its singing, most notably the Welsh hymns "Guide Us Oh Thou Great Jehovah" and "Land of my Fathers" which I will put I video up of in the next post. The main languages in Wales are Welsh and English, both of which are commonly used.

Connection between Plant and Country:

As with the Scottish and the thistle, no one is quite sure how the leek became a national emblem. There are many different legends and stories but this one is the main one. In  The Battle of The Saxons, St David told his troops to put a leek on their caps so they could easily know who was a friend and who was a foe and this was thought to have helped to secure their victory. This was done again in The Battle of Agincourt  and again helped them to win. Because of this, the leek became one of the national emblems of Wales. 

Websites Used:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leek

http://www.geiriadur.net/



http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/mid-year-estimates-population/?lang=en
http://www.wales.com/about-wales/facts-about-wales
http://www.leekrecipes.co.uk/why-leeks-are-the-national-emblem-of-wales/
http://www.wales-calling.com/culture/leek-and-daffodil.htm

Scotland and the Thistle

For this post, I am doing Scotland and the thistle. I have been to Scotland a few times and I have noticed that on road signs and on lots of Scottish things, for example, the rugby strip, there is a picture of a thistle. I am going to find out why this is.

The Thistle (Fóthannan):

http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/an-ode-to-a-thistle.html

The thistle is a spiky purple or pink weed. It grows all over the world and attracts many animals such as butterflies, moths and goldfinches. It was used in the medieval times for cures for baldness, headaches, the plague and vertigo, along with others.

Scotland (Alba):

Scotland is located in the very north of Great Britain. Its population is somewhere around 5.2 million. Its capital is Edinburgh and some of its other main cities are Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Inverness. Scotland is famous for its beautiful scenery in the highlands, its bagpipe music and its tartans.

Connection between plant and Country:

No one is exactly sure how the thistle became one of the national emblems of Scotland. There is a legend that in the 1200's, some Norsemen tried to invade the Scottish coast. The Norsemen decided to creep up on a Scottish clan, under the cover of darkness and surprise them. So they wouldn't wake up the Scottish warriors, they took off their shoes. As they were creeping up, a Norseman stood on a thistle and let out a yell. This alerted the Scottish warriors who defended their country in a battle called The Battle of Largs.

Websites Used:

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Thistle-National-Emblem-of-Scotland/
http://www.scotland.org/about-scotland/facts-about-scotland/population-of-scotland/
http://www.faclair.com/?txtSearch=
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thistle

Ireland and the Shamrock

In this first post, I am doing Ireland and the Shamrock. I chose this as my first post as I live in Ireland and I think its a good place to start.

The Shamrock (Seamróg)                                                                     

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock

       The shamrock is a three leaved plant,                                
       also known as a three leaved
       leaved clover. It is grown all around                      
       the world is countries like Tasmania,                    
      England and South Africa but is most                      
       famously associated with Ireland.    
                       

Ireland (Éireann)

Ireland is a small island situated just west of Great Britain. It is split into Northern Ireland, which is part of Great Britain and Southern Ireland, which is a republic. The capital is Dublin City, which is in county Dublin. There are around 4.8  million people in the South. Ireland is well known for its friendly people and amazing        culture.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Connection between Plant and Country

   Ireland is associated with the shamrock by the famous saint, St Patrick. He became a missionary to the Irish people after he was brought by pirates from England. To help the Irish to understand about the Trinity, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, he used a shamrock. He told them how the three leaves are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and that the stalk holds them all together symbolising how they are one. This was around the 4th Century A.D. During the 19th Century, people began wearing shamrocks and decorating all things Irish with them. Now, it is a popular and well recognised symbol of Ireland.      

Websites used:

www.countrymeters.info/en/ireland

www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/shamrock-plant.html

www.biography.com/people/st-patrick-9434729#synopsis

www.fantasy-ireland.com/shamrock-ledgend.html

Introduction

Hi, my name is Emma and this is my blog about the geography of plants and their countries. I am doing this blog as part of my fourth year environmental studies module. In this blog I will try to make a link in between a traditional plant and its country by explaining why the plant is related to the country. I will try to do a few points on the plant, the country, a picture of the plant and then why they are related. I will also try to put the name of the plant and the country in the native language beside the English version. I am interested in different countries around the world and will enjoy learning about their national plants. I hope you find my blog both interesting and enjoyable to read.