I grew up in a northern town in Canada. Not unlike many small northern towns, mine was once fueled by the pulp and paper mills ie. the forest industry. Mine was the kind of town that though it totes over one hundred and twenty seven parks, it would be better known for cutting down trees and then naming streets after them! Name a tree, go ahead i'll wait.....name a tree and Prince George had a street of the same name (I myself lived on Oak street for a spell in my youth).
It is Gorse street though that inspires our adventure today!
I am now living in Edinburgh, Scotland and have finally encountered the namesake for a street in an older subdivision of my home town. Upon walking around Arthur's seat which is situated within Hollyrood (or Queens) Park, one is confronted with rock faces, rolling hills and walking trails, all lined with yellow flowers. Enter Gorse, a highly spiney native evergreen shrub that is as common here as bagpipers in shopping malls. Gorse spends most of its year flowering and when it is not providing protection for birds and insects or helping out with hedging for farmers, it is successful in scenting the air with a coconut like fragrance and adding some colour to the rugged hillsides.
Gorse, a fine name for a street and a fine find for a forager like me.....
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thoughts