This will give the public an opportunity to get to know not only meadow plants, but also natural meadows as such, which have remained on only 0.9% of the territory of Latvia, the LDF said.
To take part in the competition, you need to make a wreath from typical plants of natural meadows - daisies, buttercups, lady's bedstraw, wormwood, yarrow, cow wheat, clover, and others. Take a picture and post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, tagging the Latvian Fund for Nature (Latvijas Dabas fonds). You can also send it to [email protected]. The competition will run until June 28, when experts from the Latvian Fund for Nature will select the authors of the wreaths that will receive "meadow-related prizes" (perhaps a bee?).
The Latvian Fund for Nature stressed, however, that when picking plants for wreaths, it is important to remember not to pick protected plants such as early-purple orchids, butterfly orchids and shingled gladioli. Even if it looks like there are plenty.
Also, plants must not be pulled up by the roots, but plucked or cut with scissors, and picked evenly across the meadow, rather than in one concentrated area.
The Latvian Fund for Nature has also prepared a number of instructions for wreath making, with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the diversity of plants. For example, the "Crown for Summer" wreath can be made from plants that flower throughout the summer and can be found in natural meadows as well as in clearings and roadsides. The 'Queen of the Meadow' is a wreath made from plants that are found almost exclusively in natural meadows.
Click to enlarge:
