Colorful Irish Roadside Scenery

Colorful Irish Roadside Scenery in County Clare.

Ravishing red Fuchsias and opulent orange Montbretias  grow wild in the roadside landscape of County Clare, Ireland, though neither are native to the country.

Both plants bloom each year during mid-Summer to early Autumn — roughly July to October.

So, how in the world did flowers that originated in the Southern Hemisphere end up on the Emerald Isle?

It’s quite elementary, really.

During the days of vast estates and globetrotting Lords and Ladies, wealthy landowners constantly were in search of unique and interesting decorations for their gardens.

As border and quarantine restrictions were not widespread, if they existed at all, travelers frequently brought exotic plants home from their adventures.

Many of those plants adapted quickly to the Irish climate, and seeds spread far beyond the lavish gardens, offering up the lovely annual roadside displays we see now.