Let’s celebrate midsummer in a nature friendly way! Advices of the Latvian Fund for Nature for a nature friendly midsummer celebration Walking through the St. John’s meadow and picking flowers for midsummer crowns and for decorating our home, the Latvian Fund for Nature asks to bear in mind that among all good St. John’s herbs are flowers that better remain unpicked to blossom and to increase the richness of our meadows. Let’s celebrate midsummer in a nature friendly way! Advices of the Latvian Fund for Nature for a nature friendly midsummer celebration
All good St. John’s herbs, That are picked on St. John’s evening Walking through the St. John’s meadow and picking flowers for midsummer crowns and for decorating our home, the Latvian Fund for Nature asks to bear in mind that among all good St. John’s herbs are flowers that better remain unpicked to blossom and to increase the richness of our meadows. Butterfly orchids are already mentioned in folk songs as genuine St. John’s herbs, but as all other orchids they have to be left flowering not only because of their official protection status, but also then, if we feel and live nature friendly. Every Butterfly orchid needs long time to come into flower, - in the ground the tiny seed of the orchid first of all has to meet a special fungi species, which supplies it with the needed nutrients. Despite this support at least five years pass until the attractive smelling Butterfly orchid in the middle of the summer during nightfall can invite night insects to a nectar banquet. Picked it scents only a short time until it is thrown out, being unable to mature its seeds. We also ask not to pick the slender and graceful wild Siberian iris, which grows in marsh areas.  | | Siberian iris | Blossoming with blue flowers, it appears as if this wonder came from another world to our flowers’ realm. We can be proud of the wild gladiolus growing the most far in the north as well – preserve the Shingled Gladiolus! Man has diminished the area of floodplain meadows in Latvia suitable for it to the half. This crimson minigladiolus, as if originated from an ancient flowerbed, gives an exotic tone to Latvia’s Nordic meadows. As folklorists invite to learn at least one new midsummer song every year, so that the songs in the midsummer night as far as possible sound more splendid and polyphone, the Latvian Fund for Nature asks – look for a key-book and learn to determine every flower that is plaited into the midsummer crown this year. Before going to the St. John’s meadow, take Latvia’s Red List, look at the species’ encyclopaedia www.latvijasdaba.lv in the internet (also in English language) and also without scientific consciousness listen to your heart: - Midsummer is the best time to teach your children with a nature friendly attitude. Go together to pick St. John’s herbs and do this with respect to Latvia’s nature.
- Do not pick the only flower of a meadow, how gorgeous it may be. Allow that next year in that place already a bigger number of flowers will be blooming!
- Do not eradicate flowers, but cut or pick them carefully!
- Leave at least one third of the flowers of all plant species – for the joy of insects, seeds, other St. John’s children and your own!
- Be aware of the fact that not all others are as sensible as you are, therefore – DO NOT BUY PROTECTED SPECIES ON THE MARKET!
Jolly midsummer celebration! | 
