Heather

I've been wanting to go up the hill behind our house to look at the heather in bloom but today was my first real opportunity. It was raining, so not ideal for taking photos, but I took some anyway. It was better in close-up as the light wasn't very good.
Apparently we have 75% of the world's heather moorland in this country. It's an important habitat for wildlife, and heather also has other uses.. it used to be used to make besoms (brooms) and hence its Latin name Calluna Vulgaris (Calluna meaning 'swept clean'). It has been used to make a yellow dye for wool and to tan leather. It was also used to flavor beer in the Middle Ages. Heather honey is my favourite kind, with a strong, smoky taste.
It's also, apparently, one of the two national flowers of Norway...