Garden Border

Further to the letter from a reader (19 November) about the Scottish bluebell picture used in the paper (18 November), 
I write to confirm that The
Scotsman did actually use the correct photograph. The confusion was caused by the caption which simply stated “bluebell”. It should have read “Scottish 
bluebell”.

The Scottish bluebell Campanula rotundifolia is also known as the harebell.

This species was nominated because of its Scottish association reflected in its name. The bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, which grows from a bulb, has often been called wild hyacinth to distinguish it from the Scottish Bluebell. In Monday’s Scotsman, the “Scottish primrose” should also have been captioned as such rather than just “primrose”, which again is a different flower.

Heather McHaffie

Science Conservation 
Officer

Royal Botanic Garden 
Edinburgh

Congratulations on correctly picturing the Scottish bluebell in your piece, “Scots pine is 
nation’s favourite tree”.

Our local newspaper got it wrong, printing an image of the wild hyacinth (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), but corrected this error in Tuesday’s issue.

Black mark though, for printing Ms Ewen’s letter on Tuesday, which advised that you got it wrong; it is she who is under a misapprehension. The wild hyacinth is a bluebell in England, but in Scotland, a bluebell refers to the harebell, Campanula rotundifolia, as correctly identified in your original story.

Ken Gow

Bridge of Canny

Banchory

I would have to disagree with your correspondent Catherine J Ewen. What the English call a harebell is correctly known in Scotland as the Scots bluebell.

What the English call a bluebell is correctly known in Scotland as a wild hyacinth, or so I have been brought up to understand. On this basis The Scotsman report is accurate.

John Nisbet

Auchencrow Mains

Reston

Catherine Ewen errs in her letter about bluebells. The Campanula rotundifolia, which she refers to as a harebell, is known as a bluebell in Scotland. What is known as a bluebell in England, the Hyacinthoides nonscriptus, is called a wild hyacinth here in Scotland. This is why scientists prefer to stick to the latinised botanical names, thus avoiding confusion.

Alison Halley

Newbattle Abbey Crescent

Dalkeith

The Scotsman was right the first time with its photo: the Scots bluebell is in fact the harebell; the other is an English bluebell, something quite different.

Chambers’ Dictionary gives a very clear definition: bluebell – in southern England the wood hyacinth; in Scotland and northern England the harebell. So please go back to your original photo!

Irene Noble

Darnell Road

Edinburgh

With regard to the identity of the bluebell, Chambers’ Dictionary states: “in south England 
the wood hyacinth; in Scotland and north England the 
harebell”. Scottish Bluebell 
Matches featured the Scottish bluebell on the box.

Brian Morrison

Dixon Terrace

Pitlochry