Plant of My Land: Ukraine

Plant of My Land is a BOTANY and other stories project. It asks people who live in Hay-on-Wye and the surrounding area – whether British or born elsewhere in the world – what is the plant that they associate with their country.

Ruslana is Ukrainian and lived for a time in Hay-on-Wye during 2022–23.

When I think of Ukraine, I think of... Wheat Spikes

У мене Україна асоціюється з пшеничним колоском, тому що я дуже часто проїжджаючи по Україні бачила його, або ж із соняшником, побачивши його я відразу згадую про свій будинок, про друзів або сім’ю, саме з цими рослинами у мене теплі, яскраві, і приємні спогади.

Ukrayina u mene asotsiyuyet’sya z kolosom pshenytsi, tomu shcho ya yoho duzhe chasto bachyv podorozhuyuchy Ukrayinoyu, abo sonyashnykom, koly ya yoho bachu, ya vidrazu z·haduyu budynok, druziv chy rodynu, same z tsymy roslynamy u mene teply, yaskravi, e pryyemny spohady.

I associate Ukraine with wheat spike, because I saw it very often when travelling around Ukraine, or sunflower – when I see it, I immediately remember the house, friends or family. It is with these plants that I have warm, bright and pleasant memories.