Tuesday 10 October 2017




 The shingle of the Chesil Beach is home to some tenacious wild plants which can cope with the harsh conditions. I took a walk along a stretch of it a couple of weeks ago when I made a flying visit to Dorset for an overnight stay.
 The top photo shows clumps of Sea Kale (Crambe maritima); the white flowers have faded to brown stalks.
 In the middle is Sea Mayweed (Matricaria maritime) which is rather reminiscent of chamomile and flowers prolifically even in late September.
 The last plant -also past flowering- looks like it might be Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum).  NB a different plant to Marsh Samphire (Salicornia europaca) which is much liked by wild foodies, though if it is Rock Samphire that too has a history as an edible.