On a wintery walk on the north-western tip of Cornwall, at The Crowns, Botallack, I was struck by the contrast between the grand scale of the landscape and coastline, with it's geological and industrial heritage, and the tiny plants that inhabit it.
The great cliffs and rock runs...
...the swirling coves and screaming gulls...
…and the cement that holds it all together - the tiny plants. Mosses, lichens, sedums, plantains, sedges, and thrifts.
They create a beautiful patchwork of colours and textures, wedged into crevices and nooks, clinging to any surface that they can.
Perfect inspiration for needlework or art!
And essential to holding together the shoreline and protecting it from erosion. The sea thrift above has stabilised the ground, and the un-colonised area below has been worn away by wind and weather, creating great overhangs and outcrops.
So these tiny plants are a wonder. They withstand dramatic weather conditions and high levels of exposure, are incredibly useful and highly decorative.
So let's hear it for the mini plants that keep going all year round and make our most dramatic coastal landscapes possible.
If you're interested in Cornish Coastal Path Walks then click here and head for Western Cornwall.
Thrift seed heads against wind stunted heathers.
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