These delightful sea pinks Armeria maritima were beginning to come into full bloom along the Durham coast at Hawthorn Hive at the weekend.
The alternative common name of sea pink is thrift, although no one seems quite sure why this came about. Richard Mabey, in his Flora Britannica, suggests that it may have been because its tufted leaves were economical with water in the windy locations where it's commonly found.
Those, like me, who are old enough to remember pre-decimalisation currency will recall that some of the old 12-sided brass threepenny pieces carried the botanical embled of a thrift plant on the back, as a reminder of the importance of being prudent with money. Bearing in mind the current economic predicament of the country, maybe it's time to use the same emblem on today's currency?
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Lovely plants Phil. This is one I do know; got some in my garden.
ReplyDeleteThreepenny bits. I remember those lo
Like Keith, I well remember those old thrupenny pieces. The sea pink is a beautiful flower, Phil.
ReplyDeleteI have thrift in a pot and I also remember the threepenny piece. Oh dear, it does show our age:-)
ReplyDeleteThere now, I have learned something new again. I was totally unaware that those were Thrift on the old 'thrupenny' bits!
ReplyDeleteHi Keith, I've grown it in the garden too - does well in my dry, sandy soil
ReplyDeleteHi Emma, there's usually a very fine display of sea pinks at low Newton, just above the tideline and down from the footpath that leads around to Football Hole - they look wonderful on a breezy, sunny day against the blue of the sea and sky...
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, it doesn't need mush soil in the wild - I've often seen it growing in cracks in rocks on cliffs, so a pot full of soil must suit it very well..
ReplyDeleteHi Toffeeapple, I really liked the old brass thrupenny bits - some of the later ones had a portcullis on the back..
ReplyDelete