Where the tough guys live.

The top of the beach is a most challenging habitat and the place where the really tough guys live. Plants living here must be able to shrug off the ravages of salt spray and occasional immersion in salt water as well of deluges of fresh water, lack of shade and baking heat from the sun, desiccation, freezing winter temperatures, an unstable substrate and exposure to strong winds. One such hardy plant is the colourful Thrift Armeria maritima.


As some of you will remember, the old British threepenny coin had a thrift plant on the reverse side. Presumably to encourage thrift amongst the masses?