There is a slipway that I can access the river by, saving me the walk along the Thames. Once again I am grateful to my friend for her waders as, stepping off the side of the ramp (the submerged ramp looked too slippery) into deep water, I lost my footing and ended up sitting, waist-high, but completely dry, in the river!
The plants that grip onto the steep river banks, surviving a twice daily submersion at high tide, have really caught my attention. Like Buddleia, that clings to gutters, walls or concrete, in derelict spaces, it is remarkable that these plants have been able to germinate and grow against all odds. They seem to represent the plant world at this time, struggling with their environment and everything it throws at them and I am drawn to their vulnerability and yet their tenacity and ability to survive.
