Marsh marigold at high tide

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago on the Tamar, almost at high tide. The river is fresh enough this far inland that freshwater plants like the marsh marigold can thrive, but when the tide comes racing in, there is still a huge difference in water levels. The stripes on the water are the reflections of reeds against the sky.

 

The marsh marigold is one of those amazing wildflowers that makes you kind of wonder why people bother breeding exotic flowers when something like this will come and grow randomly in a ditch (or a river).

State of the garden in May : the Volunteers

 ( photos of deliberate and accidental contributors to the garden )