I’ve always loved it when I come across an old wall, because they look so much nicer than new ones.
They may be crumbling, and in need of work but there’s something very peaceful and attractive about them, don’t you think? I love the way time softens and enhances the colours of the stone or brick, and it’s particularly nice when the wall isn’t made all of the same colour materials.
And I love the way, as time passes and cracks and chinks appear, and the surface flakes, plants find a toehold and take root. I suppose mostly it’s down to seeds carried on the wind, or birds dropping them as they pass - or even mice letting one or two slip on the way to wherever they’re going.
Whatever the reason, you see a surprising variety of plants living in whatever tiny space they can find between bricks or slabs of stone and I thought I’d take a few pictures.
All these have been taken over the last week, just out and about around the village while I’m dog-walking.
The plant at the top with the yellow flowers and ferny leaves is Corydalis Lutea, which originated in Southern Europe but which now grows wild in many places here in England. I’ve seen it in gardens, where it grows into quite a nice cushion-shaped plant, but I think it’s actually a wildflower.
Between the kerbstones, right down there on the ground, the fleshy leaved ’succulent’ type plant with the pointy yellow tips (on the right here) is Sedum Acre, otherwise known as Wallpepper, or Biting Stonecrop. The pointy ends will open into star-shaped yellow flowers very soon. Again, it is used as a garden plant, but this one is a bona fide wildflower.
Another escapee which now grows wild is Ivy-Leaved Toadflax. As you may have guessed, that’s the one up there with the .. um … ivy-shaped leaves! The flower is almost like a tiny viola - very pretty.
Lastly, the ferns growing in the wall - this was in someone’s property, not quite a garden area, but not accessible from the road. I’m not good at identifying ferns, so I have no idea what it is, except to say it looks a bit like one of my houseplants, which is a Nephrolepis.
There used to be a wall in dire need of maintenance which we passed on the way back through the village after our field walk. It supported an amazing variety of plants from mosses and lichens to tufts of grass, all of the plants shown here, and even snapdragons and wallflowers. Sadly, last summer, the owners did re-point it and now it’s fairly barren.
Oh well. I guess the plants will re-establish over time, and meanwhile, we don’t want the wall falling on anyone, do we?
I have always loved those old houses, where someone with extreme forethought, planted ivy at the bottom, and as time marches on, it grows to cover the walls all the way to the roof. I don’t know why it’s so appealing to see a house that looks more like a plant then a home, but I would love to live in one of them. Unfortunately, high desert isn’t to agreeable towards that kind of look.
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If there’s one thing that turns me off, it’s a perfectly symmetrical and manicured set up. I like messy. I like natural. I like big rambling gardens. And rock walls? Love ‘em.
Peace - D
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Modern walls just can’t replicate it. I really love that kerbside succulent …. the sort of treasures one can almost see in an inner city if only we stopped and focused.
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Our garden walls are like that, and the split concrete paths, neglected and left to their own devices, they are crumbling but never sad. I have a dandelion lawn too, complete with long stemmed buttercups and lesser stemmed daisies, the grass is long and seeding - a complete tangle, and I love it.
How wonderful to know there are others who find such things beautiful.
Hi Jay,
I love that sort of thing too. One of my favorite things is old lots that still have mysterious steps leading up from the sidewalk . . . and nothing else. It always makes me wonder about the past lives.
Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I enjoyed the chance to explore yours. I read a couple of posts and the explanation of the blog name. I enjoy your attitude.
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JT - Oh, I love an ivy clad house! Or one with wisteria climbing all over! Sadly we can’t have that because ours is a breeze block house with rendering and needs painting regularly, but we do have a wisteria climbing over the fence and shed. It also climbs the pear tree, along with a clematis, which looks wonderful when they’re in flower.
DP Momma - I like messy, too! I like things to look natural, and I like shrubs and trees and garden flowers in their own original colours, too. Blue bluebells and hyacinths, plain yellow daffodils, white lilac, purple pansies. They soothe the soul.
Doris - Exactly! It’s amazing what you see when you take the time to look. I notice a lot of things when my dogs are busy sniffing, and having a blog makes you take more notice, doesn’t it?
Shrinky - I’d love your garden - my lawn is the same. Dandelions, daisies, violets, primroses .. OK, there’s moss too, which isn’t so good, but I’d rather have that than totally manicured. OH doesn’t quite see it that way though!
Ruth - Thanks for visiting, and for your nice comments! I love odd things like that, too. Doors halfway up walls, we see that sometimes when a place used to be a warehouse. It fascinates me, and always makes me think about who used to live or work there. I’ve added your blog to my RSS, so I can read more!
Thanks, Jay. I added your feed to my reader too.
Ruth Hull Chatliens last blog post..More Good News from Bad
Like you I adore seeing these beautiful things growing wild, and I love old walls. I particularly love to see exposed brick inside a house or building. And I think one of the most wonderful things in the world is a walled garden. Thanks for those gorgeous pictures!
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I’ve always wanted a wall, just so that I can plant things on it and in it. That is one of the things that I dislike about being on the West coast of Canada - most things here are just too new and as soon as anything starts to even look as though it might have some character, it gets torn down and something nice and shiny and new goes up in its place.
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very nice photos Jay! I love rock walls, we dont have many on this side of the US. the east coast has many rock walls.
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Hi Jay,
I like your photos. I love the old rock walls. Come Spring each year provides a fresh and exciting landscape.
Mother Nature is the best gardener, isn’t she?
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big big smile I once had one tiny white viola that lived perpendicularly to my house all summer on the wall.When I see this it is the survival aspect that touches me. Make a gallery show of this theme. I just love it and will look at it again and again all day !!! sandy
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Thanks, Jenny - I’ve never had a walled garden, but wouldn’t it be lovely?
DBM - I knew everything looked pretty new up there on the west coast of Canada, but I didn’t know you guys just didn’t let anything GET old! LOL!
Dawn - Thanks! No rock walls there, either?
Barbara - Hi! Yes, Mother Nature does pretty well, left to herself. Thanks!
Sandy - I don’t have a gallery, but I’m thinking about it! Will have to ask Techie Guy!
It makes me wonder what stories those walls have witnessed. Have lovers met here? Perhaps young ones that lost touch with each other and then met up again when they were old? Perhaps a child hid a treasure here. Maybe a crime was committed.
You never really know.
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I love old things for photographing…they make for such great photos with intricate detail. the first picture is absolutely beautiful. love the yellow color against the gray background and the cracks make it work. nice one.
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Anna - Hi! Nice to see you here! Yes, indeed. As I was writing this piece I was thinking of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, where the country folk are performing their play within the play, and one character is the ‘chink in the wall’ for two lovers to whisper through. Makes you think .. many of these things were here before us, and will be here after we’re gone.
Natural - Thank you! I love taking pics of old things, and natural stone with plants just seems to work so well.