A Prickly Subject

The Hedgehog Broom, Erinacea anthyllis is a very prickly subject. A dwarf shrub growing to perhaps 30cm high but capable of spreading wider, it makes a dense thicket of sharp spines from which these delicious pale purple flowers erupt in early summer. It loves a hot, dry spot and can cover itself in flowers when given optimum conditions. Native to stony slopes in southern France, Spain and north Africa, it counts as an alpine plant, being found high in the Pyrenees.

Yet another blip hurriedly snatched before a thirteen hour shift at work.