26 SEA-SIDE PLANTS. 



rocky height, but blooms during July and August, 

 in salt marshes and on muddy shores. It has fiat 

 bunches of close spikes of lavender-coloured flowers, 

 which, however, have not the perfume of the gar- 

 den lavender, and large, thick, leathery leaves, 

 about five or six inches high. It is called the 

 spreading spiked thrift, to distinguish it from a 

 third species which grows on some parts of the 

 sea-shore of Kent, at Whitehaven, on the Mull of 

 Galloway, and on some other spots, both of Eng- 

 land and Ireland ; but it is not, like the other 

 species, a common plant. This is the Upright 

 Spiked Thrift (Statice spatkulata), which has more 

 slender branches of flowers, and blossoms in August. 

 Both the last species and this are rare in Scotland, 

 and rare in every part of the United Kingdom is 

 the plant called Matted Thrift (Statice reticulata], 

 which has small, crowded, purplish-blue flowers, 

 and grows on the sea-shore at Norfolk. They 

 have all scentless blossoms, and leaves somewhat 

 succulent and of saltish flavour, but are very pretty 

 plants ; and they retain so much of their beauty 

 when dried, that they do well to mingle with the 

 groups of grasses which sometimes ornament the 

 chimney-piece. 



We do not find rich green meadows growing 

 down close by the sea-side, but the short grasses 

 which cover the cliffs or downs open to the sea- 

 breezes, have among them many lovely little 

 flowers ; and we can enjoy the music of the waves, 

 when amid our summer rambles we come upon 

 such a spot as Miss Barrett describes : 



" A nook that openeth unto 

 The glorious ocean's steadfast view, 

 Being most closely shut from all 

 Its kindred earth's sweet pastoral ! 



