England.
The Thames.
1909.
Aug. 9 [August 9, 1909]
(No 2)
  Throughout its course the river is fringed nearly everywhere
with tall dark green flags and bull rushes intermingled with
a feathery-foliaged, cane-like plant which I take to be the
same as that (Phragmites?) which grows along Alewife Brook.
Where the banks are fine and well defined this belt of 
semi aquatic vegetation is confined to the water's edge and is only
a yard or less in breadth. It widens out where they are low &
marshy and about the lagoons, of which there are many extending
well back from the river, often covers an acre or more in extent.
In very many places along the higher banks are thickets of hawthorn
and scattered trees and dotted over the rich meadow lands, especially
near villages, magnificent elms. Where the forest comes to the
river tall oaks, ashes, beeches and alders (almost if not quite as
tall & spread and heavy-trunked as the largest oaks) extend their
long drooping branches far out & low down over the water.
Everywhere the foliage is rich & perfect with no trace of injury
by insects and rarely a yellow or faded leaf. In color it is a
decidedly darker & more sombre green than that of our New England
woods. An exception to this rule is afforded by the willows,
everywhere abundant along the river and in places bordering
it for half a mile or more on one or both banks. They
are mostly white willows, I think, and, like ours, their
foliage is of a rather yellowish green. The walls of foliage
afforded by the "hanging" woods along the river are denser,
more luxuriant and in every way finer than any I have
ever seen in America but there are fewer kinds of trees than with us.
Vegetation
  The wild flowers along the river were abundant &
very attractive. Most beautiful of all & very common & widespread
was the Purple Loosestrife. The Willow Herb with pale purple
& mallow-like flowers was equally common. Yarrow (the pink form
common), Tansy, Buttercups, Hawk weed, Meadow Sweet & White weed
seen everywhere. No Golden rod except in gardens.
Flowers.