Riverbank with wildflowers

 

Ellie in July 2011

Ellie (our dog) has thick fur. In this heat, she pants even when sitting still. So today I took her to our local National Trust park where there’s a river. I don’t normally go there because I meet people and I have to stop and talk to them. I prefer my walks to be solitary.

Ellie gets very excited when she realises where we are stopping. When she sees the river she races in. Unfortunately she doesn’t swim and doesn’t even like the water coming up further than the top of her legs. (I think it’s because she was swept away by a river in flood when a puppy, for which I blame myself.)

We both enjoyed a paddle however and here is a view of the riverbank with wildflowers.

In the centre Purple loosestrife and Tansy (the yellow flower). On the left Yarrow (the white flower) and Himalayan balsam, the latter a foreign invader which has escaped from gardens and is taking over from native flora (don't get me started . . . )