The rather curious spiny leaves of the sea-holly, which attract no less by their glaucous colour than their challenge of war. They are positively dangerous and remind me of our ‘marshmellow bushes’ that grow wild on our mountains back home.  We nicknamed them such when having to walk through a knee high forest of them.  They scratched us to ribbons and we decided the only way through this misery was to pretend they were soft and marshmellowy.   When in flower the plant has a fine, daring sort of beauty, you want to reach out and touch their intriguing quirky attractiveness and when you do, you are rewarded by being stabbed by their spiny leaves and flower.  A little like the story of the thistle that the invading Dane trod upon, and when, by reason of his cry of pain warning the Scots of their presence, the plant was promoted to the banner of Scotland. This Sea-holly may look a little like a thistle, but that is where the similarity ends.  In reality its familial alliance is with the hemlocks. Much like the thistle though it does arm itself for defense against all ordinary foes with a very prickly exterior.

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo)

A4 Artists sketch paper

pencil crayon and B pencil

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo) close-up #1

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo) close-up #2

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo) close-up #3

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo) close-up #4

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo) close-up #5

Sea-holly (Amethyst eryngo) close-up #6