Bulverhythe Beach, located between Hastings and Bexhill in East Sussex, is one of my favourite places in the whole world. And it happens to be only 1.5 miles from where I live!
Just now, on the beach, this large patch of Viper’s Bugloss (Echium vulgare) is absolutely stunning. So much so, that it inspired this post.
A sight made all the more welcome by the many bustling bees drawing on its rich nectar.
Viper’s Bugloss, found on chalk grassland, sand dunes, cliffs and disturbed ground, provides food for a range of insects, including various bees and butterflies.
Apparently, it’s so named because its spotted stem is thought to resemble a viper (adder).
I was lucky enough to catch sight (and photo) of an adder just last weekend and, personally, I can’t say I can spot any likeness, but both flower and snake fill me with delight and wonder.
As I reflected on the sight of the adder last weekend, I was reminded of Jesus’ advice to be “wise as serpents, innocent as doves” – pertinent and timely counsel for me in a current situation I find myself in, where I need to be prudent about when and how to speak up, and when to keep silent.
The Viper’s Bugloss, with its serpentine misnomer, bears an innocent beauty and generous symbiosis, in its self-giving to the many visiting nectar-gatherers, that seems to me to correlate more with the dove than the snake in Jesus’ analogy.
It reminds me of the need to hold on to integrity and kindness in challenging situations, and the power of these to overcome the negativity of others that might come against us.
Hope you enjoyed these thoughts and photos.
All Viper’s Bugloss photos were taken on 18/6/23 at Bulverhythe Beach; the adder at Park Corner Heath, East Sussex, on 11/6/23.
Spirit of Nature 