Amazingness

High Walkway, Heygate Estate (3), London, SE17

For a while I was simply enjoying this line of green; mosses and grasses and a variety of other little plants, neatly nestling all in a row at the top of the stairs.

I walked away briefly to check out some lichen growing on a wall, and when I came back I noticed the shadows of the railings zigzagging up the stairs, mirroring each other and crossing at the top, like a big arrow. How very cool, I thought, and photographed it.

It was only when I got to the top of these stairs and looked back that it occurred to me that this was all a little odd.

Two bright light sources, out in the open, on such a sunshiny day?! What was going on?

Looking upwards to investigate, I discovered why. The sun was shining from two places! Not only was it shining directly down from the sky, but it was also bouncing off one of the big windows, high up on the massive Ashenden tower block, and shining down from there just as brightly.

It was only for a matter of minutes that the sun, the window and the railings were in such perfect alignment. The earth kept turning and very quickly the christmas tree had disappeared. Until the next sunny day at approximately the same time…

High Walkway, Heygate Estate (2), London, SE17

I don’t know, but I’m lichen* it.

*The standard pronunciation of lichen = [lie-k’n]

Chearsley 21-40, Heygate Estate (1), London, SE17

Taking a spur of the moment detour on my way home today, I cycled up the ramp on to the high concrete walkways of the Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle – a large and infamous housing estate, currently standing empty, all boarded up, awaiting demolition.

I’ve been wanting to explore it for ages, as I pass it often, and am inexplicably drawn to such places. I was not disappointed. It was Amazingness heaven!

Admittedly it was a bright sunshiny day today (after a big wet downpour), and I didn’t have to concern myself with exploring the potentially depressing, abandoned interiors because everything was boarded up.

I had expected to find lots of Amazingness, but the whole estate was way more peaceful and enchanting than I had imagined it would be. There were loads of green spaces, and not just barren grassy spaces, but places full of gorgeous trees, and all sorts of other growing things all over the place.

I even discovered some allotments. It turns out that some people – the Mobile Elephant Gardeners – have started planting up some of the ex-gardens and are growing food. It’s going to be another fifteen years or so before full demolition and redevelopment takes place, so they are making the most of it. And, according to MET police statistics, crime and anti-social behaviour on the site have declined significantly since they began gardening there.

Coming home, I investigated further. It turns out that there are over 400 mature trees growing there! Half of these are scheduled for demolition under the current redevelopment plans. Luckily, there is an organisation called Elephant and Castle Urban Forest who are campaigning to protect this secret woodland. All fingers crossed for the trees please.

Electric Avenue, London, SW9

Like an angler fish, dangling a brightly-lit lure into the darkness, is there a monster hiding behind these two friendly little leaves, waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting and curious visitor?

Would I have got my fingers chomped if I’d given these leaves a little feel? I can only imagine!

Valmar Road (3), London, SE5

Proof that light travels in straight lines.

Valmar Road (2), London, SE5

The radially symmetrical growth of this plant really grabbed my attention – all those bright red stems growing straight outwards to form a perfect circle of green leaves.

However, despite being amazing, radial symmetry isn’t actually an unusual characteristic for growing things to demonstrate, especially plants.

Animals, on the other hand, are more often bilaterally symmetrical, whilst crossword puzzle grids are rotationally symmetrical.

Some other things that are radially symmetrical:
The gills of a mushroom
Wheels with spokes
Crystal Chandeliers
Loads of flowers, like daisies and passion flowers
Inside a lemon cut width-ways
Rose Windows
Starfish
Snowflakes

Pitman Street, London, SE5

A: A few weeks later, a beautiful and blossoming plant climbs out.

Hertford Union Canal (2), between Parnell Road Footbridge and Gunmakers Lane, London, E3

I emerged from under the bridge and continued along the canal towpath, taking in the joys of sunshine, water and the many growing things.

I spied these yellow flowers pointing out over the canal, and, leaning over the edge somewhat to investigate, I encountered this deep and dreamy, starry sky.

A Duckweed Galaxy.

Hertford Union Canal (1), under East Cross Route, London, E3

A couple of days ago, in the beautiful sunshine, I took a little wander along the canal towpath, from underneath East Cross Route on the Hertford Union Canal, to Old Ford Lock on Regent’s Canal.

I particularly love all the sections which are underneath bridges. The structures are always really interesting, be it stripy and metal like this one, or curvy and brick like some others. There is invariably colourful graffiti adorning the walls, and plants growing in or on the water as well as in or on the walls.

And then there are the reflections…the crowning glory, turning the whole thing into an amazing and delightful, immersive and three dimensional, sensory experience.

Morna Road, London, SE5

During a break from the rain early this evening, I popped out on a little mission to join my local library.

Raindrops were still dripping from trees and awnings, and the pavement was wet and glistening.

I spied this leaf as I walked quickly past it…but it wasn’t more than a few steps later that I felt the need to return.

I had to take a closer look at so many water droplets, all glinting at me from this one little leaf.