Drop dead beautiful

Digitalis purpurea, the common Foxglove.

Looking at the image, its difficult to belief that just a nibble on the leaves or flower is sufficient to cause death. Due to its deadly repuation it is also known as Dead Man’s Bells and Witches’ Gloves

But its not all bad news, since the eighteenth century digitalis has been used to treat heart conditions.

Dead centre

The photograph was taken in Stepney Street, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales, but it could have been taken in any one of over a hundred towns in the UK, where the town centre is in terminal decline – retail outlets having moved out to out-of-town shopping centres. Meanwhile the town planners site in their offices like eunuchs at an orgy.