The first picture fascinates me: the abundant, varied life; the colours and forms; how snugly these carpeting plants fit together; the apparent harmony, nothing swamping the other; how dainty they all are. I’d love to see this natural design translated into a fabric.
The second is a mystery. A fossil of some kind – a coral, though it looks too round for that, or a sea creature? If you know what it is, please let me know.
I’m sharing these tiny spiky things for Becky’s March Squares. Why not pop over and join in the fun?
Susan Rushton 
I believe your second photograph shows a brain coral. Compare the pictures at
https://tinyurl.com/y4psdpg2.
I collected a few similar to yours on the Caribbean coast of Honduras when I lived in that country 50 years ago.
As for the first image, I’m with you in thinking you’ve got the makings of a great fabric design.
That was my guess; brain coral.
Thanks for the suggestion Steve. I’ll check it out!
🙂 Spiky and beautiful!
Glad you liked it 🙂
Good shots. Can’t help with identification
The general consensus is that it is a brain coral.
Some sort of lichen? I love the top picture. So much to look at.
It’s hard like a rock. Readers have been suggesting brain coral.
What a cool name.
Isn’t it wonderful how Nature obliges us when we look for something specific like spikiness? So many different kinds! I do love the “snugly” aspect of those tiny plants. I can’t help at all with the fossil, but it’s a wondrous contrast to the flowery carpet!
They are nestling very close. I imagine it started life as artful planting. I saw it at The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.
The first photo looks like echinoderms/sea urchins. I am amazed by this.
For the second, I must share a teacher story. I have an old piece of brain coral like that. I used to pass it around my science classes. Now I taught for many years( high school, college and middle school), so thousands of hands had handled that piece of coral. As it went around in my 8th grade science class, I watched in horror as a boy licked it. Did I mention that I am also a germo-phobe? I called his mother.
I’ve never seen a coral reef but these plants and succulents do look like something you might see under water. The story made me smile, especially imagining what his mother might have thought when she got your call. The boy must have a first rate immune system, perhaps further primed by your brain coral!
Can you imagine what the mother told the father? Teacher called…he’s been licking things at school…
Indeed these plants seem to create a perfect design. I wonder what this little spiky things are? Are these flowers and what kind or maybe leaves?
I haven’t a clue, I’m afraid. They were a mix of succulents and tiny rock garden plants growing near the greenhouse area at The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.
Thank you for getting back to me. Anyway, they really look great and create so beautiful pattern.
Very pretty. The only tiny spiky things we have around here are snowflakes.
We had sleet and hail a couple of days ago, but nothing photogenic.
That mystery fossil makes for a fantastic texture in an image. So interesting. I’ve never heard of Brain Coral, but hopefully that’s the correct identification.
Readers are overwhelmingly suggesting that.
Love ’em!
Thanks, Laurie.
Nature’s patterns are wondrous. Agree, the first could be a fabric. Fascinating photos, Susan. 🙂
A fabric designer would need a blend of skill and patience to complete it! I’ve seen a few really nice botanical patterns for Spring 19, but have baulked at the prices.
oh these are amazing . . .and my profuse apologies for not visiting before now. WordPress didn’t notify me and so only discovered these beauties by chance today.
No need to apologise, but always nice to see you here!