BITS AND PIECES ROUND THE PARK

The two swans that arrived on the lake a few days ago are still here, and look very settled. However, it has been fiendishly difficult to get a photograph of them together, but there are definitely two, and they look pretty much identical! Taking photos with a dog on a lead is very difficult, and I don't always take my camera with me. When I don't, I can guarantee there will be something I wanted to take!




This is the view we see as we come out of the gate from our garden into the park. On a fine weekend you have to be careful not to get hit by flying golf balls, as we are directly opposite the third green! However, it has all been looking very nice since the grass was mown, and the sun shone!




The May (Hawthorn) trees are in full bloom, this particular one looks really lovely by the lake. Yes, that is my dog, Max, standing mournfully at the extent of the lead, waiting for me to get a move on!




The variegated holly bush sends out lovely little pink new leaves.




And despite being snowed under, walked over and sledged on in the winter, the pansies have made a great show down by the bandstand!

The weather has turned quite cold again, but I really must get out with my camera again soon! You are probably all wondering if I ever do anything but walk round the park! Well, yes, I do sometimes! ;)

OUR PURPLE PHASE !

The alliums have come out en masse plus the aquilegias, so we have a purple patch!




I love them close up, the tiny flowers are so intricate.

We have two visitors to the Park - two swans are on the Lake! I do hope they stay. The last two were driven off by vandals, one was shot, and the other pined. Swans mate for life. How can people be so wicked? I will take my camera next time I go down there so you can see them. Not that swans are rare or anything, but they are so beautiful.

ROUND THE GARDEN

Thought you might like a short walk around our garden. Come in at the front, and this is probably the best it will look! The broom nearest the front door is magnificent, and the scent hits you as you come out of the door! The tree is called a Bird Cherry, but why I have no idea, as it certainly isn't a cherry, and doesn't have fruit for the birds! it just looks lovely in the Spring.




Looking up into the tree all you can see is a mass of white.




The bluebells next to the broom make a good contrast.




A close-up of the broom flowers.




At the back, the patio plants are the first you see, the pansies are very good this year, despite the bad weather we had in the winter.




I think this is my favourite colour!




The Dicentras are doing well, they are so reliable and come up every year with their little hanging flowers.




And down the end of the garden, the ferns are uncurling fast. They are huge plants now, and really fill that5 bed at the end. Which is a good thing!

HAPPY EASTER !

I love tulips, and I am really pleased the way these two pots have turned out. Though I do wish I had put more of the two-colour yellow and dark red ones in so that they made a fatter sort of display.

It is really hot here, especially for April, and everything is coming out and fading away so quickly. I have roses in bud already, and a pretty mauve daisy plant has flowered and before I could dead-head it, finished itself off!

It makes me wonder what will be left to bloom in June? And though I hate to put a dampner on the holidays, I do wish we could have a really good downpour. The gardens are so dry.

However, I shall enjoy the sun, and my garden, and wish you all a very happy Easter!

TREES

I love trees - and I was delighted that Carmi's Thematic Challenge is TREES this week.






We used to live in the Chiltern Beechwoods, and I think beeches are one of the most beautiful trees. There is a huge one in the park, with lovely roots, full of hollows and "hidey holes" that we played with when we were children.



And this is the same beech tree in the snow.




I like trees too, in misty or foggy mornings, when everything is quiet, and you can hear the drips off the leaves falling on the ground. Sometimes they are just beautiful, sometimes quite spooky.




The patterns formed by the branches fascinate me. These fanned willow branches result from coppicing the trees to get straight wood for fencing, or basket work. Though I think this particular willow was last coppiced a long time ago!



And just for the memory - my sister and I many, many years ago, swinging on the branch of a beech tree near our home.

WINDOWS

Carmi's Thematic Challenge this week is WINDOWS.

The very large block of windows is at the new Learning Zone (aka known as a rebuilt school and College). They attracted me because of the reflections of the other houses and windows on the far side of the road across the car park and bit of grass. There are new windows over there, plus some rather lovely Victorian houses. The road there, which is one of the main roads out of town is very much an "all sorts" when it comes to architecture. Modern houses squeezed into odd plots and a wonderful terrace of Victorian houses, with gables, known locally as the "Twelve Apostles (there being 12 houses, of course!)




This little window, a complete contrast to the above, was taken in Bruges last year. I loved all the "extras" for what is really just an attic window. Most of the old houses there had decorated windows like this, and Bruges was a great place to go for window watchers! As well as people watchers, church lovers and chocoholics. Every other shop seemed to be a chocolate shop.

In fact, talking of windows, how about this for a drool-making window display?

SPRING SUNSHINE

It doesn't seem a week since I last posted! Where does the time go? its not that I've been particularly busy, but lots of little things take up just as much time as big ones! And life can get on top of you too.

The pansies, however, survived being buried in snow, frozen by frosts and cut by harsh winds, and still they come up blooming! They are just getting into their stride now.




My early tulips have come along apace now the sunshine is here. I'm expecting bright red blooms very soon.




The daffodils we "inherited" when we moved in are still making a great show, even after 17 years. Most of those inherited daffodils are very pale, and look lovely against the sun. I've planted other, more yellow blooms to mix with them.




I took this merely because I loved the gentle colours. We do not normally encourage brambles in our garden, but its not doing any harm down the end by the compost bins!




And this is Max, enjoying the sun sitting at the front of the summer house. He was clipped the other day, so from looking like a shaggy hearthrug, he has gone to become a very handsome dog!

Not much to post here, but its Mothering Sunday today, and we are going to my daughter's for lunch. I am going to make the most of being pampered a little bit!