Monday 27 May 2013

Looking Back to Early May - Sunshine and Blossom at Last!




It is hard to believe how long ago my last blog post was. We seem to have had a very busy month or two since Mr DW retired in the middle of March. In April we were glad to escape from the seemingly eternal winter of England and we spent a wonderful week in Italy. Just before we set off, I realised that my camera was not well, so our holiday photos were mostly taken by Mr DW and I`m hoping to post them soon.

I took these photos in the first week of May, soon after we returned from Italy. It proved to be the last time that my camera worked at all! I`m now in the process of learning to use a more complicated one......

Here is a short walk around the garden when the sun had come out at last and when the first flowers were opening their buds.  Above is the pink cherry which grows near our front door. Always an early tree to blossom, its branches hummed with honey bees and bumble bees during the sunnier days of May. The scent of cherry blossom hung in the air.


Below are the bright orange blooms of  berberis......


early daisies in the grass.......




....and masses of white pear blossom on a tree beside the wall.




Old Ginger Man followed me around the garden, luxuriating in the warm spring sunshine.





Purple pansies turned their faces skywards.




The heady scent of Viburnam carlesii, with its vibrant white blooms, perfumed the garden.




A pale lemon daffodil was caught in the light.




A happy cat sunbathed.




Viola.....





Forget-me-not..........




Viburnum.......





and Magnolia stellata shone in bright sunlight.







A few spears of Solomons Seal pierced the earth .........




....and a contented cat walked on last year`s leaves in dappled shade.





12 comments:

Goosey said...

Nice spring pictures. Your pear tree is full of blossom but mine has none this year, the apple tree is full of blossom but the pear has nothing. Not sure why. Oh we'll, at least we'll have apples!

Kath said...

lovely. That magnolia is quite stunning.

Bovey Belle said...

Good to see you back again (though we have met in the meantime!!!)

Your garden looks beautiful - I always love the way it flows and you have some beautiful plantings. I have GAPS - mostly my favourite things which have died over the past couple of winters too. However, it IS Aquilegia time and I plan to fill the gaps . . .

Ragged Robin said...

Lovely to see the Spring blossom and flowers - you are doing well with your new camera :) Old Ginger Man looks very happy :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

I wondered whether you had stopped blogging DW - I noticed that you were at the bottom of my blog list. Glad you have moved to the top. Lovely photos of your garden.

The Weaver of Grass said...

What a coincidence DW - Washingborough is the village where I was born and where I spent the first twenty odd years of my life.
Wonder if I knew the family.

Down by the sea said...

Your spring pictures are wonderful, I'm sorry you had problems with your camera I have missed seeing your posts.
Sarah x

ChrisJ said...

So glad you are back to blogging again. I always love your photographs. What a lot of beautiful blooms! It's good to see you are in the south of England. I didn't know magnolias grew in England. I love to see the English daisies. We don't get them where we live. I think they might grow on the east coast or perhaps up in Washington. But who can imagine summer without daisies? The violas too are gorgeous. You are doing well with whichever camera you use!

Em Parkinson said...

Lovely to have you back and to hear you've had a good time away. Gorgeous photos....I still think you should put them on the extra large setting! Those Viola are absolutely beautiful; I don't think I've ever seen them that particular colour. Welcome back!

Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] said...

Gorgeous photos. I have been lucky enough to move into a house with a lovely garden and I'm hoping to keep it that way. We just got given a magnolia tree so planted that and looking forward to seeing it in full bloom a few years on.

Rustic Vintage Country said...

Lovely photos of spring! Talk about pussy cat bliss, I can almost hear the purring. Suzy x

Dartford Warbler said...

Hello and thanks to everyone who has commented. It`s good to be back!

Em - I have tried Extra Large photos on my next post but it cut the landscape views off, so I`ve compromised with Large. Thanks for the suggestion.