Faded beauty

Camellias are such pretty, showy flowers, akin to roses sometimes, with a wonderful depth of colour. Unlike roses, they come into bloom at quite an inhospitable time of year: early spring when hard frosts are still very likely. Once they get frosted, the petals turn brown and shrivelled but they often continue to hang on for weeks. I find there's a certain kind of beauty in this hybrid effect. 

Lilac

We need smell-o-vision here! On my walk down to the canal I pass a small lilac tree in someone's garden. At this time of year it is glorious, with lush clusters of blossom and the most heavenly scent. I've sometimes wondered whether to knock on the door of the house and beg a few sprigs... but I'm not bold enough! I do enjoy it though, stopping to inhale the fragrance as I pass. 

I like it especially because it reminds me of the little white lilac tree in the garden of my childhood home. White ones don't tend to be quite as strongly scented but I still loved that scrappy little tree. I've even managed to dig out an old photo of me standing in front of it. I guess I was about twelve at the time. Nostalgia! 

 

More blossom

More cherry blossom! I can't get enough of it and I'm always sorry when it's over. Sadly it doesn't last long but we are lucky enough to have some quite large trees around here and can enjoy it. 

These pink trees are in the gardens - Alexandra Square - in front of Saltaire's almshouses. Built in 1868, the almshouses were intended for the aged and infirm, who were initially chosen by Sir Titus Salt himself (and later the Trustees), to receive housing and a small pension. Many of them are still used as social housing. 

And here's one a little closer to home:

Roberts Park blossom

I wandered down to this month's farmer's market in Roberts Park. There's usually a stall selling delicious, pressed apple juice blends. I don't drink much juice as it's not supposed to be all that good for you but, as an occasional treat, it's fine, I think. I'm trying the apple and beetroot, which is a pretty pink and very tasty. 

In the park, the mature cherry trees are a splendid sight, covered in blossom. 

I also spotted a little patch of cowslips, which remind me of my childhood. They seemed more common years ago. 

 

St Paul's Road, Shipley

St Paul's, Shipley's original parish church, was built in 1826, after the Church Building Act 1818 (known as the 'Million Act') granted money from the government specifically for the building of new churches to support the growing population. I think originally it was on the edge of the town but gradually housing grew up around it. I'm not sure but I'd guess the large property opposite (on the left of my photo; now flats or possibly a care home, I think) dates to around the turn of the 19th/20th centuries. It has that unusual corner tower, something that isn't commonplace around here. 

It also has a lovely, mature magnolia tree in the garden, which for a brief spell each year really adds some beauty to the scene. 

Pink explosion

I find it interesting that, despite having lived in my previous home - where I was very happy -  for over 25 years, I don't miss it a bit. I'm totally content with my new apartment and relieved not to have to worry any more about the maintenance of a house that was over 120 years old. The only things I do miss are my lovely neighbour (and we are still in touch anyway) and the cherry blossom: mature trees at the end of the street that, for a couple of weeks each year, explode in a riot of pink. It's that time of year now and, happily, just a short stroll down the road takes me back there to enjoy their colour. 

When the blossom is over, the petals fall like confetti and get swept up in the breeze. I used to find my front garden absolutely covered in them, like pink snow. It was pretty but messy! So I don't really miss that either. 

Sunshine and celandines

This last week it has really felt like spring, with warm sunshine and a fresh feeling in the air. I spent the morning of 17 March at the 'Listening for Life' centre at the hospital, having intensive hearing tests and discussing cochlear implants (no decision made yet!) so a de-stressing walk in the afternoon made perfect sense. The TV weatherman said it was the 'Spring equilux' in the UK, when day and night are both 12 hours (not to be confused with the Vernal equinox, which was on 20 March). I have to confess I'd never heard the term equilux before; I learn something every day. 

In the woods, the celandines have suddenly burst into flower, a cheerful yellow carpet of stars, here and there brightened by milky white wood anemones. 

Blue and yellow are very much the colours of spring and the Aire Rowing Club on the far side of the river is decked out accordingly. 

The absence of foliage means you can see things that are hidden in summer. This bridge (below) is the aqueduct that carries the Leeds-Liverpool Canal over the River Aire, and a trick of the light meant it was much more obvious than usual. It actually has seven arches but the river now only flows through two or three of them and the others are silted up. 

My favourite trees were surrounded by dairy cows - and soaring overhead there were two red kites (birds), though you can barely see them in the photo. At one time red kites were nearing extinction in the UK but a protection and reintroduction programme has been very successful, numbers increasing by 2,464% between 1995 and 2023. They're now a common sight around here but nonetheless thrilling to see, soaring on the warm thermal currents. 

In Roberts Park, the young cherry trees are flowering, a pretty addition to the bottom meadow, planted only in the last two or three years. 

Magnolias have suddenly burst into blossom, so I hope we don't get any frosts. Those on the park promenade (below) are not fully out yet, as they don't get so much sun.

I'm not sure what the white blossom is... some kind of cherry I suppose. 

I enjoyed my walk and certainly felt more relaxed and peaceful as a result. 

Night blossom

 There was something very attractive about the blossom, illuminated by street lights as the night drew in. 

Froth

Trees in the allotments have suddenly erupted in frothy white blossom. It only needs a little bit of sunshine to coax it out. I'm not exactly sure what trees they are. Google suggests that cherry plums are among the first to flower in the UK, in late February/early March, so that's a possibility. Blackthorn also flowers early but they tend to grow wild so I wouldn't have thought that likely in this spot. I couldn't get near enough to get a closer look. They looked very pretty where the sunshine was catching them. 

Casting clouts

There's a well-known old English saying: 'Ne'er cast a clout til May be out'. Clout is an old word for clothes so the first bit means don't take any clothes off. The exact meaning of the second half of the phrase has two possible interpretations. Some people take it to mean 'until the end of the month of May', the theory being that May's weather can be very unpredictable and changeable. Others think it means 'until the may blossom is out', 'may' being an old word for hawthorn blossom.

Either way, if you haven't 'cast a clout' this year so far, you must be feeling very warm indeed. Temperatures in England have been far above average for this time of year. It's always a bit problematic for me when the temperature changes suddenly. I don't like hot weather anyway and, if it comes unexpectedly, I find I'm not prepared and have to scramble to unearth sandals and cotton tops. (My 'out of season' clothing is stashed in bags to free up my wardrobe space.) 

As for the may blossom, it is out - beautiful and abundant, prettifying our hedgerows with snowy white cascades. There will be a good supply of berries for the birds come autumn. 

Apple blossom

Isn't apple blossom the prettiest sight? I love how the little buds are deep pink and fade to white as they open. At Harlow Carr Gardens, they have a long row of apple trees, pruned into a dense hedge, at the back of the kitchen garden. They are a delight all year round as, of course, they fruit with hundreds of small, shiny, red apples in the autumn, when they look almost as though they have Christmas decorations hung all over them. But this seemed like an appropriate post for May Day! 

Here's the blossom!

There may not have been any cherry blossom out in Addingham the other day but now, suddenly, it's everywhere.  These mature trees bordering the road into Bingley are always a joy. 

Cherry blossom

The cherry blossom is coming into flower around Saltaire. Different trees seem to come into blossom at different times. On the last evening of our camera club season, I took my camera with me to photograph the blossom on the trees beside the path leading to the church. (We meet in a church hall.) In previous years it's been in bloom, but this year, not a single bud was out. Perhaps it's because Easter is late this year so we haven't needed a week's hiatus in the meeting programme. 

In contrast, the blossom on the trees around Saltaire's almshouses is looking blooming lovely. 

More signs of spring

About a week ago, I had a visit from a friend of mine from the Netherlands. We've known each other for something like 45 years and, though we rarely meet now, when we do get together all those years drop away. He was en route to walk the Dales Highway, one of our long-distance footpaths, wild camping along the way... so his backpack was about as big as me and looked about as heavy too! Thankfully, he was able to leave it for a while at my flat and we had a walk along the river bank in the sunshine. It's still rather cold but the brighter, lighter days are really encouraging the blossom and wild flowers. 

Magnolia blossom is coming out and hasn't yet been browned by a frost. Hopefully it'll last a while. It looks gorgeous against a blue sky. 

In the woodland edges, lesser celandine was mingled with white wood anemones, the combination even prettier than either flower on its own... a constellation of white and yellow stars. 

The river was reflecting the blue of the sky, though disappointingly there were few birds about. 

My friend's knowledge of wildflowers and birds is extensive. He even knows most of their names in English, so I always learn a lot on our walks. I was assuming the little flowers (below) were some kind of violet but they are actually called ground ivy due to their habit of spreading by creeping, rooting runners.  They have tiny flowers in a delicate blue, and little heart-shaped leaves. 

By Hirst Lock, the painted boat is planted with daffodils, though it's beginning to look a bit rotten in parts.  We were so busy chatting that I didn't take many photos but this handful sums up our walk.  

Lovely shrubbery

This gorgeous deep purple-blue shrub is some kind of Ceanothus, I believe. It caught my eye and I thought it looked especially glorious against the backdrop of two of the larger and more ornate Saltaire houses (semi-detached) on Albert Road.

Further up the same road, this white blossom had a very sweet fragrance. I'm not sure what it is... perhaps a Choisya of some kind?

Prize specimens

Being one of the Royal Horticultural Society's show gardens, Harlow Carr has an army of gardeners and volunteers, so that 'weeds' don't get much of a look-in and most of the plants are in tip-top condition. It's satisfying therefore to pick out individual specimens, whether commonplace or rare, and study their structure and habit. The dicentra ('bleeding hearts') is a favourite of mine for its colour and graceful, arching stems.  

Hellebores have a long flowering season and vary a lot in their size, colour and 'shyness' - some show their flowers proudly and other bow to the ground timorously. I rather liked the almost black variety (foreground below).

Drumstick primulas are aptly named - and equally aptly sometimes called lollipop primulas. 

Apple blossom was in full swing - so pretty. 

Camellias have done well this year, since we've had very little frost. Rhododendrons are coming into flower, such flamboyant blooms in a variety of colours. 

Finally, I have no idea what this vine is - heart-shaped leaves with pink edges - but I thought it very attractive.