trees

Colours of Spring

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It’s safe to say that winter is over, even here in the north of England.

Spring has burst out with tree blossoms, seasonal flowers and green shoots.

I paid a Spring visit to RHS Bridgewater, a public garden on the outskirts of Salford. The sun was shining and the tulip beds were a riot of colour. Dandelions had taken over the meadows.

What’s not to like?!

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Pink blossoms at Castlefield in Manchester.

In my Manchester neighbourhood of Castlefield, there is one tree which gives a sumptuous show of pink blossoms every year – and 2023 is no exception

White tree blossom catching the sunlight at Angel Meadow in Manchester.

The trees are putting on a show around Manchester city centre, including this one at Angel Meadow catching the full force of some Spring sunshine

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Lyme Park

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Lyme Park is a stunning stately home and grounds in easy reach of Manchester.

It found television fame in 1995 as the setting for Pride and Prejudice and the heart-fluttering moment when Mr Darcy (Colin Firth) was caught after a dip.

This is a retreat that has it all – hilltop walks, a magnificent folly and gardens to match.

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W5 walk

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Walpole Park sign

This is the snapshot of a walk around a London park. Not one of the large showcases like Hyde or Regent’s Park, but a smaller green space in Ealing, a westerly suburb of the capital. 

Walpole Park was once the grounds of a manor house, which still stands and is now a gallery. Its former gardens are elegantly planted with mature avenues of trees.

At its heart is a stately water feature, complete with a fountain that gushes occasionally, leaving darkened ripples in its wake. 

A much more modern addition is a magnetic sculpture which catches coins and seems to fascinate visitors of all ages – including us. On a sharply sunny morning, this was a memorable winter jaunt.

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Moon over Shepherds Bush

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Moon over Shepherds Bush

A dark night outside our window. The frame is dominated by the silhouettes of neighbourhood trees and an aerial on a rooftop. But the slender crescent of the moon with its delicate luminescence takes centre stage, poised in a dark blue sky.

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Cold warmth

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15th December - One

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A winter sunset during the darkest time of the year is a tough act to follow. As the cold seeps in, the sky sees fit to give its fieriest display. It almost beats a sun-kissed tropical sundown.

This is taken from the balcony of our west London loft space, silhouetting the large, graceful tree and its neighbour which has been savagely pollarded. A plane crosses the flight path too. The third image is a response to the intense colours of this sight. They have been gently lifted out to give a subtle, muted view of one of nature’s greatest shows.

15th December - Two

15th December - Three

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