Spring Colours

[byslantedlight]

Last weekend, in a fit of boredom, I took myself to one of our local National Trust places - Anglesey Abbey, which I adore for its winter garden, and is famous for its snowdrops. I've not often been just after snowdrop season though, and it turned out that mid-spring was full of colour and gorgeousness...

I adore these copper birch trees - I could stand staring at them forever...


Although silver birch is also a favourite of mine - especially surrounded by this deep pink.


Then there were clouds of blue wildflowers...


...and flashes of red amongst the forget-me-nots and the greenery (it's not Christmas any more!)


Green pathways, and reflections of green...


Pale cream flowers and white blossoms... What are the flowers in the first pic - they're being planted in lots of places now, and particularly all around my local Waitrose, which makes me happy because they smell divine - it's all I can do to keep walking when there's a waft of their scent on the breeze, and I have to look and see where it's come from - but I don't know what the plant is called! The second picture also has a secret extra-gorgeousness to it; as stunning as it is just as daffodils and blossoms, when I went and stood under the blossom tree, it was absolutely clouded with bees buzzing around in the branches, and it was such a lovely, peaceful sound, somehow... Imagine lazy afternoons, and less public places, where you could just lie under the boughs and enjoy the sound of summer...


Then of course there were planted violets - velvet purple in the sunshine...


These guys aren't colourful, but I love them anyway for the expressions on their faces! Wicked statues...


And then this statue had its own splash of colour - sitting at first on her head, was the kind of cheeky chappy robin that makes stereotypes (*g*), all obnoxious and this-is-my-statue!


And then finally, just because I think it's cool, proof again that lightning will strike the same place twice... (a bit like these pics actually, I'm fairly sure I've posted them before!)

It's another sunny day today - I wish I was back at Anglesey Abbey! Wouldn't it be wonderful to work somewhere like that... My view gazes out between industrial buildings, though at least I see layers of trees from suburban Cambridge in the background... Just enough to remind me that there is an "out there"!

Hope everyone else is having a decent week...

Comments

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

Wow, the copper birch... almost unreal and absolutely stunning. And I love the ladybird in the forget-me-nots. What a gorgeous blast of nature, thank you! And isn't this weather just happy-making - except you're stuck at work and I'm trying to peel kids off screens. And what do they want to do this fine sunny day? Go to the cinema of course and sit inside staring at a screen... *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

And what do they want to do this fine sunny day? Go to the cinema of course and sit inside staring at a screen...
Oh the heady days of being so removed from your existence anywhere except inside your own head... wait a minute... Hmmn!

Every time I round that particular corner of the garden I'm stunned by that copper birch. One day, when I'm all reincarnated to a different life grown up, I shall have copper birch in my garden...

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

It really was! *g*

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

There was a silver birch here when we first came, but it died :(((( (actually it may have been already dead - just took a couple of years to finish falling over). They are so beautiful - I'd love to live with a whole copse of them ...

I love your photos! I may have to get outside for a few minutes today, thanks to that! *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

That was one of my favourite things about Alaska - the birch trees... Gorgeous in autumn too, such colour...

And yeay - getting outside is good! I'm even more glad I posted the pics now - they've made me feel as if I want to get outside more properly too... *g*

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

What gorgeous pictures! i can see why the place is such a favorite. I especially love the one of the forget-me-nots.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

The National Trust really does do some wonderful work - and actually I forgot entirely to write about the house itself, which I also fell in love with...

[illyas-girl.livejournal.com]

This is an amazing place, we go there a lot, and you have done it amazing justice with these photos :)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

It's nicely done, isn't it! I popped into the winter garden quite often when I lived out your way, but didn't get there in summer. In fact this was the first time I'd been into the house, and I liked that alot too - there's something very restful about it, even if it was done up by an American... *g*

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

How very pretty those birch trees are! And the blossom tree,and all the colours. The grey statues are wonderful, too, (Pan?) and look like they rather belong there.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I assumed Pan and Neptune - they do look as if the place is theirs, don't they... Perhaps they're glad to have it back after all the years of monks and priests! *g*

[hagsrus.livejournal.com]

I do love copper birch but very rarely see it. Thanks for the pictures!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

What a lovely tour! Thank you!

[foreverfoxcat.livejournal.com]

oh wow, those pictures are gorgeous. You really are very clever with your camera. I like the one of the robin best. They're absolutely my favourite birds, and mum and I are always happier when we're out and about on a walk and we've seen one. Thanks.

[gvenanne.livejournal.com]

wow, flowers, green leaves and grass - such spring) beautiful photos)

[cloudless-9193.livejournal.com]

The copper birch trees look amazing. I haven't seen those before.
Very nice pictures, all of them, so crisp and sharp. :-)