As we approach mid-April the signs of spring are all around us in the UK. Unusually for April there is a shortage of showers and an abundance of blue skies though the temperatures barely reach double figures during the day and a bitterly cold northerly wind has made its presence known. Still, wrap up warm and let’s see what is awakening from the winter slumbers as the longer hours of daylight work their magic.
For Amy’s challenge I decided to focus on all the shades of green of the newly emerging perennials and trees.
Epimediums with their pretty, heart-shaped new leaves and delicate, nodding flowers were spot-lit by the sun in the shade. Echiums and Hostas and the new leaves of the Cornus trees shone out. An inquisitive grey squirrel cautiously moved among the primroses and narcissi in the lawn and the sweet scent of Skimmia with their dense clusters of fragrant, creamy-white flowers wafted through the air.
The nodding racemes of small, usually fragrant, bell-shaped pale yellow flowers of Corylopsis hung above the darker green of the large leaved Rhododendrons and the graceful blue-green Solomon’s Seal.
Ferns and tree ferns unfurl.
I hope you have enjoyed these ‘spring greens’. On Monday I’ll show you some of the other colours in this garden.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #143 | Colourful April
Cornwall in Colours 
I’m always a bit of a pain and I find green almost as boring a colour as brown, except when lit by shafts of sunlight. You work with what you’ve got, Jude, and an English Spring is an English Spring. Please God ,it leads to Summer 🙂 🙂
You are most definitely a pain. How can you dismiss green when there are all these different shades? I love an English spring, there is nothing quite like it. Summers can be very disappointing. I thought you loved an English spring too? My next post is especially for you.
I do love an English spring, but it’s not the green so much as the pops of colour that appear and the ‘burgeoning’. I’ve never much liked woods unless they’re filled with bluebells 🙂 🙂 Saying that, I’m sitting looking out at my pots as I write this and what is the predominant colour? You know the answer as well as I do.
Love all your greeeeeens, Jude! What garden is this – tree ferns? Good to learn all the names – thank you. So loved the euphorbia green too, and the squirrel. I miss having squirrels here, we used to have one in the garden when I was young. I’ll be on the lookout Monday!
Cornish gardens have a lot of tree ferns! They don’t usually have any frosts, though that seems to be changing recently.
Lucky you…
I used to think summer was my favourite time of year (which is still is because of the longer hours of daylight) but each year I seem to appreciate spring more and more. I think it’s the freshness of the new growth that starts coming through. Everything is so new and shiny and glows with brilliance on a sunny day.
I have always preferred spring when hope arrives after a dull and dreary winter. My gardens have always been spring gardens. And the days are longer too.
Lovely shades of spring green, Jude. Of course, my favourite is Sammy squirrel up on his toes. 😍
Ah, yes. Sammy. I don’t think I have ever see a squirrel here do that. Maybe he thought he was a Meerkat? Hope you are good over there Sylvia. I am guessing that Florida is getting rather busy.
Wonderful variety of greens. Those Cornish gardens are such great places to walk around.
They truly are and fortunately don’t get as crowded as the beaches.
Lovely to see all your shades of green. Ours are fading with the lower temperatures and less rain. Yours are a feast for the eyes.
It’s getting a bit yellow here too, haven’t had proper rain for what seems like weeks, and dry weather forecast for the next couple! Have had to take the hose to the pots already, the poor tulips were sagging!
I love seeing the fresh new growth on plants as it starts to warm up after winter. Lovely collection of greens, Jude.
So many greens Carol. But on Monday you will see the rest of the colours which will please our stroppy Jo.
Great photos. You can’t beat spring greens – fresh, vivid and unnibbled
Unnibbled is good. I discovered where a lot of my slugs live – at the bottom of the hellebores in pots. They don’t damage the hellebores but obviously come out at night and nibble the surrounding plants!
That North wind is face-freezing here in the East. But it’s worth it for the blue skies! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete. x
Blue skies are preferably. We can always wrap up to stay warm.
Feels great to see all that new growth – all the vibrant green, full of life and possibilities. My favourite time is when the leaves on the trees start to open. My happy time!
I didn’t realise until a few years ago how late some trees come into leaf. Some not until May! Mine are just beginning to turn green – or in the case of the hazel, pink.
The trees in the garden here are a bit later than many out in the country. I only realised how far along the trees were getting yesterday, because we were out in the car for a change and seeing warmer areas. Made me very happy to see them!