A Coombe Wood walk with a friend

A fluffy little robin sang to us until a black cat came a bit too close

The prairie beds have been tidied and mulched and the paths have been fully re-chipped

It all looks very smart

A tree that looks so bare from a distance has more threads of little creamy bell-like flowers on it

There are only a couple of Korean pine cones this year. They are still in tact but they're becoming more and more fragile. They will eventually disintegrate and their seeds will be dispersed. The little pointed "tongues" are the papery surround of each seed.

Leafy skeletons

Bright pink camelias

Some of the white camelias have discoloured now. 

Small early magnolias

I can't resist the crazy hellebore middles. This one is quite restrained at the moment. It's anthers look like little white hearts.

The middle section is very compact and neat and the pollen granules look white instead of yellow at this stage. 

A white hellebore with pink freckles and a much more exuberant centre

The witch hazel "party popper" flowers are still doing their thing

Leaning on the gate near the gardener's sheds with my camera focused upwards on the mossy mounds on a roof I was so absorbed in taking photos that, unlike my friend who had seen the gardener coming in our direction, I was totally unaware that he was there until I lowered the camera and saw him right in front of us.

Hydrangea skeleton on my glove

Tiny winter honeysuckle flowers like peaks of pale pink meringue

As we turned the corner by the lawn we saw the gardener in the distance pushing a wheelbarrow.

Clusters of buds opening 

Snowdrops in the grass near the yew arch

My friend and I went into the Coach House Cafe for a cuppa and sat near the open fire chatting. Blackberry and rhubarb tea for me, normal tea for my friend. I do like to try a new fruity tea when I can. This was a new one to me and I'll definitely be having it again.

On the way back to the car - I'm pretty sure these are quince flowers

I don't know what these tiny white flowers are though.

On the way home I stopped at the Co-op and noticed some white blossom just emerging against the blue sky.

Thank you very much for joining me