Monday morning Coombe Wood walk

A magnolia tree and the tree that is covered in white blossom really stand out among the chimney tops

 Skunk cabbage and marsh marigolds filling out rapidly

Blue daisy-like flowers

More bright pink buds open

Today I was struck by how many flowers and buds have little hairs on them. These yellow flowers are tiny and they're covered in silvery hairs

It's hard to photograph a snakes head fritillary because the checkerboard pattern on the petals really is quite fuzzy around the edges

Small pink buds on a stumpy red stem

Red tulips and bluebells scrambling over the rocks

Tiny green acer leaves unfurling - with red buds hanging

The gardener was pruning a tree

Delicate pastel colours of the Golden rain tree leaves against the white blossom behind it

That white blossom isn't actually pure white. although it looks very white from a distance - each little flower has a pink centre

Quite a lot more of the yellow flowers (that I noticed for the first time on my last visit) have opened now

Pinky white Hawthorn blossom emerging from red buds 

The blossom on this shrub makes it look as if it's been dappled with snow

Some magnolia petals have fallen

I couldn't resist another closer look at the Korean pine flowers. What an amazing structure each one is

New green leaves all standing upright

 Red leafed acer  - the tiny flowers have opened more. 

White daisy like flowers 

This is a variety of oxalis I think - there are tiny stripes on the flower

 Magnilias seem to be floating everywhere above the other shrubs

I wouldn't even have seen these white magnolia flowers if I hadn't noticed a few that were open quite near the ground and traced where the branch was attached. I was surprised to look above my head and see the tall tree covered in tall white buds which open into starry flowers

Two leaves are opening from every spent flower cluster on the witch hazel - each looks like a pair of wings - like birds or butterflies alighting on the branches

Looking up through a green acer 

A large leafed red acer with flowers

From a distance the forsythia looks like a mass of stems with yellow flowers but green leaves are sprouting now too

A delicious lily of the valley-like scent comes from these little flowers

Delicate sprays of yellow flowers are popping out from under the large leaves of these low growing plants, which are in a wide circle around the base of a tree

The red tipped leaves of the tree peony still look like tentacles

Magnolias - like pink silk 

Multicoloured tiny acer leaves

Who knew beech leaves were so hairy?

Another hairy one - Jerusalem sage (I think)

I'm pretty sure this is a vinca (periwinkle) but I have no idea which variety. Such a lovely blue

The euphorbias have gone mad - massive pom poms of lime green with such crazy shapes in each cuplet (is that the right word for a little cup?)

From among the mossy growth tiny yellow flowers are emerging

Downy pink forget-me-nots are  almost overshadowed by the riot of colour in the flower beds near the gate - I'll give this one centre stage my the last picture of the day

Thank you very much for joining me