Coombe Wood again

When I arrived yesterday morning the gardener was digging out more of the spring plants 

Sunlight through fern

Flowers bob and sway when bees land on them

Such a lot of alliums - in different colours

There are three black cats - I don't usually see them all together

White allium

Pine flowers

Yellow rhododendron

A large bird strutted along the pathways between the prairie planting keeping to the path all the way around

Banana leaves growing rapidly

Pink alliums next to the banana trees seemed to shimmer in the sunshine

Palm flowers opening

Bronze leaves with creamy white flowers that seem to float above them

 Rhododendrons - still looking fabulous

 Heart shaped fern leaf bud

Frothy white blossom

 Creamy blossom with bee

 Acer with seeds

The beginning of the flowers on the tree that will have very big leaves - I've been watching out for these - it will be interesting to see what happens next

 Yellow azaleas

Looking up from under a green acer

Pink rhododendron

Azalea

 Another red acer

Pink buds which turn to white as they open

Everywhere you look there are splashes of colour through the trees

The edges of these look like stretched crepe paper - I love the star shape in the middle

Weigela

Very subtle, almost camouflaged flowers on this enormous mound of lime green leaves

Wonderful mix of pastel colours 

I came back past the prairie beds - did I miss this an hour earlier or had it only just opened?

Bad hair day - one giant strand

Wonderful colour - amazing structures in their centres

Iris about to unfold

I saw this jewel-like beetle fly in to land on a white iris

There's another one to the right (out of focus)

Heading for the gate - and the gardener was still working hard, digging out bulbs and spring bedding plants. We talked about how hard it is to dig out plants that haven't finished yet - because of seasonal planting and the need to be ready for what is to come - specially the last bed he was working on because it wasn't as advanced as the others. .

I stopped to photograph a last allim

and a tiny bee like creature

and the lovely red plant by the pond 

The gardener called out to me - I went back and he asked if I'd like one of the alliums he had just dug out as it still has some life left in it. Yes please! Another little bit of Coombe Wood to put in one of my tubs

Thank you very much for joining me