by the gate, Orchard House

In early Spring there are no leaves on the trees and shrubs to obscure the view from the end of our land, so the church is framed by primroses and celandines in the foreground, and a purple splash of aubretia in the mid ground

harbingers of spring 2

meanwhile the puddles in the woods are a seething mass of tadpoles, and the water-boat men are once again demonstrating the properties of surface tension

harbingers of spring

barren strawberries, wood sorrel, stitchwort, and dog violets, all out together as Spring gathers force

red deadnettle

red dead-nettle is supposed to be very common, but perhaps due to changes in farming practices it is not that common locally. Like many common "weeds" it has a fascinating and complex flower, with an upper hooded lip, and a deeply notched lower lid with darker markings. In the old days (many many years ago) it was boiled and eaten as a pot herb, and used to make pig swill. It was also used to treat scrofula, the King's evil, a form of subcutaneous tuberculosis.

poor robin

this poor little robin came to grief today despite every effort to save it. It had been attacked either by a cat or by a hawk, or possibly another robin.

purple toothwort

and a last look at purple toothwort (aka Aunt Columbia), before it is swallowed up by the lush green leaves of wild garlic.