Horse Chestnut

When fully grown, there are few trees in the British Isles to match the stately beauty of the Horse Chestnut. Familiar to all as the humble conker tree, they grow to an impressive height of well over 100ft and have the most wonderful compound leaves made of 5 -7 leaflets.  But it is the 'candelabra' flower spikes which make the best show.

Each individual flower is predominantly white, but with a delightful splash of pink or yellow in the centre.  Up to 50 flowers will be produced on each 'panicle' but usually only between 1 and 5 will develop into the familiar, green, spiny fruits we know so well.  Close up, the flowers are a thing of great beauty and one which can easily be missed when so far up in the tree.

While photographing this lovely flower, a Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum) was busy feeding from them.

One of our more common species of Bee, they nest in old bird's nests, mouse runs and even abandoned bird boxes. A social bee, they live in colonies of up to 200 workers.  As busy as a bee!

Great!

Yesterday's walk, took us around Shipley Park towards Mapperley woods, the reservoir and the farmland beyond.  We were joined on our walk, by our friend Jayne and she turned out to be a lucky charm.  It is not often that I am able to tick off a 'new species' on my life list - particularly in Britain, but as we were walking through the woodland around Mapperley Reservoir, I noticed this large, yellow-flowered plant..

The four-petalled, cruciform petals, immediately made me think it was a member of the cabbage family.  The leaves, being glossy green and slightly 'rubbery' to touch, also pointed toward the cabbages.  Later, when we got home and I was able to consult the books however, it turned out to be a Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus).

We are used to the much smaller, Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) at this time of year as it hugs the ground and spreads its yellow flowers, but the Lesser, is a member of the family Ranunculaceae or Buttercups.  The Greater Celandine turns out to be a different family altogether, the Papaveraceae or Poppy family.

The whole plant is poisonous and it contains a particularly nasty toxin called Sanguinarine which can be lethal in large enough dose.  So, a new 'tick' for the life list.  Thanks Jayne!

An Apple a Day

Among the flowering trees of the hedgerows, the Apple trees have to be among the best and most colourful.

The pink-flushed blossom is opening all over the place at the moment and the bees are as grateful as the rest of us.

With beautiful flowers such as this, you don't need words.

Last of April

To see April out, just a few more pictures from our walks during the month. The Views across the parkland, towards Shipley Hill were just spectacular a few days ago....And we found a 'new' pond which we hadn't seen before!

The views across the grazing land which is being managed by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, was equally good.

Around Straw's Bridge, the geese, swans, ducks, gulls, moorhens, coots and grebes have been joined by several summer migrants.  The Willow Warblers, Chiff-chaffs, Grasshopper Warblers and Swallows were in evidence, as was this Carrion Crow.

At the moment, as well as the Bluebells, another blue flower has begun to brighten the parkland. These belong to the Blue Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) and a beautiful show they make too.

Among all this burgeoning flora, it is often the most mundane which looks the best and right now, the humble Daisy is putting on a brilliant show.

All in all, it's been a colourful and floriferous month.  Here's to May!

The Blues

It is a wonderful year for Bluebells in these parts.  I have mentioned them a few times already, but each time we venture around Shipley Park they just seem to get better...

and better.

These were growing near the Nottingham Lodge, on Shipley Hill and were spectacular both to look at and to smell as their fragrance filled the air.

One can never have too much of a good thing...

But that's enough for now, I think!

Views

Contrary to the forecast, the weather this morning was fine and warm with the sun glinting through what few clouds there were.  So, we set out for a longer walk around Shipley Park, up Shipley Hill and along the footpaths of Cinder Hill, returning via Mapperley Reservoir and Mapperley Wood.  We stopped for a rest and a flask of coffee at the picnic site by Mapperley Reservoir, one of our favourite places for a rest - and with views like this, who can blame us.

The Silver Birches are putting on their bright green foliage and looked beautiful in the sunshine.

Along the paths, White Dead Nettles (Lamium album) are flowering their hearts out.

Closer inspection reveals a magnificent inflorescence of white flowers with some wonderful markings.

Further along the walk, in Mapperley wood where the Bluebells are so gorgeous (of which, more tomorrow), a close relative of the White Dead Nettle, the Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) flowers are also looking good among the plants of the woodland floor.

All in all, a lovely walk this morning and all thanks to the forecasters getting it completely wrong!

My Lords...

Among the bright, cheerful Bluebells and the delicate beauty of the Cowslips, a deep, green plant is just beginning to open its flowers.  With arrow-shaped leaves - sometimes spotted with chocolate-brown blotches - there can be no mistaking the Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum).

The somewhat paler flower spikes are starting to poke above the glossy green foliage.  These flowers give rise to some of the plant's other common names, such as Parson-in-the-Pulpit as the central, purple flower spike or spadix, is surrounded by a pale green leaf-like spathe, but that will have to wait, as these individuals had not quite opened their flowers.

I mentioned the Cowslips and these too are looking even better by the day.  Around the lakes of Straw's Bridge large swathes of them light up the grassy areas.

Lining the small paths and surrounding the tree trunks, they are quite stunning.