I took these pictures a fortnight ago when the trees still had enough autumn leaves to gleam in the sun and when a thick jumper would be sure to become a hazard at some point during a walk. Storm Arwen blasting through has changed that. Continue reading “Life In Colour: Silhouettes of Trees”
Wordless Wednesday: Heart-shaped Leaf
Quercus virginiana: Southern Live Oak Cloaked in Ferns
We don’t have live oaks (Quercus virginiana, Southern live oak) in Lancashire, more’s the pity, as they are spectacular trees. Continue reading “Quercus virginiana: Southern Live Oak Cloaked in Ferns”
Surfaced Tree Roots Worn By Passing Feet
My first picture provides some context for those that follow. A narrow walker’s path tracks a drainage ditch along the edge of a wood. Often muddy, part of its fascination comes from the patches of tree roots that weave through each other just above ground level.
These roots are familiar, yet I marvel at them each time I pass. Have they been left behind as soil eroded or did they surface to find air in a boggy place? Are their buttressed forms better able to anchor trees that lean out into the neighbouring meadow for sunlight, or are they seeking out better soil?
Some look more like hands or arms than roots, others remind me of alligators; many bear marks left by decades of passing feet. Continue reading “Surfaced Tree Roots Worn By Passing Feet”
Two From The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is one of a select few in the US where tropical plants can be grown outside all year round. The garden is built around a series of lakes and a collection of palm trees and many of its vistas are superb. Continue reading “Two From The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden”
12 Facts About The Major Oak, Sherwood Forest

Continue reading “12 Facts About The Major Oak, Sherwood Forest”
A Favourite Oak Tree
A wider shot of the oak in context on the edge of a buttercup meadow might leave you unsure which tree has made my favourites list. Continue reading “A Favourite Oak Tree”