The Month of April.........

..............gets its name from the Latin word aperio, meaning "to open (bud)," - plants are really flourishing and growing now.

 Erythronium revolutum - white beauty

 Erythronium japonicum "Pagoda"   

This month brings some capricious weather! April rains bring verdant pastures, but also umbrellas and rain boots! 

Fritillaria meleagris - snake's head fritilary 

April cold with dripping rain

Willows and lilacs brings again,

The whistle of returning birds,

and trumpet-lowing of the herds.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Victoria Plum blossom

Will September herald plum pies and crumble? Not if the Magpies, Jays and Pigeons have their way, all of whom are busily feasting day by day on its blossom. 

The Aesculus hippocastanum - Horse Chestnut tree is opening it's palmate leaves, very soon I look forward to seeing this large tree covered from top to bottom with beautiful large white upright conical flower panicles. 

The Helleborus - Hellebore plants have been flowering continuously for the past three months, and even though they are now past their best they still remain attractive whilst busily producing new seeds within the flower heads.

 When April scatters charms of primrose gold

Among the copper leaves in thickets old,

And singing skylarks from the meadows rise,

To twinkle like black stars in sunny skies;

William Davies

 Alauda arvensis Sky Lark

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