Going Green

In a period of about six weeks, the dominant colours in Milton Country Park change from drab browns and greys to the vibrant greens of fresh foliage.

Visitor Centre 8 May 2015

By the May 8, the park is completely green.  Here the foliage surrounding the visitor centre is bathed in the golden light of dawn.

Hard to Picture  

I have found this post the most difficult so far in terms of creating good images which do justice to the change that took place in the park. 

The speed of the change alone has meant I have had little opportunity to go back and retake unsatisfactory shots.  Although the overall process took about six weeks, the actual time taken for any one particular species to go from tight bud to full leaf was a lot less.

Path to East of Dickerson's Pit 17 April 2015

I set out to capture the 'tipping' point for hawthorn - the point at which the buds are open but the leaves are not yet fully grown. (For hawthorn, this metamorphosis took less than a fortnight.)  I could have tried to do this with a close-up of an individual branch, but I very much wanted to show the subject in the context of the park.  Unfortunately, the greening branches which seem so visible to the eye, simply merge into the background when photographed.  However, this bush is nicely distinct from the background, which is of trees with only minimal signs of leaves - nicely illustrating the different rates at which the trees and bushes gained their summer clothing.

In the Woods

Woods Dickerson's Pit  13 April 2015

Some of the changes are less dramatic.  In this wood, the undergrowth is mainly bramble.  Bramble does not lose all its leaves over winter, so the alteration of appearence with the new growth is less dramatic.  Nevertheless, the bright green of this year's growth contrasts strongly with the tired coloration of the older leaves.

Woods Dickerson's Pit 4 May 2015

In the canopy above, by early May, the willow trees have gained their leaves and the birch is beginning to show green.  Here the birch leaves, framed by two willow trees, glitter in the spring sunshine .

The Reedbed

Todd's Pit 13 May 2015

I first showed a picture of this reedbed in my post   Goodbye Autumn.  At that time, there was no sign of new growth at all.  Here in mid May, the old seed heads are still clearly visible; but, the main reed bed is now green.

All Green

Path to East of Dickerson's Pit 8 May 2015

This image was taken just a few yards from the picture show under 'Hard to Picture' and just three weeks later.  The path is now bordered by confluent green vegetation, giving a good indication of the speed of change.  This image disappoints me as it does not begin to reflect the beautiful spring morning that I experience.  But since a camera cannot record birds singing, the feel of a light breeze on my face, nor the coolness of the dawn air; it is hardly surprising that I find the picture lacking.

NEXT: APPLE BLOSSOM TIME