May 31st – Since were in the largely purple phase of flowering now, it would be wrong to overlook this tiny gem. Prolific on grass verges, towpath margins and anywhere with decent light and room to spread, vetch is a gorgeous, long lasting lilac-violet colour and brightens many otherwise dull corners.
It really is a highlight of summer and one I look forward to enjoying seeing.
May 30th – This is always a lovely first sighting of the summer – the first orchid. Small, light purple in colour and growing in a solitary position next to the cycleway at Ryecroft this small, pretty flower reminds me that summer is here.
I’m not proficient enough to tell one orchid from another – there are so many different but similar types it can be very hard to tell – but they are all gorgeous, and like cowslips, are one of my favourite flowers.
Look out for them in wetland meadows, towpaths, marshes and the edges of ponds and streams. The more you study them, the more beautiful you will see they are.
May 8th – The one blossom that’s always overlooked, but is actually beautiful is Elder; elderflowers of course make great wine and soft drinks,not to mention the berries but the blooms look pretty too, and smell divine – all the more welcome as often elder grows in margins, edgelands and waste ground otherwise considered ugly.
Here on the cycleway at Goscote there’s a prolific and strong showing of the creamy white blossom which most be a good sign for the home-brew types this year too.
April 13th – This made me double take: on the cycleway at Telford, what I thought was one cherry tree with two different colours of blossom. Closer inspection showed it to be two separate trees, growing intertwined. What a beautiful sight!
Also beautiful is the oceans of petal confetti decorating the verges and paths. Such a wonderful time of year.
April 4th – Again at telford, just by the side of the cycleway, lots of this curious shrub – bright red leaves I think, rather than flowers with white, bell shaped blooms. Every year the pieris surprises me and this year it’s especially lovely.
So much coming into flower now, such a change from the grey days of winter, which were only a few weeks ago!
April 3rd – Running an errand from work into Walsall mid day, I decided to avoid the traffic and take the canal, as the resurfacing of the towpath would surely be finished – sadly, it wasn’t quite, and there’s still some plant and workmen putting the hours in around the rear of James Bridge cemetery, but mostly it’s now tarmac all the way through with a coating of tar and chip.
At the moment, there’s lots of loose grit on top so take care – it’s skinny and hard going in places, but will improve once settled and swept.
A decent job executed well. I just didn’t really see the need, but hey-ho…
March 7th – I noticed on the way to work that another spring achievement had been unlocked – the hawthorn hedges are sprouting beautiful, bright green leaves, that smell fresh and look gorgeous.
I always welcome the spring greening and any step towards it, and seeing these fresh leaves this morning was a welcome and happy surprise.
I know we’re not out of the winter yet – after all we had some of the heaviest snows for years in April 2013 – but it feels like the cold and dark is ending now. Whatever happens now will surely only be a transient to something much better.
December 8th – In Telford briefly, I tried a different route to Hortonwood and the cycleway led me from a lower path up to an elevated road.
Telford is crisscrossed by cycleways and paths, many totally undocumented and unknown to casual visitors, but once discovered, they’re lovely. Note these steps have a ‘wheeling channel’ up the right hand side so you can walk up them whilst wheeling your steed.
December 6th – Still cold, and again, a foggy, treacherous ride: I was at Telford early, and the cycleways were wet and dripping with water. The temperature was clearly rising and everything, every surface was saturated, including me.
I really hope this grim spell ends soon.
November 17th – It felt a long way from Christmas on this sunny but chilly day, but I found something quite festive in Hortonwood: the holly and the ivy. The holly berries are bright red and plump, this year’s crop, and the holly leaves are so shiny and perfect the look at first glance like they might be made of plastic.
The ivy, creeping up the fence in front, is also rather beautiful.
An odd find on a gorgeous day.
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