The Small Delight of the Cherry Blossom

The Small Delight of the Cherry Blossom

Think of spring and we think of daffodils, tulips- and blossom. There is something about blossom which brings joy to us all. The delicate colours, the fragility, and the way it explodes on what were until recently bare branches. Our old cherry tree is now a mass of...
the small delight of the seedhead

the small delight of the seedhead

This seedhead was one of many lying under a tree in Portugal last month. A plant app identified it as mimosa, but I can’t find a photo online to confirm that. Whatever the tree, the seedhead was intriguing. It’s large – maybe 4cm in diameter- and bowl-shaped,...
the elegance of the palm tree

the elegance of the palm tree

Palm trees have long held a fascination for me. The rough trunks, the way the branches sway in the breeze like fans, and the fact that they tend to be found in hot and often exotic places. I have seen a number of palm trees recently, and been struck by how different...
The small delight of the snowdrop

The small delight of the snowdrop

A couple of days ago I looked out of the kitchen window to see snowdrops! It really was a delightful moment. They had not been apparent the previous day. What do snowdrops mean to you? To me they represent strength, resilience and perseverance. These delicate looking...
The small delight of the toxic hellebore

The small delight of the toxic hellebore

We were recently given a present of a beautiful hellebore. At the moment we are enjoying it as a houseplant, but it will really be happier outdoors, and we’ll plant it outside as soon as the cold snap finishes.  Meanwhile I’m enjoying having it indoors, and...
music of the angels?

music of the angels?

In the run up to Christmas, you may well have placed a star on your Christmas tree, or somewhere in the house.  As you look at it, consider the mind-boggling fact that the stars sing! Nasa’s Elizabeth Landau says, “we can’t hear it with our ears, but the stars in the...