The joys of spring in Jo’s and Martin’s delightful garden.
Category: Ballagan
COVID19 has firmly taught us that we don’t have to go far from home to admire nature and stunning views. Tonight was another prime example, with the late evening sun lighting up the trees in our garden followed by a absolute stunning sunset.
Peacock butterflies and magnolia in bloom
Saturday was our first spring day and warm enough to sit outside in the glorious sunshine reading a book with a coffee in the afternoon. In fact it was warm enough to even sit outside and have a couple of glasses of Cava before dinner while enjoying the last rays of sunshine.
The warmth of the spring sun brought out the peacock butterflies with several regularly darting across the lawn. Hope they survive the predicted night frost and cold weather in the days to come.
The warmth of the spring sun has also brought a lot of flowers to bloom in the magnolia shrub (magnolia stellata) that stands in the shelter of the house where the heat of the sun is reflecting of the South facing walls. It is well ahead of the magnolia tree on the lawn that is more exposed and still not showing any signs of buds coming out.
The crocuses are starting to come out early this year.
A month after the first snowfall, we got more.
As always Lola goes bonkers as she simply loves being out in the snow.
A magnificent sunrise after we got our first real snowfall of the year.
Magnificant views to Glasgow, Slackdhu and Strathblane on the way down from a late afternoon walk up Dumbreck on New Year’s Day.
With the car booked in for an MOT in Lennoxtown on a spectacular sunny day, I decided to take the morning off work, drop the car off at the garage and walk home along the stretch of the John Muir Way running from Lennoxtown to Strathblane that is locally also known as the railway path.
Not long into my walk along the railway path, I caught the first glimpse in the distance of Dunglass, a spectacular volcanic plug that is partly quarried and marks the point where I would need to leave the railway path to cross the fields for the last stretch home.
Dunglass darts in and out of my view along the route, but shortly after passing Craigend Farm, the view of Dunglass with a lead in of the meandering Pow Burn, a tributary to the River Endrick, was simply stunning.
I was so glad I made the decision to walk home and take my camera, as the weather and views were spectacular.
This morning’s sunrise was quite spectacular.
Autumn colours at Ballagan.
The aniseed toadstool is a regular mushroom in the forest behind our garden.
The Spout of Ballagan in the Ballagan Glen nature reserve that is managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
