Saturday 14 February

We walked up to the Lower Burgh this morning - I have not been up for ages it's too depressing, it has been mowed flat as a bowling green apart from a small patch of reed bed, there are no hiding places for wild life, it's desolate and totally uninteresting, I hope that the mower stays away for the next year to allow some recovery, I doubt it though as it reminds me of the strimming of undergrowth once the machine is running they can't stop and you have a bald patch which takes ages to grow back.

Planted by a memorial bench Dutch Crocus - Crocus x stellaris

 Late this year but finally found one in flower, Lesser Celandine  - Ficaria verna

This is the large Goat Willow - Salix caprea that glistens in the sunshine when in flower, it will stand out this year as there is nothing else to look at.

 There are plenty of Gorse - Ulex europaeus shrubs on the Lower Burgh

Plenty of  Snowdrops - Galanthus nivalis open now, most have been planted but we still see the odd group in odd places, found two small groups in a hedgerow this morning.

Take Care