Spring and Scotland

What a difference a week makes. Over the weekend there was several inches of snow, hail and cold winds. The severity of the frost has killed many of the newly opened leaves on the beech hedge and various plants have suffered from the cold.

I took these photos in the Artful Garden last Saturday before the bad weather.

The spirea looks beautiful a frothy cloud of white.

White  fireworks

The forgetmenots and tulips decorate the garden path.

Bonny blues

The delicate plum blossom has just appeared.

Blossom beauty

The damson blossom looks very fragile.

 A delicate shade of white

A two toned daffodil.

A washed out daffodil

I visited The Bridge of Allan near Stirling in Scotland on Monday. The Post office looks like something out of the wild west.

Tie up your horse and enter

We climbing up through Mine Wood. The mine entrance where copper was once mined and used for the mint at Stirling.

No entry

The rock face.

Can you see any traces of copper?

Fern fronds just about to open.

Ready to uncurl

A view north from the top of the hill.

Looking towards Dunblane

Looking over towards Stirling.

Looking towards the rivers Forth and Clyde

Moss on the tree and the dry stone walls.

A woolly jacket of moss

Amazing Kelpie horses. They are 30 metres high and situated next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde canals.

Neigh

The horses were designed by Andy Scott.

Viewing highly recommended

A closer view of the metal panels.

Look at the shape of the cutouts

Rapeseed growing in the local fields.

Acid yellow rapeseed

At an antique fair I saw this South African pheasant, stunning plumage.

What a show off said one parrot to the other. Just go with the glow replied the pheasant.