The Shire in Glorious Technicolour.

I’ve written before on this blog about the subtle variety of colours to be seen in the woodland margins now that most of the standard trees are replete with this year’s new leaf growth. The solid mid greens, the muted sage greens, the pale greens, the corn yellows, the hints of russet, and so on and so forth. Add to that the hawthorn blossom on trees and hedgerow shrubs glowing white in the May sunshine and you have quite a picture. But there’s more.

Last year, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we began to see the yellow of oilseed flowers painting a few fields a solid mass of bright gold. And this year there are at least twice as many joining the tapestry of green hay meadows and the pale brown of freshly tilled fields awaiting the appearance of this year’s maize crop. And still there’s more.

The landscape here in the Shire, and across the valley on the rising ground of the neighbouring county, is liberally studded with single trees, small copses, and bigger woods, and many of those trees are Copper Beeches. So now you can add splashes of deep wine red to the green, white, brown, gold, and buff.

You know, I’ve often wanted to see the lavender fields of France and Italy, but the last three days have been sunny here and I think the Shire can compete with the best Europe has to offer in the matter of gloriously coloured landscapes. If I still had a functioning camera I would take a picture and post it, but I haven’t so you’ll just have to take my word. Sorry.