A year in Greenwich Park: Meadow-like and an increase in volume

I'm a bit late with my May edition of a year in Greenwich Park, most likely because for me, May is always a social month with a busy end as I celebrate my birthday. There's also less photos in this update, and I'm not quite sure why. It could be that even more than usual I was rushing through the park trying to be somewhere five minutes before I left, yes that happens a lot more in May too. Or because May is the month I enjoy and so want to savour it all for real, rather than from behind my iPhone, who knows.  

The one thing that struck me about Greenwich Park this month though was how it adopted a meadow-like look and feel. Not something I expected, or ever noticed before. But now thanks to my walking commute I have the time to take in my surroundings, and see them change almost day by day.

There's been some rain too this month, I've avoided most of it including the heavy downpours in the latter half of the month, but sometimes my feet have got wet as I've crossed the dewy grass on my more direct route.  

With rain, the trees have grown - something I've noticed in our garden too - in Greenwich Park, it wasn't so much how they'd grown, but how the canopy had spread. On the very dampest of mornings you couldn't help but notice a dusting of heaviness and almost oppressiveness. 

In the Flower Garden the rhododendrons have been catching my eye as they've developed from buds at the start of the month to full-blown blooms now. Long may they continue!

The increase in noise has come from a steady increase of people using the park. Not a bad noise but just the hubbub of life in London, culminating in half-term last week and nice weather. It was great to see friends and families enjoying the sun.  The boating lake, which I walk past each day has different occupants in the morning to the evening. 

The mornings appear to be reserved for dogs, sticks and balls while later the clientele changes somewhat and the boats come into use. I do wonder if the afternoon clientele realise the boating lake's morning exploits. The dogs are funny though as they bound in, as they do, except for one morning there was a smaller dog looking none too sure. Meanwhile the larger dogs got out and left a puddle on the side of the lake, which the smaller one promptly rolled around in.  Seems the perfect way to fit in, I guess.

It's looking as if it could be just the day for messing about on the #boatinglake in #greenwichpark #yellowboats #yellow💛

A post shared by Stephanie Robinson (@lifeat139a) on May 16, 2017 at 3:13am PDT

And yes, I'm not sure I'd go in either.

This wouldn't be a proper monthly update without a look at 'my tree' would it, it's filled out rather nicely again hasn't it?

It's quite apt that I've posted this update today as it was the day that for one of the few times since last August the walking commute was rained off, but just a single bus journey reminded me of just how lucky I am.

Do you have a place that you visit and notice how it changes month by month?

A year in Greenwich Park: Birds in trees

It wasn't until I looked back over my photos from the month that I realised the theme was clearly birds in trees. And while I suspect they've always been there, or mostly, during April I became more aware of them, and even managed to capture a pair of parakeets sitting carefree - but not quietly - on a branch, mid conversation. 

It's the first time I've managed to capture them so clearly, so I was quite pleased that they posed so well for the photo. I did creep up on them a bit but it was worth it. I'll come back to more birds later in the post, but first, look the scaffolding has come down from the Royal Observatory. It's looking resplendent against the blue sky too, isn't it?

As well as birds, this month has been about blossom. I've almost watched it unfurl in front of my eyes. There's been cherry blossom, magnolias and many more too, with the blossom girl dancing in the flower garden too. I missed this, which is probably just as well as I *may* not have been able to keep a straight face.

Early in the month I enjoyed the sunny mornings, I think we all did. And no doubt most of us are wishing they're back, as the month finished decidedly colder didn't it?  

I'm very much up for the warmer temperatures again please. The tree that caught my eye early on in the series is now once again back in full leaf and looking just as fine as it did last year.

Ah yes, back to the birds.  One morning I was walking down the path above and spotted a rather large bird perched on the top of tree trunk. I did a double take and then did a double back to take the picture. I've no idea what kind of bird this is but he looks most indignant about having his photo taken doesn't he? But he seems pretty comfy at the same time...

But he seems pretty comfy at the same time...

And you'll not believe it but the next photo is also bird related. 

And yes it is a chocolate biscuit.

I walked a new route through the park so I could check the opening times of the Queen's Orchard (and no, I've still not made it there yet) when all of a sudden this chocolate biscuit dropped out of the tree narrowly missing my bonce. My reaction was, as you'd expect, one of disbelief mixed with the feeling that perhaps dreams do come true.

However on closer inspection upwards there was a rather large - and it has to be said, clumsy - raven looking down at me, no doubt wondering what my next move would be, and so I left him to his biscuit, just in case he threw his cuppa at me next. 

So, birds in trees has definitely been the theme this month, not what I expected, but really you couldn't make it up, could you?

A year in Greenwich Park: March

It's been a great month in Greenwich Park, it's been the month that it starts to come back to life.

Early in the month I notched up my first walk home through the park, and although it was by moonlight gradually my park time has grown, helped of course by the clock changes.

MY FIRST WALK HOME THROUGH THE PARK

Greenwich Park has been full of daffodils, almost everywhere you look. Up banks, in flower beds and like these below, behind railings. There's so many that I wouldn't even want to hazard a guess at a number. It's strange though, I've seen so many that I've *almost* become blasé about them, almost but not quite. They really are a cheery flower aren't they, and ones that arrive at just the right time to cheer us up after winter. 

The park has burst into life, and more so as the month progressed;  the flowers, the trees but also people and activities. The tree below is the one that catches my eye every time I pass it, at the start of the month its leaves were still on their way and the pigeons were making themselves at home in the top branches.

Elsewhere though, trees were doing their thing. At the top of the park in the flower garden within the space of a week I watched the magnolias flower. They're just such fantastic - and classy - flowers, and little did I know it, but I was in for a magnolia surprise later in the month.

As the month went on, the temperatures rose. Camelias burst into flower - mine has in the garden this month too - and the Spring flowers moved from the yellows to the pinks, and it seems we drink up the newness of each new flower that blooms.  

It's been great to feel the sun on my back as I walk through the park in the mornings, and if I'm lucky in the evenings too. I've already ditched my coat in favour of a chunky cardigan and on some days have gone lighter still cardigan-wise. I'm never sure if I should blame my thyroid (overactive, and probably) or if it's genuinely warm - I think most likely some of both!

On the nicer days there's groups of friends and of school children in the park as I walk through of an evening, and it's great to see the park thriving. I've switched back to walking my more normal route, entering the park at the top of Maze Hill and turning right at the big tree across the grass, and it's been nice to see familiar faces. 

After a week in Dorset and a couple of days commuting by train into town (what a strange way to travel to work!) I was relishing getting back to my routine, and was met by this.

Although it doesn't affect my route it did stop me in my tracks that first morning. But not everyone as I've seen people clamber through these signs. It's not like it's not clear is it?

Wondering when the Queen's Orchard might reopen one evening I headed that way to check. Excitingly it's open already, but only at weekends and even then it closes for lunch. Typically I've not had any free time at weekends yet, but I'm hoping to pop along and find out what's behind those gates soon. And yes, I'll take my camera...

The magnolia surprise I mentioned earlier was these gorgeous pink flowers, which are much bolder than the more usual white and pale pink flowers you see. Totally breathtaking, and already I'm feeling for the daffodils who were once the star of the show. 

The leaves too are doing their thing and it's amazing how quickly things are growing at this time of year isn't it?  Something we're experiencing in the garden right now too. Sigh...

It's also been nice to get back into the routine of walking my normal route and meeting the people and their dogs I do on that route. There's definitely more nodding and smiling going on, and even a hello or a morning or two on occasions too.

Finally, the other thing that's woken up this month, is the boating lake. There's water in the shallow lake, and since I've taken this photo the boats have reappeared too.  

The park it seems, is gearing up for Easter and the summer months.  And if I'm honest, so am I!