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!