A Spring day

March "like a roaring lion" has come in. Blue skies and high winds over Battlefield. Early flowers are withstanding the pressure in sheltered corners and bring with them a sign that winter is almost – not quite – done. Despite the chilliness of recent nights these plants seem to be thriving.

From top to bottom:

1. Colt's-foot Tussilago farfara
A plant that turns up very early in Spring in my experience, growing in waste and disturbed ground, seemingly oblivious of rubble, litter or anything much. A hero in short.

2 & 3. Lesser Celendine Ranunculus ficaria
Taking advantage of the dormancy of other more vigourous plants this splendid little yellow flowered plant gets in quickly before being shaded out later in the season.

4. Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus
The Spring cliché, but who cares? These were planted out some years ago and are doing well, establishing swaves of plants along the well drained steep sided approaches to the Lower Ouseburn. (See last pair of photographs below.)

5, 6 & 7. Bird Cherry Punus padus
At least, I think these images are of such. Possibly a self-sown tree. Close by there are excellent Crab apples Malus spp. safely beyond reach on the railway trackside. These produce fruit in most years. These are self-seeded without a doubt.