I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and for you. And I think to myself…what a wonderful spring in Bournemouth! Thanks to daily walks around the gardens and parks in Bournemouth, I have realised how many beautiful flowers there are locally. So, if you’re a bit tired of negative news, here are some stunning photos of blooms I took throughout March, April and May. I’m sure you’ll be delighted by their beauty and start singing like Louis Armstrong…
*Two things I need to emphasise here before you start reading this blog post is that: firstly, I’m not a botanist, just an admirer of pretty spring blooms! I organised them in the post according to their colour. Special thanks to Mike A. who helped me to name some of the flowers I didn’t know 😉 Secondly, it’s important for me to say that I took these photos on my daily walks and always made sure to follow government advice about social distancing.
1.White flowers
Cherry blossoms, Arum Lilies, Japanese snowballs, Rhododendrons
The very first blooming trees I started noticing in mid-March were the cherry blossoms. Delicate white and pink flowers were emerging from private gardens and could be found growing in the middle of some roads, making driving more pleasant.
Delicate white cherry blossoms.Arum Lilies in the Japanese sector of the Upper Gardens.Japanese snowballs – Viburnum. They look light and fluffy but I have to admit I’m not the biggest fan of their smell. Rhododendrons are a symbol of caution, temptation and danger, probably because of their toxicity…
2. Light purple and blue flowers
Rosemary, rhododendrons, bluebells, cotoneaster
Bushes of rosemary were attracting a lot of bees and I managed to capture the moment when one of them was pollinating the purple flowers. I just can’t emphasise how intense the smell coming from those bushes was: a combination of freshness and a herbal scent.Rhododendrons bloom in different colours. One of them is blueish/purplish. Two bumblebees were lured by the flowers’ sweetness.
Tiny bluebells covering the Gardens’ fields, kissed by the sunlight, is one of the most beautiful views of the spring. Bluebells are a symbol of humility and gratitude. They are protected by law and you should not pick them for commercial purposes.
Bluebells growing in the Bournemouth Central Gardens. Blue cotoneaster is a tree I discovered this year. I might have seen it before, but this year I paid more attention to these tiny blue beauties.
Another tree with blooms which started appearing in mid-March are Magnolias. They are a symbol of dignity, pure beauty and nobility, and when you look at them, you kind of understand why.
Pink magnolias.The focus of the camera is on the pink rhododendrons, not me! Well, you can’t be in the spotlight when surrounded by spring flowers!A chameleon trying to hide among rhododendrons. The attempt was unsuccessful.Just speechless at the branches of these pink cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossoms’ lives are very short though, and after two weeks they start losing petals. But even after falling, petals cover the pavements with a beautiful pink or white carpet.
The intense pink of primroses almost hurts my eyes. This is their genuine colour – no filter was used for this photo!
4. Darkpurple and red flowers
Lilacs, rhododendrons, daisies, red roses
As I have mentioned before, I was trying to achieve colour-organised photos of flowers or some kind of gradient sequencing in my blog post. Here comes the intense colour of dark purple and red blooms.
If somebody really forced me to choose my favourite spring flowers, I would probably say lilacs, mainly because of their smell. Lilacs are a symbol of renewal and confidence.
Some lilacs in a vase have been a beautiful backdrop for my photos. a) A rhubarb crumble, b) My favourite breakfast: chocolate and banana oats. c) An essential oil diffuser, which helps me to relax at night.
Another rhododendron – this time in a beautiful red colour. Don’t be misled by their beauty…did you know that eating a large amount of rhododendrons can be toxic for humans?
I’ve always thought of daisies as white flowers, so seeing some red ones was a surprise. This photo was taken in the Lower Gardens.
Red roses – I see them bloom, for me and for you…
5. Yellow and orange flowers
Gorse, marigolds, tulips andeuphorbia
Gorseshrubs are bushes of yellow flowers with a beautiful coconut butter smell. You can find plenty of them on Hengistbury Head. Their sunshiny colour is beautifully intensified in the sunlight.
Gorse is a symbol of love and fertility in the Celtic tradition.I couldn’t get enough of this smell. A photo of marigolds taken by the sea – don’t they look beautiful in the sunshine? Multicolour tulips and euphorbia. Photo taken in the Lower Gardens.
I could have uploaded hundreds of flower photos I took in the last couple of months, but scrolling through this blog post would take ages! I’m so grateful for this beautiful spring even though it’s happening in some really worrying circumstances. I think the ban on travelling to remote places made me start noticing and appreciating what’s around me much more. Spring 2020 will become an unforgettable one because of two contrasting reasons. The world pandemic and the anxiety connected with it, but also so much more appreciation for the local parks, gardens and spring flowers. Which one is your favourite?
My Life in Bournemouth 