Hazel Catkins - March 2019

I'd had some wonderful weather for my Sunday morning photo shoot for the last couple of weeks, but this week storm Freya had arrived to spoil my photographic fun.

Not to be put off by the sometimes wildly swaying branches, driving rain and lack of light, I wrapped up warm and ventured outside. I was only in the garden for about fifteen minutes before I was soaked, but managed to grab a handful of shots that I was quite pleased with.

This one of the four Twisted Hazel (Corylus avellana Contorta) tree catkins was my luckiest catch, as they only stopped swaying long enough for me to grab this single shot.

First Forsythia - March 2019

The Forsythia (Forsythia intermedia) bush was taking its time in getting started this year, with this being the first flower to appear. For reference, the first flowers had appeared in January a couple of years ago.

Final Snowdrops - March 2019

While the Forsythia bushes were just beginning their flowering journey, the Snowdrops (Galanthus) were ending theirs for another year.

Crying Camellia - March 2019

The Camellia bush had quite a few flowers on display, but all were being battered by the wind and rain, so it seemed appropriate to shoot an abstract image of some of their petals covered in raindrops.

Drowned Honeysuckle - March 2019

Raindrops were also doing their best to drown the remaining Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) blooms, and also seemed to be dulling their fragrance.

Lupin Adornments - March 2019

However, the little Lupin (Lupinus) seedlings seemed to be dealing admirably with the onslaught of wetness!

Red Robin Rejuvenation - March 2019

Elsewhere in dad's garden there was some noticeable new growth in a few places, but most was taking place on the Red Robin (Photinia fraseri) bush.

Miniature Daffodil - March 2019

Over in my own garden, and on a considerably less wet and windy day, it was feeling like spring! The miniature Daffodils (Narcissus) were popping up all over the place...

Pink Hyacinth - March 2019

...and the Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) were appearing in places I didn't remember planting them, many of them this very bright pink colour.

Blue Grapes - March 2019

The Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) were a much more restrained colour, and although a few were in bloom, most were still only a mass of foliage.

First Tulip - March 2019

There was even evidence that it wouldn't be long before the first Tulips (Tulipa) would be in bloom.

Felicia - March 2019

What was most surprising though was that the Felicia (Felicia amelloides) had begun flowering again after only the briefest of breaks.

So this week I went with Hazel Catkins as my Image of the Week mostly because I was incredibly lucky to snap the shot at the moment the wind died down long enough to stop them swaying about...