Collage of alder and willow: a mature weeping willow in an open field; a botanical illustration of Salix (willow) with long trailing leaves; a willow tree reflected in water; a botanical plate of Alnus (alder) with leaves and catkins; a tall alder in winter; and a riverside painting with willows leaning over the water.

21 April is Parilia, the Roman festival honouring Pales, a pastoral deity. It’s said on this day two fishermen refused to observe her rites. In anger she turned them into an alder and a willow. They still haunt the riverbank, the willow trailing branches like lines cast for fish.

Tiny, almost fluorescent green flowers on the woodland floor in spring.

Discreet but charming Moschatel - Adoxa moschatellina - flowering for #wildflowerhour

Identification guide for very young readers. 7 budding twigs stand in a blue vase. The twigs include Willow, Beech and Hazel.

“Seven sorts of tree buds”

Treasure magazine, 1965

🤣😂

"Beth" pear 🍐

Waxing gibbous moon against a cobalt sky with budding branches of oak, elm and horse-chestnut.

"Regard the moon...." T.S. Eliot, "Rhapsody on a Windy Night"
Clocks go forward tonight and British Summertime starts.

Can confirm this and it makes an even more delicious pesto if combined with wild garlic. Add grated hard cheese from back of fridge, any roasted and ground nuts, Maldon salt and black pepper and olive oil of course! What's more, its flowers are incredible magnets for #pollinators 🐝🦟🐞

Wild About Cities Finding nature in unexpected places

Chuffed to see Wild Pavements reviewed in Chris Schuler's lovely substack newsletter. #urbannature #naturewriting #1stBookDiary cjschuler.substack.com/p/wild-about...

A large round hole in a hollow tree with strands of glossy green Common Ivy clinging on to the bark.

A perfectly round hole in this veteran oak for #thicktrunktuesday Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers loudly proclaiming their presence in the vicinity hint at who made it!

View of an urban green space with blocks of flats in background, planted with caged fruit trees. Two people plant a young tree as another stands looking towards the photographer.

Perennial problem in #Bermondsey: the remains of bombed out streets lie just inches below the soil level.
This "Iranian" medlar will be the last fruit tree we plant in the Rouel Rd Est Community Orchard, as we've run out of diggable space and don't want trees to shade each other out as they mature.

A carefully propped living oak tree lies at 45 degrees, its roots protected by low railings. View over London in background and a small crowd of people.

Pedunculate oak @hornimanmuseum.bsky.social for #thicktrunktuesday

Let's plan for nature! The UK Government is proposing changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. Help it work for nature.

I've taken action for our wild places!

The UK Government is proposing changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. Help it work for nature.
action.rspb.org.uk/page/187254/...

Black face of female hairy-legged flower bee covered in bright yellow pollen.

Female hairy-footed flower bees emerging to gather pollen to fill their nesting holes in old lime-mortar brickwork. Just look at that face 😍 #pollinators #springtime

Gorgeous pink almond flowers against a turquoise sky with scudding clouds.

Ah! The almond blossom! One of the first trees to flower. This one is by the Thames in Rotherhithe at Surrey Docks Farm. Please support this special place to stay open. They need our help now: Surrey Docks Farm - Online Social Fundraising Donation Platform | Givey share.google/mJRInQlLulkx...

Pink blossom on a cherry plum tree on a street corner by Bermondsey barbers shop. Blue sky and sunshine 😊

What a difference a tree makes! Gorgeous blossom buds emerging on Prunus cerasifera "nigra" on the corner of Macks Rd and Southwark Park Rd #bermondseytrees

Poster advertising the Bermondsey Wassail with photos of the Green Man adorned with leaves and a crowd of people processing with large paper lanterns and crowns of leaves.

Come and join us for the 4th Bermondsey Wassail TODAY, Saturday 28th February! Music, singing and lantern and crownmaking from 3pm on the Blue Marketplace SE16 3UQ followed by lantern-lit procession to the Rouel Est Community Orchard to wake the apple and pear trees 🍎🍐🎶🌳 Mulled cider will be served!

A large uprooted tree lies on the woodland floor with branches continuing to grow vertically from its trunk.

Phoenix hornbeam like a huge reclining figure flexing its muscles on the woodland floor #thicktrunktuesday

Crescent moon appearing in blue sky with jet and vapour trail.

Waxing crescent moon. The view from here ....

A 7-spot ladybird on a blackthorn twig with deep purple sloe and pink flower buds.

A few sloes still holding on, even as cherry-plum is bursting into flower and 7-spot ladybirds are waking up in the Rouel Rd Estate Community Orchard, #Bermondsey

Cerulean blue sky with light, fluffy cloud setting off vobrant yellow mimosa flowers.

Wonderful to have some blue skies today to set off this fragrant mimosa spilling over the fence into Pete's orchard, North Walworth.

Moss-covered tree in the snow.

#ThickTrunkTuesday featuring #moss #mossybark

Willow bracket?

Hoof fungus?

Hoof fungus?

Hoof fungus?

#MushroomMonday ID suggestions welcome.

😂

5 green ring-necked parakeets perched in a fig tree in winter against grey skies.

Exotic London! Five bright green ring-necked parakeets in a fig tree in # Bermondsey, Central London. Occasional visitors before, but the flock grows daily. Who else has noticed they are on the increase here? Very loud, very greedy and totally fearless!

Small fox silhouetted in red light watching traffic on a busy Central London Street.

Fox watching the rush hour chaos on Grange Road in #Bermondsey #FoxOfTheDay @chrisgpackham.bsky.social

the supports of Tower Bridge in London. With the top of The Shard lit in the distance.

the supports reflected in a massive puddle. it was so very wet today.

the supports and one of the towers reflected in a puddle.

view of the traffic and lit buildings of the city. Tower Bridge at night.

Tower Bridge at night in the rain. Looking gorgeous tonight.

Our manor! 😄

Ours too 😍

View of the river Thames showing the Shard, Tower Bridge and the City of London against a beautiful sky of fluffy clouds.

You can never get tired of the view over the river from the Thames Path at King's Stairs Gardens.

The trunk of a large oak tree

When windy place an ear to the bark of a tree, & with a hand stop all noise entering the other ear

You can now concentrate on listening THROUGH the tree to the low rumble of the trunk & branches working with the wind

You can also feel the movement of the branches as they react