Off to Reading. The verges are more yellow than green, there are so many dandelions in flower. Dark red ornamental fruit trees have joined the white and pink ones already blooming, while more of the bare trees are covered with fresh green new leaves.
Here and there pretty pink and white apple blossom shows on trees, which have obviously sprung from apple cores tossed out of car windows.
Yellow mahonias have joined the yellow gorse.
On the A414, between Hertford and Welwyn, in a field on the right-hand side, just before the Welwyn sign post, there is an amazing row of dead oak trees standing starkly bare, aged and awe-inspiring. How did they all die at once? I would love to photograph them – they are so interesting and visually compelling.
In places, daisies replace or merge with dandelions.
Sometimes, miles from the long stretches and deliberately planted clumps of narcissi, stands a solitary one.
Verges are also prettied with bright tulips standing as tall and straight as soldiers on parade, proudly showing off their blooms.
I kept my eyes shut for miles, listening to Coldplay and the sound of the engine. When I opened them again we were on the M25, and it was to see the desecration caused by the felling for mile upon mile of the young saplings and brush. These same saplings that had been carefully planted and nurtured some years ago, now lay in piles, either as wood chips or as waiting to be chipped. I wonder how long it will be before yet more money is spent on replanting. I do not understand why this has happened.
Here and there are drifts and clumps of wildflowers: primroses, the aforementioned dandelions, daisies and cowslips (peggles). There is also a beautiful drift of blue – not deep enough, and too bright to be bluebells, also leaves wrongly-shaped – I wonder what they were?
The sky that for the last two days has been clear blue, is today showing drifts of small soft, fluffy clouds.
In a field, just before we join the M4, I saw a herd of brown and white ponies, and standing by one of them was the smallest foal I have ever seen.
On the left-hand side, as we joined the M4, we were greeted by a glittering lake, and behind it a huge steel warehouse, the sunlight reflecting brightly off its roof. While on the right-hand side a grove of very tall trees, with immense globes of mistletoe suspended from their upper branches.
In a field further along, was a string of sheep, strung out rather than in the usual flock. I enjoyed looking at them until a wooden fence blocked my view.
On the right, a field of travelers had set up home.
A steep embankment was totally covered with oil seed rape, the first time I have seen it in that quantity near the motorway.
The hedges are growing wildly, the bottom halves almost totally bare, but the top half big and bushy. Why do we not bring back hedgers and ditchers? A worthy and honourable trade – they layered the hedges, causing them to grow thickly right from the base to the top, and out ditches were kept clean, clear of weeds and properly dug out, causing a freeway for flood water, which would provide the answer to some of the water build up at very wet times. Drains and ditches kept clear would doubtless help the situation.
Passing a bluebell wood, I could just make out the faintest haze of blue – we need to return in a week or two to fully appreciate it.
Ironically, we are now passing an area where hundreds of new trees have been planted. It is an especially beautiful place as along the whole stretch wild primroses have carpeted the ground.
On the left, a field of beautiful white horses, while on the right two fields of our favourite sturdy white ponies.
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