Hangin' out with my buds

This April, it feels like we have been waiting a very long time for the emergence of leaves. With leaves, the world is a greener, prettier place. The winter months appear to extend from November until April, and even April is a bit of a disappointment: Where are the leaves? At last, we see early signs of them. This year, the nights are cold and there are cold winds from the north and easterly breezes from the Irish Sea. At last, today, the 21st of April, there are some real signs of life emerging. These photos are taken in our garden in the mountains behind Ashford. It's a mix of the pre-existing native trees such as Ash, Oak and Hazel and every exotic tree or shrub that we fall in love with: Fothergilla, Magnolia, Cornus, Aralia, Pseudopanax, Spiraea, Arbutus...