Over April and May more and more plants, trees and shrubs come into the flower. Up in the mountains purple saxifrage is among the first to come into bloom and in the woods, primroses, snow drops and wood sorrel flower early. In this blog I have listed some of the flowering plants, trees and shrubs I have come across in the last two months whilst out and about hillwalking and on Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. Most of the photos were taken in the Lomond’s of Fife hills and the countryside around Strathblane, north of Glasgow. One of my favourites is the periwinkleVinca minor with it’s propellor shaped petals.

Blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus

European Larch Larix deciduaBluebellHyacinthoides non-scriptaColt’s-footTussilago farfaraLoddon LilyLeucojum aestivumWood SorrelOxalis acetosellaWavy BittercressCardamine flexuosaGorseUlexWood Anemone Anemone nemorosaCookcoo Flower Cardamine pratensisYellow…

In March, trees in Scotland start to come back into leaf. Now’s a good time to study tree buds as they get bigger and begin to open up. Hawthorn and elder are amongst the first and oak and ash among the last to come into leaf. All of these photos were taken in Mugdock Country Park, just to the north of Glasgow.

Goat WillowSalix caprea –  This type of willow is sometimes called a ‘pussy willow’ after the grey male flowers which look like cat’s paws. The buds are on alternate sides, are hairless, greenish brown in colour and pressed close to the twig.

Common LimeTilia x europaea  – Lime tree buds are dark red in colour and on opposite sides of the twig. Notice how the twig branches off at an angle after each bud. Lime trees are very common in parks in Scotland.ElderSambucus…

It’s been a very busy couple of months. We’ve run lots of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions and in Scotland and in France and I’ve been guiding up in Shetland, Skye, Galloway and Argyll for About Argyll Walking Holidays.

There’s been plenty of amazing wildlife encounters like otters, dolphins, eagles and ospreys but I find that a lot of my interest is drawn to the wildflowers and bugs at this time of year.

In the Pyrenees I managed to get these nice photos of a male Early Bumblebee. It’s rounded tail identifies it as a male. It has yellow bands on its thorax and abdomen and a has a red-orange coloured tail.

Notice the colourful thick hairs on the abdomen of the early bumblebee. These have three useful functions. First it helps to keep it warm allowing it to thrive in cooler climates, like in Scotland or high up…