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Thursday 10 May 2018

Horse Chestnuts in May

Ealing Common

Right now I am in thrall to the horse chestnut trees. All across West London they are in bloom, and the air is heavy with their scent. They are life-affirmingly gorgeous - unless of course you suffer from hay fever, in which case you'd probably vote to have them all chopped down overnight.



Ealing Common

We're soon to have a Royal Wedding, and if I were to offer any floristry advice to Meghan I'd suggest that she consider decking out St. George's Chapel with horse chestnut blossoms. They'd be perfect for a May Bride. And she'd have zero flower miles to boast about given that they are literally everywhere. 

Although it wasn't always that way. According to my tree-spotter book horse chestnut trees are indigenous to the Balkans, and were only introduced here in England in the late 16th Century. Landscape architects like Sir Christopher Wren, who planted a magnificent mile of them in Bushy Park, near Hampton Court, led to their rapid naturalisation across the countryside. 

Ealing Common

Ealing Common is one of my favourite places to wander at all times of the year. You can find the WonderDog and I there at some point most afternoons. Right now, with the long grass and the meadow sweet, you'd almost think you were in the countryside - if you can manage to block out the traffic noise from the A406.



Ealing Common

It's a strange place with some sunken areas that someone told me were bomb craters from the Second World War. 

Ealing Common

But with an audible book playing through my headphones, the warm May sunshine and a gentle breeze, heavy with the sweet fragrance of all those amazing flowers, it's pretty perfect. The WonderDog is getting so many walks these days that he's taken to hiding under the sofa and refusing to come out. 

Ealing Common

All the best for now,

Bonny x


3 comments:

  1. Oh, this is so appealing...I cannot wait to be able to get out and walk where I choose.

    I love horse chestnut trees, too...but maybe not as much as you. But I always photograph them once or twice each spring. I guess this spring will be the exception.

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  2. Wow, Bonny!!!!!!!! Great spring photos!!!!!!!!! I missed you, my friend. Kisses!!!!!!

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  3. What a gorgeous sight - I love horse chestnuts. They are not that common in Canada, though there do seem to be more of them in our local town - but they are not in leaf yet. Poor WonderDog! He must be exhausted after all that exercise! Marie x

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