The greening (GRD4)

[Blow-in]

The Black Ilse is blessed with a lot of beech trees often planted in rows along old (enclosure time) land boundaries, frequently on top of rough drystane dykes that also mark the boundary. The beech trees are the last to come in to leaf and have a wonderful fresh greeness to them when contrasted against the darker conifers. As they are on boundaries, there is often a track along one side (not a true avenue then as the trees are generally on one side only). It's a property of fallen beech leaves that they deter weeds which keeps the tracks fairly clear. Some pictures from this morning's dog walk to illustrate the point.

Richard

 

[Spode]

Excellent pics. Did you PP at all? That second shot has wonderful shadow and highlight detail. Or maybe it's just the light in Scotland!

 

[Blow-in]

Thanks Spode. No PPing at all. I did use the 'vivid' image setting (JPEG) and I use the DRC Auto as a default. The light was great between the showers!

Richard

 

[quester]

Agree with Spode - enlarged, the pics draw you in. Surely it must be more than the birch leaves that keep the paths usable? People like you going through? Vehicles? What a lovely change from the winter scenes you had.

 

[Blow-in]

Agree with Spode - enlarged, the pics draw you in. Surely it must be more than the birch leaves that keep the paths usable? People like you going through? Vehicles? What a lovely change from the winter scenes you had.

These are beech not birch (although we have loads of those too - they are native whereas the beech is not native this far north in the UK). There is no weed control going on in these areas. I think the beech does 3 things - a dense canopy which blocks lights, a massive thirst which keeps it very dry under the tree and a dense carpet of leaves..the end result is little growth although bluebells and fungus can do well.

Richard

 

[Roni G]

These are beautiful photographs.
Everything is so green, this is like a dream for someone (like me) who lives in a semiarid area that appears to become even more dry with time.

 

[lensman]

Richard,

Very nice photo's, we're also 'going green' here in Staffordshire, seems all the leaves have arrived at once. Just wish it would get a bit warmer, plus a bit of sunshine would be nice

David

 

[Wiener]

Hi Richard,
Spring is one of my favourite times of the year though as I am now back in Vienna this week, I am missing out on all that magic Black Isle 'greening' you describe and show so well.
Weird weather though, as I find that Vienna has actually turned colder than Scotland at the moment, though as I am sure you will confirm, you Highlanders are not about to take your tee-shirts off any time soon!
All the best,
Andy

 

[Genster]

Wonderful photos Richard