We returned, as we do often, to Stowe Gardens at the weekend – our first visit of the year. Spring has been making very rapid progress thanks to warm sunny weather in the last week or so. And it has been very dry. There’s a meteorological saying that: ‘April showers bring forth May flowers’. One of the consequences of climate change is that these sayings are not as true as they once were due to the distortion of the seasons. We need rain really, but we don’t really want it.
Amongst all the signs of Spring that I spotted, one aspect caught my attention in particular and that was the ‘surfacing’ of the new year’s crop of Water Lily leaves or pads.
Two entirely different views of them. Where the light was soft and I was able to gaze into the water I could see the leaves reaching up to, and finding, the water’s surface.
Standing on a bridge over the Octagonal lake I looked towards the sun and caught a glimpse of lily pads, like silver saucers, floating on a corrugated carpet of blue.
LensScaper 
It’s raining here but we need it. both great shots but I love the second one Andy 🙂
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Thanks Norma. The problem with periods of no rain is you just know that one day nature will make the correction and the rains will fall and not know when to stop.
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What a great pairing, and what a great natural illustration of something you often say when in the city: a few steps this way or that, and everything changes. I’m so glad you’ve had some good weather for your travels, too. We’re coming out of a stormy week here, but at least for a couple of days, it promises to be fair and cool.
There’s a nature center along a bayou not too far from me. It’s rich in water lilies, among other things. I ought to go over and have a look, and see how they’re faring.
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That’s so true isn’t it, Linda. The landscape or city-scape is never static as we move through it and change direction.
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I love Stowe….but a bit of a distance for me. Perhaps I can combine a visit with something else 😀
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Two suggestions for you, Sue: Rousham described by Monty Dom as one of the best gardens in England, or Wrest Park which is a fantastic estate. Google either, or if you entered either as a search criterion on my blog you would find posts.
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Thanks for the suggestions!
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It’s amazing, sometimes, what a simple change of perspective will reveal….
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It’s all about the light too isn’t it. Filtered light vs full sun and looking across the light vs directly into it. The conditions were just right on that day.
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The lighting certainly can effect the image, and it appears that part of that influence in these two images was gained by simply changing the perspective. I can tell it was a good day for photo-making. 🙂
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Lovely contrasting photos of the Lily pads Andy . I really like the composition with the ripples in the second shot .. as you say a – blue corrugated carpet ! It does seem a while since we had a soaking .. but have to say I’m enjoying it 🙂
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Thanks Poppy. Another beautiful day today – the apple trees have been pin-pricked by pink for 2-3days and the first blossom is just emerging today – when I’ve mown the lawn I must get out there with the camera
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Lovely images Andy! I particularly like your second shot.
It’s been so lovely to see the sunshine and Scotland this last weekend was amazing. I’ve been fearing for some time that the pattern of our weather, warm sunny April and early May and then a wet grey summer has been emulating a weather pattern generally experienced much further north with the Gulf Stream falling short of where it should normally be. I hope this weather however, is the start of a long, hot summer with the occasional few days blip here and there. Fingers crossed! It’ll mean hosepipe bans of course but we always seem to manage despite the dire warnings we usually get after a few days sunshine.:-)
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If only we could be sure of a long hot summer, Adrian – I think we might need something like that to counter-balance the likely political uncertainties that may well lie ahead. Everywhere is looking at its best right now, if anything this warm weather seems to have compressed the season – it’s all happening so fast. If only we could bottle it.
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A wonderful subject, beautifully captured. 🙂
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Many thanks Frank
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