#369 - Whitebeam leaf buds

I honestly thought for a second that someone had left some tasteful lights up in the tree near the play area in the park, because from a distance, I could see perfect globes strung up in the boughs, white with a barest hint of green. Lights, I thought, greened with algae, perhaps forgotten from Christmas or some other celebration. 

As I drew nearer I could see that the whole tree was covered, every twig tip, and it was just the sun shining on the buds that made them looks so bright and celebratory.

#283 - Whitebeam Leaves

The wind had turned these fallen whitebeam leaves so that they were showing their pale undersides and lay on the grass under the tree looking, from a distance, like white feathers.

#139 - Rain-soaked Whitebeam Leaves

This week we were stunned when a close friend was rushed into hospital, she is now extremely ill. I am beyond words...sometimes it's very hard to find the beauty in life... on our way to the park we kick through piles of these leaves which are rain-blackened and glossy and strangely lovely.

#86 - Whitebeam

I have been eyeing these trees from across the park for a few weeks now as they are strikingly multi-coloured, green leaves mixing with shades of yellow and red deepening to a rich burgundy. I had no idea what kind of tree they were and wondered if they were some kind of ornamental species as they are so, well...ornamental. Apparently, they are native but uncommon in the wild which would explain why I've never seen one.