Last year in Warsaw I fell in love. With many things really. It was after all spring, and in the northern hemisphere that means something splendid. But my true love was the horse chestnut. This year I arrived earlier and I fell in love promiscuously: with crabapples, sycamores, silver birches, willows, box elder – and of course stayed in love with twins. But now my old love has returned in all its glory.
It stands grand and domed in rows along streets; amongst the deep green of parks; on the approach to Polin; and in the preschool playground. I can’t avoid it even if I wanted to.
I am conflicted. Who is my primary plant love?
And then, suddenly, the flowers are falling and the love affair fades.
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Wonderful! I sometimes think we’re still walking on the same street, you and I. 🙂 My camera is full of Spring images that I haven’t even had time to download yet. Off to Dad’s for a bit of Spring cleaning today 😦 and then to watch Rafa as compensation. Well, maybe not quite the same street… 🙂 🙂 Hugs, darlin.
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Does Rafa play non- stop??? You and Rosemary share a tennis interest. I like the sound of ball on racket because it evokes summer, but that’s where it ends for me.
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I know 🙂 🙂
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Beautiful. The chestnuts are in full bloom here in the UK too. I particularly like the red chestnuts.
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I love conker trees and grew up with one to hang around. I could be wrong, pictures can be deceiving but do a search on sweet chestnut because it looks to me like there’s one in with these!
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Which one do you think is sweet chestnut? It would be terrible if I’ve called out the wrong name in the throes of love!!
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I’ve just been out with the dogs and there are horse chestnuts in the cemetery, the leaves are narrower closest to the stems, whereas the chestnut trees on the green have more oval leaves and when mature they have a slight shine that conker trees don’t. But, in the your photos, it could just be the difference in pink and cream ones and individual leaves. So ignore me, I’m spouting nonsense I expect!
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=horse+chestnut+leaf&biw=1708&bih=814&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzm62p7_rMAhUpIsAKHUOiCWoQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.8
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=chestnut+leaves&biw=1708&bih=814&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjntN6v7_rMAhWoCsAKHeybAnYQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.8#tbm=isch&q=sweet+chestnut+leaves
You’ll soon be able to tell once the nut cases start forming as they’re very different!
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My mother had a passion for ‘sticky buds’ i.e. we had to go out haunting the countryside in order to catch some horse chestnut twigs just as the leaves were thinking of opening. I remember the twigs unfurling in a big terracotta jug. But I much prefer the flowers – the trees lit up with all those creamy candles. A lovely chestnut gallery, Meg.
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Thanks Tish. I love it when my posts prompt reminiscences. I still have an image of baby you in your pram being removed from the dangers of laburnum. Have you written much about your mother?
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Not really. She was a ‘difficult’ person to say the least. And also very naughty.
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Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. Apologies if so.
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Oh I don’t mind your asking in the least, Meg. I often do think I might write about her.
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Oh how beautifully they have fallen to the base of the tree, forming this light carpet of petals!
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That one’s in the playground of my grandkids’ preschool, so I pass it every day.
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They are such beautiful flowers when seen close up. I never knew that when I was young, we just loved them for the conkers 🙂
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And the conifers are already beginning to form. I spotted my first ones this morning.
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A lovely gallery Meg and ending so sadly with all the fallen blossom. But life will live on with the conkers. I also remember the conkers Jude. Did you have conker battles and strived to find the “King Conker” that would smash all the others to smithereens. Ah the memories these posts invoke…
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I’m not seeing sadness – I’m seeing glorious continuity!
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Yes life goes on…
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