King Cup

Hello, it's me!

I am the King Cup (Caltha palustris).

Because spring came back, I also came back.

The King Cup likes to have wet feet. In swampy places on fertile soil it can appear in large amounts. Like here in an Alder wood where the branches of a small stream penetrate everywhere. The flowering is abundant while it lasts, only a few weeks.

Yes, it looks like a big buttercup. Both belong to the same family of Ranunculaceae.

Sweet Violet

The first warm and sunny Sunday in March, and there is a soft smell like honey in the air. No mistake, little Sweet Violets (Viola odorata) communicate their presence.

In general they are blue...

 ...but exceptions do exist.

Blue, white or pink, they are all PERFUMED !

March moon

Common Gorse

Common Gorse (Ulex europaeus) flowers all year round. That is, in Dordogne it thinks the summers too hot and too dry, so it is especially in winter you can find it in flower. In freezing weather when it is really too cold the flowers wilt for a while, but snow is not really a problem, it just goes on flowering.

This year there has not been any snow. Too bad!

When in full bloom the flowers of Common Gorse are very yellow and conspicuous compared to the duller winter colours of other plants. Buds, and also petals,are slightly downy.

Common Gorse loves the edge of chestnut woods, roe deer also. Maybe that's why it has those long thorns. If not, roe deer in search of fresh green would eat all of it.