All of these photos of Spring flowers were taken in England. The third photo on the top of the collage is of a Fritillaria meleagris which grow wild on the grounds of Magdalene College in Oxford. This photo was taken on Addison’s Walk, a footpath along the grounds and River Cherwell. When we were on this trip I wasn’t a blogger yet. If I was, I would have taken more and better photos of this wonderful flower. I’ll add a google image of a closeup so you can see it better. The 1st photo I believe are Anenome nemerosa. The second daffodils. The fourth are Pink Pom Pom Aster? Any real gardeners and flower buffs can correct me if I’m wrong, please.
While on one of our trips in England we stayed on the Farm in the center picture in the Lake District. This was the first time I ever experienced hearing a Cuckoo Bird. I was amazed and excited to realize it really says “cuckoo, cuckoo”. Then after hearing the cuckoo from our room at the Bed and Breakfast we got to see some of these cuckoos as they flew from tree to tree on one of our walks. This brings me to the poem about Spring and Flowers and the Cuckoo that I chose to share for week 3 of Wildflowers in Winter. I would highly recommend a walking tour in the Lake District or the Cotswolds in late Spring and early summer.
To The Cuckoo
~ by William Wordsworth
O BLITHE New-comer! I have heard,
I hear thee and rejoice.
O Cuckoo! shall I call thee Bird,
Or but a wandering Voice?
While I am lying on the grass
Thy twofold shout I hear,
From hill to hill it seems to pass,
At once far off, and near.
Though babbling only to the Vale,
Of sunshine and of flowers,
Thou bringest unto me a tale
Of visionary hours.
Thrice welcome, darling of the Spring!
Even yet thou art to me
No bird, but an invisible thing,
A voice, a mystery;
The same whom in my school-boy days
I listened to; that Cry
Which made me look a thousand ways
In bush, and tree, and sky.
To seek thee did I often rove
Through woods and on the green;
And thou wert still a hope, a love;
Still longed for, never seen.
And I can listen to thee yet;
Can lie upon the plain
And listen, till I do beget
That golden time again.
O blessed Bird! the earth we pace
Again appears to be
An unsubstantial, faery place;
That is fit home for Thee!
I’m adding two photos of my husband and our daughter and myself with our daughter on Addison’s Walk on the grounds of Magdalene College where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis would walk and talk.
For more literary contributions to Wildflowers in Winter Week 3 click here.
Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Love it, Love it, Love it!
Makes me want to call British Air right now!
I was going to mention the Inklings’ walks in the comments and as I keep reading–there it was!
Great minds DO run in the same track.
Have you read the Inklings by Humphrey Carpenter yet? If not, you should! I think you’d like it!
The Lewis brothers and “Tollers” would take days long walks in the English countryside together. The Lewis’s were serious walkers and would get frustrated with Tolkien’s slow and leisurely pace. I can imagine him walking along in the springtime as enchanted as the “Company” with their first sight of Lothlorien!
There is a kind of Fritillaria called Chocolate bells that grows wild in Oregon and Washington. It really reminds me of what you found in England. I would love to go see England sometime, but spring sounds especially delightful. They have loved gardens for so man hundreds of years. I would enjoy wandering among them for hours, with my camera. I’m afraid my slow pace would discourage even moderate walkers. I would love to hear the Cuckoo bird too. Thanks again for taking us to such an interesting place.
Once again I am transported and love the glimpse into Britain.
Lovely photos and thoughts,
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
*yipes* I want to be there with you – I want to be there with you – I want to be there with you – I want to be there with you *jumping up and down*
What lovely photos. I am just now getting around to Fun Monday visits. It has been a busy week.
Those flowers are just gorgeous – love your collage.
Lovely, lovely. So nice to look at those flowers especially since it’s -11* F right now. And that is warm compared to how it’s been the last few days.
These are all such beautiful photos. Sigh……
From the frozen wilds of Toronto, Canada
more sighs……
Thanks for posting the beautiful pics of the Lake District, the Cotswold, and the Oxford grounds…brought back fond memories for me…as Wordsworth had said: “…and then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils.” My last trip to England was to Jane Austen’s Bath and Lacock Village in December of 2007. You’re welcome to take a look at the pics in my blog. Again, thanks for your wonderful post here.
I love your post, the pictures, and the poem. The Fritillaria meleagris is such an unsual flower it almost most seems unreal. Now, that I think of it, I have not had the pleasure of hearing a real Cuckoo.
have to enjoy the country vicariously thru your post.
(good choice of poetry, too)
Beautiful photos! Ever since reading Wordsworth’s poetry and some about his life I’ve wanted to visit the Lake District. How I’d love to stay in that little college.
Ahhh…..you’ve got me longing for a walk in Lake District now. Someday…..someday.
Jody