This month as we reach the end of spring I wanted to take a look at the palette of this season.
Come the summer the deep reds, oranges and bolder colours take over, but springtime has a much softer feel of pale pinks, whites, and blues with a sprinkling of citrus yellows and greens. This can sometimes feel like a fleeting moment in the garden, but it is a period alive with those early insect pollinators.
Many flower species have coevolved with insects to offer them the best chance of pollination. Some flowers, especially in shades of blue exhibit ultraviolet patterning, which is thought to favour insect eyesight helping to 'direct' them to the pollen. The paler flowers and whites are better seen at night, which extends the number of insects able to pollinate.
Spring and the month of May are the time to enjoy Wisteria, Iris, Lupin, and the many Alliums in flower at present. Some of these plants will flower again, but the first blooms are by far the most exuberant and impressive.
These softer colours work well when combined with the fresh green of the new
leaf growth, and zingy yellows of Euphorbia. Yet they always seem most at home through the grey days, cold mornings and drizzly spells that tend to occur in a British spring. They provide a gentle introduction of colour before the full spread begins to take off next month.
So before we roam into summer I would suggest taking some time to really enjoy this calmer period of the year.
Comentários