Greening Up

We didn't quite get any sun today and it was so grey! So I walked for a couple of hours on the land seeking signs of spring.
The Larch (Larix decidua) is a conifer, although it is deciduous, loosing its needles in the autumn. I love it's fresh, bright green spiraling needles, contrasting with the brown cones, the small seeds are between the scales in the cone. I have sown them in potting compost and they germinated readily from seed. The timber from larch is excellent, tough and water resistant, our house has been clad with larch planks. Unlike other conifers the ground flora under Larch trees is quite diverse, today I saw, Wood anenomes, Wood sorrel, Bluebells and Foxgloves, only the first two are flowering! These trees were planted out when Rosie was about 4 year old, they were the same height as her, now 15 years later, they are about 30' high, maybe one day, they will clad a cabin for her! I'm adding a few photos to my blip folio this evening, if your interested.