Spring garden gallery

EVEN COVID-19 can’t detract from the beauty of Shetland in the Spring. Flowers and wildlife care nothing about our struggles, but go about their business of living, growing and looking wonderful.

We all do what we can, coping with the difficult situation we find ourselves in. To help lift spirits in these challenging times, we added wild or garden flowers to a gallery. Anything beautiful seen during an exercise hour or dog-walk, was photographed and shared – especially for those who are ill, housebound or self-isolating.

Submissions for the Spring gallery have now closed.

Click the first image to enable a scrollable gallery, click a photo to zoom in.

One of a number of Sedums in Lynne Watson’s garden – this one being the furthest on.

Grace Laurenson sent some white Bluebells, growing in her own garden.

Spanish Bluebells with a couple of contrasting pale Daffodils, in Hamnavoe. Taken by Barry Ward.

Fjana guarding Tricia’s Tulips in Gott. Photo sent in by John Robertson.

Gorgeous as always! Elizabeth Laurenson sent this photo of Lerwick Flower Park.

A montage, taken in Lerwick by Sadie Meadows, of Sycamore buds opening up.

John Bateson has been been creative with his planters, with a fine display of Tulips.

Rose ‘Ruby Wedding’ in Jessamine Copland’s polytunnel, Lochend.

Snakeshead Fritilleries and hardy Daffodils, growing in Alan Slater’s wild garden in Yell.

Saro Saravanan sent us this Spring bloom from his garden in Trondra – a lovely Drumstick Primula.

A cheery blanket of Daisies in a field at Challister, Whalsay. Sent by Angela Irvine.

Inese’s Ribes, providing nectar for a busy bee in Nesting.

Interesting photo taken in a Scalloway garden, sent by Elizabeth Laurenson.

Margaret Stevenson’s ‘gorgeous velvety perennial wallflower’, taken in Lerwick earlier this month.

Start them young! Lorraine Johnson’s son is prepping his vegetable seeds for the vegetable plot at Islesburgh.

From her Burra garden, Grace laurenson’s Bachelor’s Buttons (Ranunculus aconitifolius), with some Spanish Bluebells in the foreground.

Aubretia looking very much at home. It belongs to Lynne Geddes.

Barry Ward’s deep pink Ribes bush.

Chris Horrix’s spring garden, ‘with plenty of summer perennials and bulbs waiting in the wings’.

Deep, richly-coloured Hellebore, belonging to Cathy Mann.

Hazel leaf buds breaking in Hans Marter’s garden

Bright Spring display in a Scalloway garden, sent by Elizabeth Laurenson.

Great view for this display of Tulips in ‘Mari’s garden’, sent by Lorraine Johnson.

Barry Ward sent a photo of this little blue Violet he found growing wild on the side of a hill.

Little Pine tree surrounded by Honesty flowers, in John Bateson’s border.

Terri Mackay’s spring garden

A photo of Samantha Oliver’s garden, showing a nice line-up of shrubs and flowers.

Bee food – Bumble bee enjoying this Ribes flower. Photo: John Bateson.

Lovely dark-coloured Hyacinths growing in Joyce Davies’ garden.

Snakehead Fritillery in Inese’s small garden in Nesting.

Elizabeth Laurenson’s photo of a soon-to-be-wonderful Horse Chestnut tree in a Hillhead garden.

Jessamine Copland’s Cherry blossom in her Lochend polytunnel, taken in March…

‘A joyous view of some of the daffodils, they brighten every day.’ Margaret Stevenson’s Lerwick garden.

… and Jessamine’s resulting Cherries, in April.

A promise of peachy Tulips for Cathy Mann.

Bee taking advantage of the early Lupin flower. Photo from John Bateson.

Nice Lesser Celandine in Joyce Davies’ garden.

Clump of yellow Primroses in Barry Ward’s garden.

Peeking over the steps to see the Tulips, in this photo sent by Elizabeth Laurenson.

Cathy Mann’s Honesty (Lunaria annua) plant found in her garden. Pretty colour.

Janette Budge sent this photo of daffodils in her garden.

Jan Hunter caught this busy bee on Dame’s Violet (Hesperis matronalis), that has been flowering all winter.

Mairi Jamieson’s son Daniel’s vase of cheery daffodils.

Joyce Davies’ Crocuses

Mixed border in John Bateson’s garden, with jewel-like Tulips.

Cathy Mann’s Pulsatilla, just coming out.

Cowslips: “Always a sign of spring and better weather”. Sent by Chris Horrix.

Easy life – this frog from ‘Mari’s garden’ gets to enjoy the evening sun. Sent by Lorraine Johnson.

Pear blossom late March, in Jessamine Copland’s polytunnel.

Industrious bee in Samantha Oliver’s garden.

Joyce Davies sent us this Primrose picture.

Bergenia belonging to Cathy Mann.

Hans Marter’s Chestnut bursting into leaf.

John Bateson says, “Variegated dead nettle, very popular with Bees in spring and later on in summer. Its also good ground cover plant”.

Nice garden image from Elizabeth Laurenson, with trees and Tulips.

Pretty mix of Snakeshead Fritilleries and Daffodils, in Cathy Mann’s border.

A path winding its way through John Bateson’s garden, with Lupins in the foreground.

This primrose can be found in Kylie-Ann Johnson’s garden in Brae.

Tulips sent in by Mairi Jamieson. These are in her son Daniel’s garden in Sandsound.

Angela Irvine caught this ‘fairy ring’ at just the right time, at sunset, Brough, Whalsay.

Chris Horrix’s Mountain Saxifrage (Saxifraga Oppositifolia), perfectly at home in this wall.

Apple blossom, sent in by Margaret Morrison.

Bursting into leaf, this archway in a Baila garden. Sent by Elizabeth Laurenson.

Star-like Chionodoxa sent in by Cathy Mann.

John Bateman sent this photo of a bee on an Honesty plant.

Beautiful bright red tulips, belonging to Mairi Jamieson’s son Daniel.

Cathy Mann’s Drumstick Primulas

Saxifrage and another bee in Samantha Oliver’s garden.

Pale pink Ribes bush. Photo by Joyce Davies.

Double Marsh Marigold, found in a boggy part of Cathrine Coutts’ garden in Weisdale.

Tulips from a Lerwick garden, contributed by Elizabeth Laurenson.

Margaret Morrison’s vase of daffodils, rescued from her garden after the wind.

Cathy Mann sent us this Pulmonaria.

Spring scene captured by Angela Irvine. Barclays Burn, Whalsay.

Tub of Hyacinths, sent to us by Joyce Davies.

One in a long row of pots, from Joyce Davies.