Guernsey's Candie Gardens

Guernsey does not have a botanical gardens as such but it does have the Candie Gardens. This public park is situated in the St Peter Port and includes the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery and the Priaulx Library within its grounds.

The Priaulx Library is situated within Candie House; the gardens are its namesake (sorry I forgot to take a picture).

The gardens are clothed in their spring finery at the moment. My Dad said he had not seen such a lovely spring display in a very long time.

Every year we purchase a  Heritage Season ticket. Bumble Bee Cottage hosts many visitors each year so the pass more than pays for itself at £38.00 for a family as we inevitably visit at least one museum with visitors. This price covers the entry fee to nine museums spread across Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney.

The gardens are a five minute walk from the St Peter Port High Street.

The tulips were truly spectacular. They are protected from the wind by the walls which surround the lower level of the garden.

There are some wonderful displays of tulips in St Peter Port proper at this time of year; unfortunately many have been de-petalled by the sea breezes (these tulips are in Candie Gardens).

This is the view from halfway up the top level of the garden, looking towards the museum.

This is Cafe Victoria. Mr Bee walked up from town and met us for lunch. The food was very nice; basically good quality cafe fare at a reasonable price.

One of Guernsey's most famous residents presides over the gardens.

It will take approximately one hour to amble around the gardens and then you could easily spend another two hours in the Museum and Art Gallery if you go at a leisurely pace. It is a lovely way to spend a few hours and the gardens afford a fabulous view over St Peter Port.

Bluebell Wood

We wandered up to Bluebell Wood this morning.

As you can see, many of the blooms are yet to open.

These are native English Bluebells and are protected i.e. you are not allowed to pick them as bluebells need to flower in order for them to multiply and if every visitor picked just one flower the wood's namesake would disappear very swiftly indeed.

This is part of the wall that runs along one side of the wood. It separates the wood from the private gardens which have the privilege of backing onto it.

The trees are just waiting to burst their buds.

All manner of treasures were found.

A few raindrops on a camera lens can add that special something, sometimes.

Native primroses are one of my favourite flowers. They smell divine.

There are scattered patches of Spanish Bluebells along the pathway that leads back down to the bathing pools. 

The Spanish Bluebells hold their blooms erect while the English Bluebells have an arching appearance.

The Wild Garlic is not to be outdone and is putting on a wonderful show as well.

They may not be the native variety but they are still spectacular.

We will come for another visit next weekend and hopefully a few more bluebells in the woods will have opened.

My Dad is staying with us over Easter. I thought we had taken him on this walk before but apparently we haven't. The Bumble Bee'rs were very excited to show Grandad all the sights.

Blue is my favourite colour which is perhaps part of the reason the beautiful blooms hold such a special  place in my heart.

Hawthorn against a grey and overcast sky. Home we go to dry off and have a mug of hot chocolate to warm us up.

Portinfer Sea Ducks

Mr Bee took the Bumble Bee'rs and Grandad for a walk on Portinfer Beach. As they were walking towards the beach he spotted a harrier hovering directly overhead.

This is what the bird of prey had his eye on; a mother duck and her thirteen little ducklings hot-footing it across the sand.

I hope none of them was the unlucky number thirteen and ended up the harrier's lunch!

It must be hard work for those tiny webbed feet to scramble over the rocks on the beach, not to mention hard work having thirteen little ones to keep watch over - and I thought I was busy :)

Port Soif Common

I love this time of year; all the plants are bursting back into life. The brown of winter slowly disappears from the landscape.

The lime green of new growth is everywhere.

I have taken this opportunity to practice with my new camera.

It is not an SLR but rather a Happy Snapper that will fit in my handbag.It is iridescent blue, the camera not my handbag.

I think this photo is my favourite of the day. The bluebells in Bluebell Wood will be open soon. They tend to bloom a few weeks after the bluebells on the common as they are in the shade of the wood as opposed to the open sun drenched common.

We will start our yearly pilgrimage to the wood next weekend; just so we don't miss them.

Images of Port Soif Beach

It was a lovely Sunday so we headed off to the beach for a wander.

It was only 10.5*C but you wouldn't have known it as it was such a calm day with just a hint of a breeze so there was no wind chill to contend with.

The water is such a beautiful colour that if it wasn't for the cold we could have been in one of those tropical island advertisements

B1 asked why I was taking photos of the sand. I told him sometimes you need to slow down and take notice of the beauty in the things around you.

Limpets are the most common shell on Port Soif beach.

Seagulls floating on the breeze.

If you ever come to Guernsey I would recommend a visit to Port Soif as it is one of the loveliest beaches I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.