It’s exciting to notice that spring has finally arrived in the city once more, and I feel a strong urge to get out with the camera and capture it. Bright green leaves are breaking out from their buds, birds are busy nest building and flowers have begun to blossom – it’s a good time to seek out nature in the urban landscape. There’s nothing quite like the burst of green that spring brings, it’s so refreshing for the soul.
Daniel & I packed up a picnic and paid a visit to Dublin’s Marlay Park. It’s not exactly warm enough for picnicking yet, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying a small meal together outdoors (warmed by cups of tea and coffee of course!). It was a pleasure to see new life springing up around the park, from buttercups to apple blossoms. Marlay is a wonderful space, full of mature trees and a large variety of plant life. It contains a well tended walled garden, where we met some of the park’s more raucous inhabitants, the peacock and peahen pair you see here. He was busy displaying his tail feathers to hungry jackdaw intruders, while she was keeping the other residents of the aviary in line with sharp pecks!
Marlay Park has plenty to offer visitors: weekend food and craft markets, a dog park, a playground for the little ones, plenty of sports and an abundance of ice cream vans! Marlay House itself is a beautiful example of Georgian architecture; craft markets are sometimes held inside the house, they can be a great opportunity to take a peek inside. It’s well worth a visit, especially during the summer months when the trees are in full leaf. Daniel & I well definitely be paying another visit during the summer months, can’t wait for the peonies to open in the walled garden!
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All the flora & fauna is so beautiful. I live in the tropics, flowers bloom all the year round so I don’t appreciate them much but I’m trying to change that now.
And the photos of the peacocks & peahens are just too good looking. I remember how I was terrified to go too close to them.
Some lovely shots – Fair play to you and your early summer picnic!! I absolutely love Marlay, usually I’m found in a daze looking at all the dogs in the pen :-D
Well, I am usually huffin’ and puffin’ there, trying to do a bit of physical activity, so I don’t usually see what you’ve captured. Well done!
I don’t think it’s ever too early for a picnic! We had one last weekend, though we are having an unexpected week of warm weather (that was balanced out by this week’s snow).
Beautiful photo’s Eadaoin. I have the children at work using my point and shoot to take photos of new flowers and animals we see on our walks each week at the moment, it’s amazing what can be found at three year old height!
Lovely photos!
Oh my goodness… Your blog is amazing and I haven’t gotten further than the first entry on top. I love the look of it, the name and the photos, and Dublin, oh my, I want to visit one day :) Such an inspiration. I’d added you to my blogroll and will now start following your gorgeous blog regularly. Happy to have found you!
So pretty! Yay for spring! Happy Easter x
Lovely lovely photos Eadaoin! Spring si so magical I love coming here to see your photos!
Gorgeous photos as always Eadaoin and I’m sorry for not commenting sooner! I love the photo of the peacock. xxx
How beautiful, Éad! So lovely that you were able to get out and have a picnic, even if it wasn’t quite warm enough. It’s time to get outside, isn’t it? The peacock close up is a terrific image. I’ve never gotten too near the male but I guess the hens are a bit friendlier. Hope you have many more beautiful days this week. :)
xoxo – g
Glorious blossom and those little forget me knots are so lovely!
Spring is such a beautiful season isn’t it Eadaoin
Love n wishes kxx
What beautiful photos. A lovely blog.
Where I live in the states, a little town on the south shore of Lake Superior, we are still waiting for spring blooms! We just had our las (we hope) little snow storm this week! Seeing your lovely photos gives me hope that spring will come again!
I love the peacock photos and the tulips. Gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your home with us!
Ah, so beautiful! I especially like how you captured the peacock ♥♥
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