The bluebells have really thrived this year, we are fortunate to live near woodland carpeted with a bluish haze. But the banks of the ditches and even the garden are sprouting pale blue and mauve. An Irish name is Coinnle Corra, ‘bright spears’ might capture the meaning and essence of the plant. They come as the daffodils wither and fade out as the trees put on denser leaves and the undergrowth deepens. The leaves are dense, shiny and smooth and you can easily end up on your backside if descending a bank of bluebells.

I always find the painterly effect hard to photograph, as if the camera film or sensor cannot just quite capture the delicate depth of colours. This photo taken under beech trees at Portumna Forest Park in Co.Galway is not bad though. Here you’ll find lovely woodland and lakeshore paths and trails. If you’d like a map of Portumna Forest Park for future visits when travel is permitted, here’s one below that I prepared for Coillte.