Author Archives: Megan Miln

The Progression of Spring

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The first spring flowers started to appear about a month ago, and we have seen a steady stream of blooms since.

Poppies in centre of a tree lined boulevard

Poppies in centre of a tree lined boulevard

The most surprising thing for me has been watching the progression of the flowers. Each variety seems to bloom for a brief week or two before being replaced by something new.

A poppy amongst spring flowers

A poppy amongst spring flowers

The daffodils, which were the first to poke up through the grass, have now mostly gone. Next were the flowering trees, covered in pink and white blossoms that have since been replaced by bright new leaves.

And this week, the gardens are filled with opening poppies swaying at the slightest breeze.

Newly opened poppies

Newly opened poppies

The Rooftops of Lyon

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Part of Lyon is built on a steep slope. This provides great opportunities to look out over the rooftops and across the city below. For me, there is something oddly appealing about viewing the city from amongst the chimneys.

Ferris Wheel in Place Bellecour behind the rooftops

Ferris wheel in Place Bellecour behind the rooftops

Red rooftops and chimneys in Lyon

Red rooftops and chimneys in Lyon

Bee Nesting Boxes in Parc de la Tête d’Or

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For a while now, the idea of one day keeping bees has been growing in my mind. So, when I caught a passing glimpse of some bee hives in a corner of Parc de la Tête d’Or, I was keen to go back for a closer look.

Bee nesting shelters in Parc de la Tete d'Or

Bee nesting shelters in Parc de la Tête d'Or

As it turns out, they are not bee hives, but nesting boxes to encourage wild bees. A series of shelters each holds nine boxes filled with different nesting materials- twigs, hollow bamboo, logs with holes drilled in them, and blocks of clay. These bee shelters are part of the UrbanBees Project.

Different nesting materials in bee shelters

Different nesting materials in bee shelters

Drilled logs in a bee nesting box

Drilled logs in a bee nesting box

I didn’t see any bees while I was there, but I’m hopeful they may appear as summer approaches.

Wattle at the Market

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Most mornings, a market sets up along the Saône River. The market hosts an array of fresh produce, and right at one end there is a flower stall. I was quite surprised to see bunches of what appears to be wattle for sale at the flower stall this week.

Wattle at the market

Wattle at the market

I associate wattle so strongly with Australia; I did not expect to see it here in Lyon, let alone at the end of winter.

 

First Signs of Spring

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This weekend has brought the first signs of spring in Lyon.

Daffodils in the grass

Daffodils in the grass

Yesterday afternoon was perfect for a walk in the park; the sun was shining, and it was warm enough not to need a coat. We headed to Parc de la Tête d’Or and were greeted by the first spring flowers poking up through the grass.

A purple flower in the grass

A purple flower in the grass

Emerging daffodils

Emerging daffodils