This morning, I set off early for a walk through Swaledale, camera in hand as always. The air was still and warm, the light soft with the promise of summer, and what struck me most as I wandered was just how many different shades of green surrounded me. Everywhere I looked, the valley was alive with colour—not the bold, showy kind of spring blooms, but something more subtle and layered: a quiet celebration of life in all its forms.
From fresh young leaves just coming into their full shape to darker, waxy holly and the fine filigree of ferns, it was a visual symphony in green. I paused often, taking in textures and tones—veins etched into leaves like maps, glossy cherries just beginning to ripen beneath pointed foliage, the tangle of wild grasses shifting gently in the breeze.
What I love about photographing plants at this time of year is the richness of the detail. Even familiar trees take on a new character under early summer light. Some leaves are lime green and almost translucent, others deep and shadowed. There’s contrast and character in every branch and blade. One moment you’re drawn to the soft, silvery fuzz of new growth; the next, to the precise geometry of a fern’s fronds or the spiky gloss of holly.
These images are a small collection from this morning’s walk—snapshots of the living landscape at a moment of lush abundance. Walking through Swaledale at this time of year is a vivid reminder of how much there is to see when you take a moment to slow down and look closely.
If you’re out walking in the Dales over the coming weeks, take a moment to notice the greens. They’re not all the same—and they have so much to say.
