Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica purpurea) coming into leaf
Here we are again with the monthly shout-out to all tree followers. If you are new to tree following, read all about it here.
The May tree-following link box is now closed, but at the bottom of this post you will find links to all the wonderful contributions we received this month…
Here in Cardiff everything is very dappled. And it made me think that the Impressionist artists who used “pointillism” had the right idea. The trees that are just starting to wake up for spring are very “dotty” and every dot is a leaf, or a flower.
So I had a go at a couple of photographs using the PhotoShop “Pointillize” filter…
An attempt to pointillize an image of young maple leaves
An attempt to pointillize a cherry tree
That wasn’t totally successful, but it amused me for half an hour!
All too soon summer will join up all the dots and everywhere will be a mass of green. I prefer spring, it’s so much prettier.
I look forward to seeing what the trees are like where you live.
By the way, if you haven’t noticed, Lucy Corrander, who used to manage this wonderful “meme”, has a new laptop and is back to her old blogging self again. You will find her here: Loose and Leafy.
Here are this month’s tree-following contributors…
Linda’s Garden – Buddleia/butterfly bush
Alison – Blackberry Garden – Cydonia/quince
Frances – Island Threads – Betula pubescens/downy birch
Tineke – ‘t Groentje – Salix/willow
Caroline – Wild and Wonderful – Betula pendula/birch and Prunus avium Sylvia/cherry
Hollis – Plants and Rocks – tree photography tips
Annie – Earthstar – Metasequoia glyptostroboides/dawn redwood
Maria – Leaf Encounter – Acer pseudoplatanus/English sycamore revisited
Liz – Amelanchier/serviceberry
Jean’s Garden – /Prunus/native Maine cherry
Beth – Plant Postings – mystery Aesculus/buckeye – and a great time-lapse video
Flighty’s Plot – Quercus/young oak
Pat – Squirrelbasket – Quercus/oak
Tina – My Gardener Says – Platanus occidentalis/American sycamore
Janet – Plantaliscious – Prunus/cherry
Thank you to everyone – see you all again on June 7!
The Squirrelbasket 
I like your take on the Pointillism.
Thank you – it was just a thought π
have done have a blessed day
You too – and I see your butterfly trees are in good health π
Yes looking good
Hi Thanks for hosting this once again.
I love the pointillism – the dappled look is rather good.
Thank you – I have these wild thoughts sometimes. Anything but get on with my work!
All the best π
I like the pointillism Pat, however I love the first photo of the copper beech with the fresh green tree behind, beautiful, I’ve just linked my post, thanks as always for hosting this lovely meme, Frances
Thank you – it was the beech image that made me think in the first place – although I have enhanced the colour slightly.
I love the oxlips under your birch!
All the best π
pointillism is ideal for that spring exuberance
Thank you – but I think everything is getting a bit too gushing on the leaf front now…
Best wishes π
Yes, I like your Pointillism pictures, Pat. It’s all happening at last … though I think you are a few days ahead of us in your western corner. What a relief to have some warmth after last week’s wintry May Day!
Still haven’t made it back to the serviceberry! too much snow, too much work π¦ But it’s no fun not to participate so I wrote about a helpful post I found on tree photography. Thanks once again, Pat. And I enjoyed your pointillism, fun!
Glad you’ve found something tree-ish to share. I’ll go over there to see it now.
All the best π
My link is up … a rather brief post as pushed for time but Dawn is looking very lovely. π
Thanks! I’ll be over there to your blog to have a look shortly.
And if I only had time I’d be over to see Dawn in person!
Best wishes π
[…] as ever, to Pat at Squirrelbasket for hosting Tree Following, the monthly sharing of tree […]
Hello Pat interesting post and pictures.
I’ve just done Liz’s Serviceberry post and added it to your link. I’ll be doing my young oak tree post later in the week. xx
Thanks. See you again later, then π
I’ve just posted, and linked, my own tree following post. xx
I’ve been over to visit. Nice one!
This is the first year I have really appreciated oaks, as they are generally thought to be more “English” than Welsh…
Best wishes π
[…] tree-following meme is hosted by Pat English at The Squirrel Basket. Visit her blog to learn about the trees being followed by other garden […]
Pat, I like your pointillist interpretation of spring trees, especially the cherry tree. Coincidentally, I am starting to follow a new tree and have tentatively identified it as one of our native cherry trees. Our spring tree blooming is a little behind yours, but we seem to have caught up quite a bit since last month. (We are on a speeded-up spring calendar here!)
I’ve been to visit your post and have updated your details in the “master list”.
It will be interesting to see exactly what the species is – although there are so many to choose from!
But as you say, your Prunus is probably “native” to Maine.
Best wishes and thanks for continuing with the tree following π
Isn’t it fun to experiment? I like your images! They convey the transitional, changeable nature of the season. Thanks, again, for hosting!
And thank you – that’s a wonderful little video experiment you have done with your mystery buckeye!
Best wishes π
What a fun take on the beauty of spring trees. Thanks for a different look at trees.
Thanks. I could probably have wasted a whole day playing!
Best wishes π
Thank you for hosting again, and I totally understand about the pointillism, it is exactly what the birch leaves at Plas Cadnant looked like.
Yes, birch leaves in particular are fragile, aren’t they…
Best wishes π