The Woodland Gallery of Spring Arts. For what I found whilst walking through the delightful woodlands at the side of Moorgreen Reservoir.

 

"Along the Autumn Pathway." - It was back in October of 2025 that I had captured the following photo and where was I when I took that photo? Well it was in a beautiful section of woodland that I shall simply describe as being something akin to the following,

"A Gallery of Sculpture, Arts, Colours and Layers, for this of course is the Woodland that is located next to Moorgreen Reservoir in Nottinghamshire, and the footpath through these woodlands takes you from Moorgreen to Felley Mill. But walk through these woodlands and you shall find and see a woodland that is spectacular throughout the year and throughout each season. For yes you can visit and walk around an Art Gallery, but hold on a moment, woodlands are art galleries, the only difference is that the art within a woodland, the sculpture within the woodland and the sounds, well they are all curated by nature and its intricate ways of providing those works of art."

For the last time I had visited the delightful "and beautiful woodland gem, that is the stretch of woodlands that run adjacent to Moorgreen Reservoir and links up with Felley Mill" was of course back in October of 2025 - back then of course the woodlands were putting on their beautiful final display of theatrical Autumn Colours, before Winter arrived and the woodland would have looked a little bit more bare. Fast forward of course to Spring 2026, and well a theatrical and beautiful array of artworks yet again with a certain "opulence of colour" have also made their return! But it was on Friday the 1st of May 2026 that it was time to re-visit the woodlands at the side of Moorgreen Reservoir, a location of course that throughout the years I have always enjoyed visiting, and a location that to me at least seems as if it really is a living art gallery. Yes, the Bluebells might be past their peak, but below are the photos that I captured of the delights of this glorious Woodland on the 1st of May 2026.

"Rest a While by the Banks of The Reservoir."

"Within Green, Lilac Glow."

"To Follow the Pathway through Spring."

"Just beginning, the Rhododendron Bloom."

"A Single Rhododendron Framed."

"Swathed in Arts of Woodland Glow."

"Light Seeps, Gentle With Woodland Glow."

"Elements, and Arts of Woodland Display."

"A Woodland Panorama Grows."

"Leading into Light and Art." 

"Sculpture under Blue."

"Where the last of the Bluebells Shine. Next to the Sculpture of Nature."

"As the rain of Green Leaves create a Frame of Light."

"Sculpture of the Woodland Floor."

"Within the Valley of Wild Garlic Glow."

"Besides the Stream, Within the Gallery of Woodland."

"Bankside of Wild Garlic."

"Serene Scene of Green and White, The Sculptures of Trees and Arts Collide."

"Where the Stream and Garlic Flow."

"Below the crafts of Art and Woodland Sculptures Rest."

"The Colony, Fungus Abstract." - (A little bit of an explanation into why I loved this composition. As I was walking along the footpath from the area not too far from Felley Mill, where of course The Wild Garlic is, I came across a section of tree that had fallen. On this tree/tree stump next to me, I noticed that there was quite a lot of Fungus growing, and there was just something else about its texture and form, that I just had to capture it. For really it was a work of nature that many other people would just ignore. To me it just proved that nature really does have an interesting way in creating intricate and delicate pieces of artwork, that force us into seeing things that we would not normally see, and tells us to slow down from the rushes of the modern world.)

"Under the Sculpture of Woodland Art."

"As they begin to Glow."

"Elements, And the Rhododendron Stare."

As April 2026 bid a magical "Spring Farewell" of Colour, Arts and a Delightful Light.

"April 2026, might have been and gone. But it really for me at least has been one of the most spectacular months of 2026 and one of the most beautiful months of Spring that I have within my mind. Looking back at previous photos that I have taken during Spring, yes they have been beautiful and colourful, but Spring of 2026 and April of 2026 - well it really has been something else, sheer bliss and opulence in which nature really has created and curated beautiful works of art within the landscape."

And it was on April the 30th 2026, that under a delightful Blue Sky, with a delightful warmth that I was visiting a location that I had visited a couple of years ago before, a location situated between Crich and Matlock, called Lea Gardens, a unique and beautiful gardens that is designed in the Himalayan Garden style that contains some 300+ varieties of Rhododendron's and Azalea's, and well needless to say that it is nothing short of artwork, the art of colour and nature combining to create a visual feast for the eyes, and below are the photographs that I managed to capture.

"The Garden, The Pathway, The Portrait in Delightful Colour does Glow."

"The Pathway to Art."

"The Portrait of Layers."

"Spring and Vibrant Layers."

"As Artwork Grows."

"Pinks and Purple."

"Walls of Colour, Arts of Spring."

"Rhododendron City, Towering Over Me."

"Under Green and Woodland Light, April Delights."

"Dappled and Shades, where the Rhododendron's Glow."

"The Shining Light under Woodland Green."

"A Pathway through the Arts of Colour."

"Pink and Red Devine."

"Beneath the Rhododendron Kingdom."

"When Green and Vibrant Purple Glow."

"Purple Forms."

"The Rainbow of Spring, Under Seeping Blue."

"Rhodo and Azalea Wall."

"Within the Portrait of Art and Spring."

"Spring and Colour Delights."

"Colour, Woodland Glow."

"Within a Frame, Lea Gardens."

"Floral Arts of the Garden, Shine."

"Staring into Colour."

"A Painting Under Blue."

Having had a delightful lunch at Lea Gardens and of course visit it was time to head to Peak Village, this time for a short and brief visit, Peak Village is a Shopping outlet that is smaller than many other bigger shopping outlets, and it is located between Matlock and Bakewell in the village of Rowsley - but come the Spring and Summer, well the various planters within the shopping outlet, they are works of art as well, and I just had to capture those as well. 

"Ferns, Light and Shadows."

"Retro Colour, Tulips Glow."

"Silk White Tulips and Green Layers."

But after a short and brief stop off at Peak Village, it was then time to head down the A6, this time to the town of Belper with its delightful River Gardens, and of course imposing old Mill that stands proud above the skyline of the town, and it was here in which the late afternoon/early evening light was just magical, again delightful, and this was the last location and visit for the day. But hold on April 2026, you really were a magical month of delightful opulent colours and light, arts as well created and crafted by nature and these are the final photos that I managed to capture, for April 2026 to me at least is one that will be in my memory for the longest time - as for me at least it seemed to be the most beautiful Spring months that I can remember, especially compared to previous years, for there really was something else about the colours of April 2026, but what are your thoughts? Do let me know. 

"Spring and the afternoon Bandstand Glow."

"Mill and Gardens, the Early Evening Glow."

"Spring and River Garden Reflecting."

"A Portrait of a River Gardens Spring."

"Spring Time Evening Art it Glows."